City Attorney - Lawton

Listing Title:
City Attorney

Listing Description
Job Summary

Provides legal advice to and representation of the City and performs a variety of complex, high-level administrative, technical and professional duties in prosecuting crimes, conducting civil lawsuits, drafting legal documents, advising City officials as to legal rights, obligations, practices and other phases of applicable local, state and federal law.

Essential Job Functions

• Manages and supervises the legal department of the City to achieve goals within available resources; plans and organizes workloads and staff assignments; trains, motivates and evaluates assigned staff; reviews progress and directs changes as needed.
• Prepares significant and complex cases for trial and represents the City in adversarial proceedings before Municipal Court, District Court, Workers Compensation Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Oklahoma Supreme Court, Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, the various United States Courts, state and federal administrative agencies, boards and commissions, and at other hearings of concern to the City.
• Provides leadership and direction in the development of short and long range plans; gathers, interprets and prepares data for studies, reports and recommendations; coordinates department activities with other City departments and county, state and federal agencies as needed.
• Provides professional advice to the City Council, City Manager, and department heads; makes presentations to the City Council, trust authorities, boards, commissions, civic groups and the general public.
• Communicates official plans, policies and procedures to staff and the general public.
• Assures that assigned areas of responsibility are performed within budget; performs cost control activities; monitors revenues and expenditures in assigned area to insure sound fiscal control; prepares annual budget requests; insures effective and efficient use of budgeted funds, personnel, materials, facilities and time.
• Issues written and oral instructions and opinions; assigns duties and examines work for exactness, neatness and conformance to policies and procedures.
• Maintains harmony among workers and resolves grievances.
• Prepares a variety of studies, reports and related information for decision-making purposes.
• Assists department directors and other staff to see that all laws and ordinances are faithfully performed.
• Advises the City Council, City Manager and Department Heads on the current status and anticipated future trends of the law and issues legal opinions.
• Attends all meetings of the City Council, City Directors’ meetings, and attends meetings of other trust authorities, boards, or commissions as required.
• Approves ordinances, resolutions and contracts as to legality and form; provides legal advice as to content.
• Drafts ordinances, resolutions, contracts, agreements, deeds, leases, franchises, etc.; reviews documents prepared by other agencies or parties.
• Advises City officials of changes to state or federal laws affecting City operations.
• Conducts complex legal research, interviews clients and witnesses and handles other details in preparation for trial.
• Communicates with city, state and federal officials through personal contact, telephone, and written correspondence on matters of interest to the City.
• Drafts legal briefs, develops strategy, arguments and reviews testimony in preparation for litigation.
• Interprets laws, rulings and regulations for City officials and staff.
• Confers with colleagues to establish and verify basis for proceedings in specialized areas of the law; serves as a liaison between outside legal counsel and City officials.
• Serves as spokesman for the City in contacts with the media on legal issues and other matters as required.
• Prepares and submits to the City Council and City Manager such reports as may be required or as the City Attorney may deem it advisable to submit.
• Oversees the City’s compliance with Oklahoma’s Open Meeting and Open Records Acts.
• Assists the Mayor and City Clerk in the preparation of agendas for meetings of City Council and other boards and authorities.
• Serves on the City’s Disclosure Working Group verifying that the City’s disclosures to the Municipal Bond Market are timely and accurate as mandated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Provides advice and guidance to City Council, staff, and the Mayor with regard to the issuance of General Obligation and revenue bonds.
• Preforms other related duties as assigned by the Mayor, City Council or other designated supervision.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Graduation from an ABA accredited law school with a Juris Doctorate Degree and admission to practice law before the Supreme Court of Oklahoma; within six months of employment the employee should be admitted to practice law before the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and for United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; and at least five (5) years of experience as a practicing attorney.
• License to practice law in the State of Oklahoma and member in good standing with the OBA.
• Must possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license or the ability to obtain one prior to employment.
• Must become a resident of the City of Lawton upon commencing employment as City Attorney.


Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Considerable knowledge of state and federal statutes relating to municipal affairs; considerable knowledge of laws relating to the purchase of goods and services, contracting, labor, employment, land use, environment and traffic; working knowledge of modern policies and practices of municipal law and public administration.
• Considerable knowledge and expertise in the area of state and federal constitutional law affecting city government and civil rights matters.
• Considerable knowledge of city ordinances and charter provisions particularly as relating to the authority and functions of city departments.
• Considerable knowledge of judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
• Considerable knowledge of established common law and judicial precedents and experience indicating a proven ability to use various sources of legal references.
• At least five years experience in evaluation, preparation and litigation of civil and criminal matters before city, state and federal courts, and before city, state and federal administrative tribunals.
• Ability to analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents in the areas of contract, real property, employment, public works, public funding and other areas of municipal concern.
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues and provide a recommended course of action to client.
• Ability to carry out assigned projects to their completion; ability to establish effective working relationships with employees, City officials, the court system, the news media and the general public; ability to efficiently and effectively administer a municipal legal department.
• Skill in conducting traditional and computer-assisted research on complex legal problems, including Westlaw.
• Ability to prepare and try cases before state and federal courts and administrative boards.
• Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely orally and in writing and to read, analyze and understand complex written documents.
• Ability to react in a positive fashion to the stressful situations which develop from relationships with elected officials.
• Demonstrated ability to work under deadline pressures with little or no supervision.


Physical Requirements

Tasks involve the ability to exert minimal physical effort in sedentary work, typically involving some combination of balancing, feeling, handling, hearing, kneeling, mental acuity, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, talking, visual acuity, walking and involves some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and material of moderate weight 25 pounds. Tasks my involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.

The working environment is relatively comfortable, however, the ability to meet deadlines is required. Occasional travel within the city limits will be required and some travel outside the city limits may be required.

Supervision

This position directly supervises the Deputy City Attorney and Legal Assistant IV – Office Administrator [on office administrative matters].

This position indirectly supervises all other staff members of the City Attorney’s Office.

Notice

The duties listed in this description are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.


Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Lawton affords equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability status or genetic information. Persons selected for employment into any position must pass a drug test. Some positions may require passing an alcohol test. Previous employment and any additional experience will be subject to verification prior to employment processing. A driver’s license and driving record check will be conducted if driving is a job requirement. A post offer employment medical examination may be conducted prior to job placement. EOE AA EMPLOYER VETS DISABILITY

(Job) Location:
Lawton, OK

Website Address (please do not delete the http://):
http://selfservice.lawtonok.gov/ess/EmploymentOpportunities/JobDetail.aspx?req=5565&sreq=1&form=CA&desc=CITY%20ATTORNEY

Contact Information -

Company/Municipality Name:
City of Lawton, Oklahoma

Street Address
212 SW 9th Street

City
Lawton

State
Oklahoma

Zip Code
73501

Phone Number
580-581-3392

Contact Job Title:
Employee Development Coordinator

First Name
Angela

Last Name
Milligan

Email Address
angela.milligan@lawtonok.gov

Listing Expiration Date:
09/01/2025