City Attorney

About the role

The City of Sumner is seeking an experienced, strategic, and community-minded attorney to serve as their next City Attorney. This role is more than just a traditional legal position; the City Attorney will be a key member of the City’s leadership team, shaping policies, guiding major decisions, protecting public interests, and navigating the challenges of a growing and vibrant community.

Responsibilities

• Manage the department operations, including setting overall direction, goals, and objectives for the department;
• Supervise staff (including City Clerk, Attorneys, Public Records staff and support staff) and delegate responsibility and appropriate authority to staff;
• Maintain oversight of daily work activities to ensure the timely and accurate completion of functional responsibilities;
• Ensure appropriate training and development of department staff;
• Attend all regular and special City Council sessions, providing legal advice as required;
• Prepare, interpret, and enforce the ordinances and regulations of the City;
• Review proposed and enacted State and federal legislation for impact upon the City;
• Recommend appropriate responses where necessary to protect the City's legal interests;
• Analyze legal trends and developments impacting the City and recommend appropriate City responses;
• Represent the City in court and before various administrative bodies;
• Prepare and ensure fiscal responsibility of the department budget; control and monitor expenses within the budget;
• Participate in, and provide leadership to City-wide long-range, strategic planning activities in coordination with the City Administrator;
• Negotiate real property acquisitions;
• Prepare and conduct verbal and written employee performance evaluations;
• Recognize superior job performance; administer corrective and/or disciplinary actions for undesirable performance consistent with established City policy;
• Receive and investigate complaints, taking action as necessary;
• Evaluate and award legal contracts to outside counsel;
• Assign, direct, and coordinate outside counsel work to assure compliance with specifications, timelines, budget and legal requirements;
• Cookordination Department functions with other City departments to ensure unified progress towards City objectives;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Graduation from law school with a Juris Doctorate degree, licensed to practice law in the State of Washington;
• At least five (5) years of experience in the field of law with at least three (3) years municipal experience in criminal and/or civil matters, land use, labor law, transportation, general municipal law and administrative law;
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Washington and a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive municipal law, including torts, contracts, land use, utilities, labor law, public records, criminal law, constitutional law, government and administrative law, and municipal finance;
• Current literature, trends and developments in the field of municipal law;
• Courtroom procedures and techniques;
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary;
• Exercise sound judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with City personnel, outside agencies, and the general public;
• Guide, direct, and motivate employees;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Effectively delegate duties and responsibilities.

Ability

• Present legal arguments and opinions effectively and persuasively both in writing and verbally;
• Advises the City Council and staff on legal matters in a clear and concise manner;
• Conduct research on legal matters related to the administration of the City;
• Interpret and apply City policies, procedures, law and regulations relating to management activities;
• Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to various situations;
• Resolve conflicts and gain cooperation among conflicting groups;
• Complete work and projects in a thorough and timely manner;
• Effectively train, supervise, and evaluate department personnel (directly or indirectly);
• Apply judgment and discretion in resolving problems and interpreting policies;
• Operate a personal computer with associated software and peripherals;
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing and possess active listening skills;
• Maintain confidentiality of information;
• Establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of work;
• Maintain regular, reliable and punctual attendance.

Physical Requirements

• Constant use of sight, hearing, and speech abilities to perform essential functions and communicate with others;
• Frequent sitting, may be extended at times, while doing desk activities;
• Constant fine finger manipulation and use of hands and arms in reaching/handling/fingering/grasping while operating office equipment and computers, preparing written documentation, handling paperwork, etc.