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SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY III - TRANSACTIONAL

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SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY III - TRANSACTIONAL

Salary

$138,855.08 - $150,189.00 Annually

Location

900 Bagby-City Hall Annex

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

37825

Department

Legal

Opening Date

12/23/2025

Closing Date

12/30/2025 11:59 PM Central

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

POSITION OVERVIEW

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED

Job Classification: SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY III

Section: GENERAL COUNSEL

Workdays & Hours: MONDAY – FRIDAY 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM* *Subject to Change

LEGAL DEPARTMENT:

The Office of the City Attorney for the City of Houston (the “OCA”) provides municipal legal services to the City, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees while adhering 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 working in 10 legal practice sections, the OCA handles personal injury, commercial and civil rights litigation, major commercial and real estate transactions, and a diverse array of human resources, labor, and employment matters, while also counseling the municipal corporation on economic development, constitutional, election matters, ethics, and quality of life matters, and preparing City ordinances governing Houston and its citizens.

Every member of the OCA must be committed to “Service Through Law.”

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The City of Houston seeks an energetic, detail-oriented transactional attorney with at least 18 years of experience to join the General Counsel Section. The General Counsel Section handles a wide variety of legal issues pertaining to the Texas Public Information and Open Meetings Acts, elections, ethics, legal research, ordinance drafting and interpretation, the sign code, records retention, utility regulation, and constitutional law, to name a few.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

+ Providing legal advice to City officials and departments on matters such as: political advertising, gifts of public funds, council district service funds, legislative analyses, ethics, financial disclosure requirements, Texas Public Information and Open Meetings Acts, constitutional law, public finance, economic development, delinquent property tax collections, utility regulations, City codes and regulations, and elections.

+ Conducting research on highly complex legal issues

+ Drafting legislation, ordinances, resolutions, and opinions

+ Providing legal advice to City boards and commissions

+ Other functions as assigned by the City Attorney

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

EDUCATION:

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 18 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:

Must be a member of the Texas State Bar on or about the first day of employment.

If selected for this position, official proof of a J.D. degree and membership in the Texas State Bar is required and a condition of employment.

PREFERENCES

Preference will be given to applicants with:

+ Excellent analytical skills

+ Excellent research and writing skills

+ Experience working for local, state, or federal governmental entities

+ Experience advising governing bodies, public officials, boards, or commissions on a broad array of issues, including but not limited to compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act

+ Strong interpersonal skills

+ Proven organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and assignments simultaneously

+ Experience handling Texas Public Information requests

+ Proficiency with the Office 365 suite of programs, including Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams, OneDrive Business, as well as other Microsoft collaborative platforms such as SharePoint; and proficiency with electronic legal research tools such as Westlaw Edge, and Practical Law.

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:

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: 35

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 Opportunity Employment

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

01

Are you a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces (United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) for more than 90 consecutive days and received either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions?

+ Yes

+ No

02

Do you possess a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association accredited college of law?

+ Yes

+ No

03

Are you a member of or eligible to become a member of the State Bar of Texas?

+ Yes

+ No

04

How many years of experience do you have practicing law?

+ I have less than 4 years of experience.

+ I have 4 years but less than 8 years of experience.

+ I have 8 years but less than 13 years of experience.

+ I have 13 years but less than 18 years of experience.

+ I have more than 18 years of experience.

05

Please describe how your legal experience relates to this position. If none, please enter N/A. See resume" is not acceptable and will delay your application.

06

With respect to academic performance in law school please indicate your placement within your class.

+ Top 25% (1st Quarter)

+ 26 - 50% (2nd Quarter)

+ 51 - 75% (3rd Quarter)

+ Bottom 25% (4th Quarter)

+ I don't know

07

Have you ever been disciplined by a State Bar Association?

+ Yes

+ No

08

Has your right to practice law ever been limited?

+ Yes

+ No

09

Have you submitted a current resume in addition to completing the application?

+ Yes

+ No

10

What range best represents your annual salary requirement?

+ $131,000 - $140,000

+ $141,000 - $155,000

+ $156,000 - $165,000

11

How do you approach advising clients who disagree with your legal recommendation or who prefer a course of action that carries legal risk?

12

Attorneys in the Legal Department are often required to provide legal advice quickly, with limited information. Please describe a time you had to provide prompt legal advice under pressure. What was the situation, and how did you ensure your advice was accurate?

Required Question