Job Description

The City of Houston Legal Department strives to provide the highest quality municipal legal services to the City, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees in the most efficient manner feasible through adherence to the following guiding principles:

• Quality & Service – Achieving high customer satisfaction as judged by our clients.
• Partnership & Teamwork – Working cooperatively internally and with our clients to achieve the City's goals.
• Integrity & Candor – Acting with a commitment to honesty and ethical behavior.
• Dignity & Diversity – Demonstrating esteem for the worth of each individual.
• Innovation & Imagination – Seeking novel and creative approaches to achieving the City's objectives.

Composed of approximately 100 of Houston's finest attorneys working in 10 legal practice sections, the OCA handles personal injury, commercial and civil rights litigation, major commercial and real estate transactions, and a diverse array of human resources, labor and employment matters, while also counseling the municipal corporation on economic development, constitutional, election matters, ethics and quality of life matters, and preparing City ordinances governing Houston and its citizens.

Every member of the OCA is committed to "Service Through Law."

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The City of Houston seeks a solutions-focused transactional attorney to join the Legal Department’s Contracts Section to handle a range of Houston Public Works legal matters. The Contracts Section handles a wide variety of legal issues such as drafting and negotiating public contracts, advising on procurements, and drafting and interpreting local ordinances.

The ideal candidate will be team-oriented and have knowledge regarding Texas procurement laws and best practices in procurement, as well as experience in all aspects of governmental procurement, preferably at the municipal level, including but not limited to: experience advising clients regarding procurement laws and policies applicable to requests for qualifications; requests for proposals; bids; cooperative purchasing; alternative delivery of construction; information technology (software, hardware) and intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, IP licensing); and federal and state grants, including procurement and compliance.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Drafting and negotiating complex contracts.
• Counseling clients on procurement rules applicable to City, state and federally funded projects.
• Drafting and training clients on relevant City policies, procedures, and City Code provisions.
• Assisting the City Attorney and others with special projects, such as drafting City Attorney legal opinions.
• Working with litigation teams on disputes involving transactions relating to City of Houston contracts.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position is physically comfortable; the individual has discretion about walking, standing, etc. There are no major sources of discomfort in a normal office environment.

REQUIREMENTS

Application: A complete application must include the following: a current resume, a statement of interest, and a legal writing sample demonstrating recent transactional experience.

Educational: Requires a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association accredited college of law.

Experience:

For Senior Assistant City Attorney I: Minimum of 8 years of experience practicing law.

For Senior Assistant City Attorney II: Minimum of 13 years of experience practicing law.

For Senior Assistant City Attorney III:Minimum of 18 years of experience practicing law.

License: Must be a member of the Texas State Bar on or about the first day of employment. If selected for this position, official proof of a J.D. degree and membership in the Texas State Bar is required and a condition of employment.

PREFERENCES

Preference will be given to applicants with:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in a transactional practice focusing one or more of the following areas, preferably in a government setting: advising clients regarding procurement laws and policies; design and construction contracting; information technology (software, hardware) and intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, IP licensing); or federal and state grants, including procurement and compliance.
• Exceptional contract negotiation and drafting skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with federal, state, and local agencies.
• General understanding of municipal procurement statutes.
• Texas experience preferred but other jurisdictions will be considered.
• Proficiency with the Office 365 suite of programs, including Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams, OneDrive Business, as well as other Microsoft collaborative platforms such as SharePoint; and proficiency with electronic legal research tools such as Westlaw Edge, Practical Law, and Drafting Assistant
• Willing to work extended hours as needed to accommodate work demands.
• All applicants must upload a current resume in addition to completing the application.

**Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.**

GENERAL INFORMATION:

SELECTION/SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED:

All applicants will be expected to provide a writing sample and transcripts. All applicants must upload a current resume in addition to completing the application.

SAFETY IMPACT POSITION: No

If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.

SALARY INFORMATION:

Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in the appropriate classification.

Pay Grade: Varies

Salary Range: $111,000 up to $175,000.Salary will be determined depending on qualifications.

EEO Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

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