Introduction
The City of Charlotte is the largest municipality in North Carolina and the 17th largest city in the United States, with a total population of more than 872,498 citizens. A major commerce center, Charlotte hosts several of the nation’s largest banks and technology companies.
Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We work hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play. Join us in helping to keep our City thriving, ensuring upward mobility and advancement in the workplace.
Overview
The Office of the City Attorney is the largest municipal legal office in North Carolina. It is dedicated to serving the citizens of Charlotte by protecting and defending the legal interests of the city. The office provides legal advice to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, along with other City officials and departments on a broad range of issues and engages in litigation in support or defense of the city. Our vision is to be a model public service law firm known for its talent, diversity, and service. We offer exciting opportunities to join a dynamic staff operating in an open, progressive and balanced environment. Our legal team is tasked with providing high-quality legal services to our clients in a timely, responsive, and ethical manner.
Function
Professional - Legal
Summary
This position is part of the City Attorney’s Office and responsible for providing comprehensive legal services and representation to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and city departments. This position is specifically responsible for advising Human Resource professionals and city management on all employment related matters to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations and standards, including litigation in defense of the City. The position is physically located at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center.
NOTE: This vacancy will be filled as an Assistant City Attorney I or II, commensurate with experience.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
• Serve as legal counsel to the Human Resources Department
• Provide advice and counsel to management and HR professionals in all departments on all aspects of day-to-day employment-related matters, including but not limited to hiring and termination, discrimination, retaliation, compensation, benefits, leaves of absence, and employee investigations
• Assist in drafting, implementation and enforcement of internal policies and procedures related to employment issues to ensure compliance with all laws, regulations, and legal standards
• Draft position statements in response to EEOC discrimination complaints
• Work with outside counsel to Manage employment litigation, facilitate discovery, and consult on key decisions
• Develop, provide, and deliver proactive training to Human Resources professionals and management on a wide variety of employment law matters
• Represent the City in pending litigation, administrative board hearings and appeals in federal and state courts as needed
• Prepare pleadings, statements, memoranda, briefs; draft and negotiate settlements and other legal documents; efficiently and effectively manage discovery, including depositions
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• Knowledge of constitutional, federal, state, and local laws affecting municipal government employers
• Comfortable interfacing with and providing counsel to City executives and HR professionals
• Ability to prepare and try employment cases and possess prior litigation experience with federal and state courts
• Knowledge of local rules, civil procedures, and rules of evidence
• Ability to master new material quickly, manage diverse legal portfolio and handle fast-paced environment
• Ability to review contracts, analyze data, identify trends and recommend solutions
• Strong attention to detail and excellent problem-solving, research and writing skills
• Ability to build positive relationships across all levels of the organization
Preferred Qualification
• Two (2) or more years of relevant work experience as a practicing attorney specializing in employment matters and litigation experience in state and federal courts
Minimum Qualifications
• Doctorate degree from an ABA accredited law school and license to practice law in North Carolina
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience as a practicing attorney for Assistant City Attorney I. Minimum of five (5) years of experience as a practicing attorney for an Assistant City Attorney II. Less experience for each position may be considered if experience includes concentration in municipal law
Salary
• $88,579 minimum for Assistant City Attorney I
• $97,659 minimum for Assistant City Attorney II
Conditions of Employment
The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.
Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.
Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.
The City of Charlotte requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment for any new City of Charlotte employees. The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such, will consider reasonable accommodations as required by law.
How To Apply
Apply online.
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.
You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby where we have workstations available. Our office is located at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.
Anyone seeking an accommodation to apply for a job may call (704) 336-2285 for assistance or you may email questions to CityHrJobPostingsNotify@ci.charlotte.nc.us.
Benefits
The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to all employees.
Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.
The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
In Conclusion
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