Deputy City Attorney V - Real Estate, Housing and Economic Development

  • CITY OF OAKLAND, CA
  • Oakland, California
  • Mar 05, 2024
Full Time Community and Economic Development Housing Legal Services Other Real Estate
  • Salary: 187,774 USD

Job Description

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants to one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

The City Attorney’s Office seeks a seasoned real estate and community development attorney with significant expertise in affordable housing development and finance, development and/or transactional aspects of general real estate, and secured finance work to fill the position of Supervising Deputy City Attorney V. Expertise in land use, redevelopment, economic development, municipal law, and environmental law is a plus.

The ideal candidate will fill a supervisory position in the City Attorney’s Real Estate and Community Development Unit and will advise the City’s Real Estate Department on varied transactional work related to the sale, acquisition and lease of property, the City’s Housing and Community Development Department on City financing of affordable housing development projects, and the City’s Economic and Workforce Development Department on varied legal work related to various economic development projects, and the City’s job training and workforce development programs, depending on qualifications. The City Attorney may assign the selected attorney to new, additional or different duties or practice areas in either litigation or transactional work, in the future, if needs change.

Deputy City Attorney V is the highest classification in the Deputy City Attorney series and is a management level position. The incumbent may perform and supervise a wide range of duties involving municipal law, public contracting, municipal finance, taxes and fees, formation of special assessment and other districts, public ethics, conflicts of interest, elections law, redistricting, campaign and lobbyist regulations, parliamentary procedure, open meetings, public records, constitutional law, charter interpretations, and other practice areas outlined above. The incumbent may also supervise assigned staff attorneys that handle a wide range of practice areas.

This position is an at will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules.

Examples of Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Supervises attorneys in the Real Estate, Housing, Economic Development and Community Development Unit.

• Performs legal research, interprets and applies statutes, regulations, codes, and court decisions.

• Drafts and reviews complex documents, such as leases, disposition and development agreements, exclusive negotiating agreements, loan agreements, regulatory agreements, subordination agreements, and other financing documents, related to routine real estate transactions, large-scale development projects, and affordable housing projects.

• Negotiates document terms and other project issues with for-profit and nonprofit developers, private lenders, and other government funding agencies.

• Handles all aspects of closings for the sale, lease, and other disposition of City property, including title issues.

• Drafts and reviews grant agreements with workforce development service providers.

• Reviews documents and provides legal advice to City staff on post-redevelopment and redevelopment successor agency issues as needed, and represents the City’s interests before redevelopment dissolution oversight bodies and agencies.

• Prepares legal opinions, ordinances, resolutions, and other legal documents, as necessary to meet legal standards and consummate transactions.

• Acts in an advisory capacity at meetings of the City Council and City boards and commissions, including the Oakland Workforce Development Board, and provides training to such bodies as needed on conflicts of interest, public meetings laws, parliamentary procedure, and other topics.

• Reviews staff reports and writes City Council reports as needed.

• Participates in bond transactions in collaboration with bond counsel and municipal finance attorneys.

• Provides legal advice to City real estate, housing, and economic development staff as needed.

• Develops expertise in particular areas of municipal law as directed.

• Oversees outside counsel.

• Exercises sound judgment, clearly explains legal advice to attorneys and lay people and defends legal analyses.

• Responds to questions posed by members of the public related to City real estate matters.

• Attendance at evening and late-night meetings is required.

• May serve as counsel to the City Council, City Council committees and City boards or commissions at public or closed session meetings.

• Attending evening and late-night meetings on matters and issues regarding real estate and economic development.

Minimum Requirements for Application

Experience:

One year of increasingly responsible work experience comparable to a Deputy City Attorney IV in the City of Oakland,

- or -

Ten years of professional experience in relevant areas of law.

Candidates must possess excellent knowledge of federal and state court procedures, including local rules. Excellent writing and oral argument skills are needed.

Education:

The incumbent must be a graduate of an accredited law school.

License or Certificate:
  • A member in good standing of the California State Bar.
  • Incumbents in this position are expected to operate automotive vehicles in the performance of assigned duties. Due to assignments and hours of work, public transportation may not be an efficient method for traveling to required locations. Selected individual will be required to maintain a valid California Driver's License during City employment or demonstrate the ability to travel to required locations in a timely manner.

Desirable Skills:
  • Language skills, especially in Spanish, Cantonese and/or Mandarin.
  • Experience in management of attorneys/legal teams is desirable.
Knowledge of:
  • Municipal, state and federal laws, ordinances and codes affecting City government.
  • Municipal, state and federal employment and labor laws.
  • Legal research methods; local court rules and procedures.
  • Principles of supervision and training.
  • Public contact and community relations.
Ability to:
  • Interpret and apply various government codes and ordinances.
  • Conduct research on legal problems.
  • Prepare sound legal opinions.
  • Analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents.
  • Present cases in court and administrative proceedings.
  • Provide professional leadership, guidance, and technical expertise to assigned staff.
  • Handle stressful or sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy.
  • Communicate effectively in both oral and written form with City officials, representatives of outside agencies and the public.
  • Complete varied assignments within a narrow time frame.
  • Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.


Supplemental Information

HOW TO APPLY

Submit an employment application, cover letter, and current résumé as well as the attached supplemental questionnaire via email to:

jobs@oaklandcityattorney.org


This job announcement and additional employment information including the application form is available on-line at:
http://www.oaklandcityattorney.org/

The office of the City Attorney conducts background checks of candidates, prior to the issuance of an unconditional letter of employment. The investigation includes screening of the applicants' criminal case (State and Federal), civil case (State) and national sex offender history.

The City of Oakland is an EEO/ADA Employer.

The City complies with all Federal, State and local laws mandating Equal Employment Opportunities. All qualified applicants will be considered in accordance with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:

• CalPERS Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Medical Waiver Plan - Cash-In-Lieu
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Commuter Benefits
• Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
• Pension Benefits
• Deferred Compensation

* Specific benefits may vary depending on the assignedspecific bargaining unit. Information regarding most benefits can be reviewed here: Employee Benefits Information Current MOUs may be reviewed here: City of Oakland Labor Agreements

Base Pay

187,774

Job Address

Oakland, California United States View Map