TRANSACTIONAL CONTRACTS ATTORNEY

POSITION OVERVIEW

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
Job Classification: ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY II: TRANSACTIONAL CONTRACTS ATTORNEY
Department: LEGAL
Division: CONTRACTS
Reporting Location: 900 BAGBY
Workdays & Hours: MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM* *Subject to Change
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:
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 - Placing honesty and ethical behavior first.
• Dignity & Diversity - Promoting each person's value.
• Innovation & Imagination - Seeking novel and creative approaches to achieving the City's objectives.

Composed of approximately 100 of Houston's finest attorneys across 10 sections, the Legal Department has the pivotal role of providing litigation support, negotiating, and drafting contracts, handling taxation matters, advising on personnel actions, dealing with the acquisition or sale of City property, overseeing City elections, drafting ordinances, advising on ethics and conflicts of interest, and dealing with neighborhood protection and quality of life issues.
Every employee is committed to the Department's motto - "Service Through Law."

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
The City of Houston seeks a solutions-focused transactional attorney to join the Legal Department's Contracts Section. 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, information technology, and alternative delivery of construction.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Drafting and negotiating moderately 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.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATIONAL:
Requires a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association accredited college of law. Requires basic computer skills and working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite.

EXPERIENCE:
Minimum of 4 years of experience practicing law and must be an active member in good standing of the Texas State Bar and eligible for admission to Federal court. License to practice law in Texas must be kept current as a condition of employment.

LICENSE:
Member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas.

PREFERENCES

Preference will be given to applicants with:

• Between 4 to 8 years' experience in a transactional practice focusing on procurement or contract negotiation matters, preferably in a governmental setting in the State of Texas.
• Exceptional contract negotiation and drafting skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Willingness to take the initiative to identify and solve business and legal issues
• Experience working with federal, state and local agencies.
• Proficiency with Office 365 suite of programs, including Word, Teams, PowerPoint, OneDrive, SharePoint, Outlook, Excel as well as Westlaw Edge and other new and emerging technologies in legal practice.
• Willingness to work extended hours as needed to accommodate work demands.

**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: None

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: 27
Salary Range: Salary will be determined depending on qualifications.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Only online applications will be accepted for this City of Houston job and must be received by the Human Resources Department during posting opening and closing dates shown. Applications must be submitted online at: www.houstontx.gov .

To view your detailed application status, please log-in to your online profile by visiting: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/houston/default.cfm or call (832) 393-6214.

All new and rehires must pass a pre-employment drug test and are subject to a physical examination and verification of information.

Due to the high volume of applications received, the Hiring Department will contact you directly, should you be selected to advance in our recruitment process.


If you need special services or accommodations, call (832) 393-6214.
If you need login assistance or technical support call 855-524-5627.

EOE - 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.

The city offers a competitive benefits program, including competitively priced health coverage and a defined contribution pension plan. Benefits include:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Wellness
• Supplemental Insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability
• Retirement pension
• 457 deferred compensation plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• 10 days of vacation each year
• 11 city holidays, plus one floating holiday
• Compensable Sick Leave
• Personal Leave
• Flexible schedules
• Hybrid-Telework for eligible positions
• Professional development opportunities
• Transportation/parking plan
• Section 125 pretax deductions
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
• Paid Prenatal, Parental and Infant Wellness Leaves
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account

For plan details, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/hr/benefits.html

Closing Date/Time: 1/2/2026 11:59 PM Central

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• Houston Airport System

• 2812331839

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