Assistant City Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Department: City Attorney

Pay Grade: A22

FLSA Status: Exempt

JOB SUMMARY

The Assistant City Attorney (Prosecutor) will primarily prosecute criminal matters in the City’s Municipal Court. The Municipal Court is a limited jurisdiction court operating within the Arizona Court System. The Court adjudicates all criminal misdemeanors, code violations, and traffic violations that occurred within the City’s limits.

The Prosecutor performs prosecutions through legal research, pretrial hearings, trials (jury and bench), and appellate work to enforce State laws and City ordinances; serves as advisor to Police Department; advises other City departments in interpreting and enforcing City ordinances and other laws; assists the City Attorney with other legal work as required; and performs other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Works with victims, makes charging decisions and works with law enforcement on investigations and pending matters.
• Prepares and appears for pre-trial conferences and other court hearings, tries jury and non-jury trials. Makes recommendations for sentencing and conditions of release.
• Reviews the file on each case including police reports, previous convictions and motions from defense attorneys; prepares any necessary correspondence.
• Researches caselaw, writes appellate briefs and provides written responses to motions.
• Appears in Municipal Court to prosecute traffic, criminal code and City Code violations; prepares legal pleadings; researches technical and scientific aspects of evidence; negotiates plea agreements; formulates strategies; and interviews and prepares witnesses to testify at trial.
• Advises the Police Department on gathering and presentation of evidence, filing of charges, and other legal matters related to criminal cases. Interviews police officers, inspectors or others presenting evidence for the City.
• Performs legal research to support the State's and City's position in hearings and trials as well as in response to defendant motions. Provides statistical data concerning disposition of cases, researches, writes, and argues appeals to appellate courts and federal courts.
• Reviews cases involving violation of City Code, evaluating and advising on when a case is prosecutable; prepares and prosecutes such cases in Municipal Court; answers questions from the public regarding the City Code.
• Supervises the required notification of crime victims and works with them to explain their rights in the criminal process.
• Drafts legal opinions, memoranda, ordinances, resolutions, and contracts on various subjects as required.
• Reviews adopted and proposed laws, ordinances, codes, rules, and regulations, and advises appropriate officials of recommended actions.
• Study new legislation and recently decided case law; present summary of changes in law to staff of affected departments; and attend continuing legal education seminars.
• Attend meetings with department officials and employees to discuss legal questions and departmental policies and procedures.
• Researches and responds to public record requests.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Juris Doctor degree, and
• Preference of at least one year of related prosecution experience; or
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Licenses or Certifications:

• Valid State driver’s license upon employment.

Special Requirements:

• A license to practice law in Arizona and a member in good standing of the state bar association.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of state statutes, the Page City Code, court rules, and the rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of municipal law.
• Knowledge of the practices, procedures, and techniques for effectively prosecuting violations in Municipal Court.
• Skill in the use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Skill in preparing briefs and other legal documents.

• Skill in using computers for word processing purposes.
• Skill in negotiating settlements.
• Skill in communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing in the English language.
• Ability to organize and communicate effectively.
• Ability to prepare and analyze legal documents.
• Ability to carry out assigned projects to completion.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, city officials, the court system, and the general public.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. The following physical abilities are required: fingering, hearing, mental acuity, speaking, talking, and visual acuity.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work requires decision making that could lead to major community or organizational consequences if this position fails to make the appropriate decision at the time.

Page has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.