Assistant City Attorney III - Litigation

Assistant City Attorney III - Litigation

Salary

$115,507.00 - $147,260.00 Annually

Location

City Hall 300 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI

Job Type

Permanent

Job Number

685-0526

Department

City Attorney

Opening Date

05/22/2026

Closing Date

6/22/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Nature of Work

The purpose of this job is to provide advanced professional legal services on issues and projects of importance to the City. Depending on assigned area(s), this job may involve litigation, municipal affairs, and/or ordinance enforcement. Position will have increased autonomy, depth of knowledge, and gaining of special areas of expertise from that of Assistant City Attorney II. Position will also provide support and guidance to Assistant City Attorneys I and II in everyday duties and responsibilities.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. The Department of Law is divided into three Divisions representing three primary areas of service to the City: Municipal Affairs, Civil Litigation, and Ordinance Enforcement. Although attorneys may be assigned work in more than one service area, not all attorneys will perform all of these duties.

THIS POSITION IS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION:

• Acts as trial and appellate counsel handling litigation duties for matters of routine to moderate complexity on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court, and before state and local administrative and judicial bodies
• Investigates and processes personal injury and property claims through the City's internal administrative process
• Answers complex tax petitions and manages litigation through pleadings, hearings, and motions, and processes tax exemption requests and disputes involving payments in lieu of taxes
• Manages and assists outside counsel in prosecuting and defending lawsuits on behalf of the City, the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Commission, all departments, employees, and boards and commissions within the City of Grand Rapids in state and federal court

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Minimum Training and Experience

Required Education and Experience

• Juris Doctorate
• -AND--
• At least six (6) years of experience as a licensed attorney
• -OR--
• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities

Required Licenses or Certifications

• Licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, or licensed in another state, with the ability to become licensed within a reasonable time

Other Necessary Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment
• Legal terminology and court rules and procedures
• Principles and practices of basic bookkeeping
• Principles, methods, materials and practices of legal research, including use of electronic research methods
• Various State and Federal law, common law and State and Federal regulations
• Applicable court procedure and rules of evidence
• Local government structure and operation, city policies and procedures, and the Citys relationships to other public jurisdictions

Skill in:

• Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with executive, elected, and other high-level officials
• Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratios
• Preparing and presenting complex legal matters
• Verbal and written communication
• Investigation and research
• Negotiation and dispute resolution
• Risk assessment and management
• Development of organization-wide strategic planning and policy

Ability to:

• Meet schedules and deadlines of the work
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
• Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries
• Identify, preserve, collate and analyze legal, complex or voluminous documents
• Understand complex legal issues and identify areas for investigation
• Conduct research on complex problems and prepare opinions

City of Grand Rapids Employee Benefits webpage

01

Are you currently licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan?

• Yes
• No

02

If you answered yes to the above licensed question, please state the month/year of your admission to practice in Michigan. If you answered no to the above license question: • Are you currently licensed to practice law in any State? If so, which State, and provide the month/year of your admission to practice. • Please state if you are eligible for admission to the State Bar of Michigan without examination.

03

Please indicate how many years of experience you have practicing in civil litigation and/or municipal law.

• Less than 2 years of experience
• 2-4 years of experience
• 4-6 years of experience
• 6 or more years of experience

04

Have you ever been suspended from the practice of law in or subject to discipline by any State Bar?

• Yes
• No

05

If you answered yes to the previous question, please explain the reasons, facts, and dates. If not applicable, write N/A.

06

Have you ever been subject to discipline by any State Bar?

• Yes
• No

07

If you have been disciplined by any State Bar, describe the reasons and the outcome. If not applicable, write N/A

08

List the state and/or federal courts in which you have personally appeared in litigation matters. Write N/A if it does not apply to you.

09

Have you ever tried a case as lead counsel? If yes, was it a bench trial or jury trial (if both, answer both).

10

On average, how many litigation cases have you handled as your personal caseload at any one time during the past 5 years?

11

Do you have any experience advising public safety or law enforcement agencies on legal matters?

• Yes
• No

12

What types of litigation matters have you handled in the past 5 years (if more than 1, please select the 3 that you practice in the most frequently)?

• Civil Rights
• Constitutional
• Labor/Employment
• Personal Injury/Tort
• Business/Contract
• Real Property
• Other

Required Question

Employer City of Grand Rapids

Address 300 Monroe Ave, NW

8th Floor, Room 880

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503-2206

Phone (616) 456-3176

Website http://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/jobs/human-resources-Department