Assistant City Attorney

The Assistant City Attorney has direct and independent responsibility for a general, broad municipal legal practice in a fast-paced, high-volume Law Department. Areas of focus include representing the City in various litigation venues including federal and state courts and labor and employment litigation. . The position is also responsible for legislative counseling, legal research, reviewing and responding to public records requests, contract review, working closely with a diverse group of municipal officials in all manner of municipal legal matters.

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Represent the City in all phases of state and federal civil litigation.
• Represent the City before state boards, commissions and other state agencies (i.e. labor arbitration, mediation, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor Relations, Division of Administrative Law Appeals, Appellate Tax Board, etc.)
• Draft and respond to litigation pleadings and discovery;
• Prepare witnesses for litigation.
• Negotiate, draft and review contracts.
• Negotiate settlements through mediation and direct discussions.
• Presents before City Council, committees, boards and commissions, sometimes during weekday evening hours.
• Prosecute violations before Licensing Commission.
• Draft ordinances and home rule petitions.
• Research complex legal issues and advises on dynamic legal strategies that achieve the City’s goals and minimize legal exposure.
• Develop creative and innovative resolutions to legal challenges.
• Advise elected officials, department heads and employees on general matters such as state ethics laws, the open meeting laws, public records laws, public sector procurement matters, specific departmental or interest areas, municipal finance, etc.
• Draft legal documents.
• Work collaboratively with fellow City attorneys and outside counsel.
• Perform duties related to the City Charter and Ordinances.
• Ensure compliance with the Board of Bar Overseer rules, regulations and ordinances.
• Supervise administrative and paralegal staff, as well as law student interns, and act on behalf of the City Solicitor as needed.
• Reasonable availability by phone and email during off-hours to advise and consult elected officials, department heads and employees, as necessary.
• Effective, appropriate and dynamic interpersonal communication in a diverse environment. Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality in all aspects of job performance.

Admitted to Massachusetts Bar in good standing;

Admitted to United States District Court Bar in good standing; Driver’s License.

Reasonable availability by phone and email during off-hours.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes.

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Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)