Senior Counseling Attorney
Salary
$92,911.42 Annually
Location
City County Building, IN
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
09798
Department
Office of Corporation Counsel
Opening Date
04/10/2026
Closing Date
Continuous
Overview
Agency Summary
The Office of Corporation Counsel (OCC) provides legal services to the City and County through its three main divisions. First, OCC represents the City, County agencies, and City-County employees in litigation, handling a diverse docket that ranges from tort and contract matters to constitutional law. Second, through its counseling division, OCC provides legal advice to City and County agencies, officials, and oversight bodies to ensure that public entities remain compliant with the law and standards of ethical conduct, to safeguard public funds, and to promote the efficient functioning of local government for Marion County taxpayers. OCC's third division is the Office of the City Prosecutor, which is responsible for enforcing City-County ordinances. OCC also oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity, which administers the City's human rights ordinance, protecting against discrimination in employment and other contexts. In exercising these crucial legal functions, OCC cultivates a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment that prioritizes the needs of our clients and the residents of Indianapolis and Marion County.
Job Summary
The holder of this position will be a senior attorney with responsibility for handling a wide range of general legal matters on behalf of City-County agencies. The primary responsibility of a Senior Counseling Attorney is to represent the City-County and related agencies in general legal matters. The City-County is involved in a diverse array of matters requiring sound legal advice and guidance, including in the areas of contracts, real estate, employment, land use, tax, environmental law, public safety, legal drafting and administrative and regulatory matters. This position will provide immediate experience in all facets of client service and representation. This role representing our public agency clients includes preparing and reviewing contracts, leases, and other transactional documents; representing City-County clients at Board and Commission meetings; researching and answering general legal questions and providing advisory opinions; and drafting ordinances, reviewing legislation and handling other legislative matters. Senior counseling attorneys should expect to have immediate responsibility for handling a diverse and challenging workload. The position holder will serve as an assistant corporation counsel within OCC's counseling division.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The City of Indianapolis Marion County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.
Position Responsibilities
Senior counseling attorneys will take responsibility for more complex and sensitive legal issues, and may provide review and guidance to other attorneys with difficult matters. The senior counseling attorney position also involves the following additional responsibilities: Keeping clients, including senior agency staff and elected officials, fully informed on matters affecting their agencies. Advising clients and colleagues in the Office of Corporation Counsel on compliance with law and the avoidance of future litigation risk. Preparing advisory opinions and memos on general legal matters, at the request of the Corporation Counsel or client agencies. Representing City-County agencies in Board or Commission meetings or similar settings. In conjunction with the Litigation section, providing advice to client agencies with regard to litigation strategy and settlement negotiations. Keeping apprised of relevant legal developments at the state and federal level. Performing other duties as assigned by the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, or the Corporation Counsel.
Skills Required
Strong independent judgment. Successful senior counseling attorneys must be willing to take individual responsibility for weighty matters that affect the lives and livelihoods of others. While support from other staff and department leadership is available, senior attorneys must have the confidence and good judgment to make decisions independently in a variety of settings.
In-depth knowledge of counseling practice. Senior attorneys, unlike more junior front-line attorneys, are expected to be proficient in all aspects of the counseling practice including advising, drafting, researching, as well as knowledge of the substantive ordinances, statutes, regulations, and laws pertaining to their clients.
Analytical ability and intellectual curiosity. This position faces a wide variety of legal issues and fact patterns. While Counseling attorneys are encouraged to develop areas of expertise over time, the position requires rapidly digesting new information, integrating it into an existing body of knowledge, and adeptly using legal research tools to acquire mastery of all the issues raised by each matter as it arises. Counseling attorneys will also be called upon to determine alternative legal and administrative approaches to solving problems.
Proficiency at legal writing and other written communication. Counseling attorneys must be particularly adept at working with and informally communicating with clients and other City-County leaders and staff. This position will also require more formal work product like preparation of contracts, leases, ordinances and resolutions, and formal advisory opinions.
Oral communications skills. This includes providing advice in meetings and conferences, communicating in a clear and concise manner, as well as explaining complex legal issues to non-lawyers. Counseling attorneys must be adept at improvising and thinking on the spot and be able to adapt their tone and messaging to the needs of different audiences in different settings.
Zealous advocacy. Many of the general legal matters handled by this position will be important, both operationally and financially. Position holders must keep in mind that their client is ultimately the public and must treat their work with the attention and seriousness that it deserves.
Time management skills. Counseling attorneys will be responsible for considerable caseloads. Success in the position requires efficiency, strong time management, and the ability to prioritize the most pressing or important tasks.
Ethics and professionalism. Holders of this position are public servants, and so are their clients. All attorneys at the Office of Corporation Counsel are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional ethics and responsible advocacy.
Qualifications
Minimum Job Requirements and Qualifications
Preferred Job Requirements and Qualifications
Working Conditions
Work is performed in a standard office environment. May occasionally travel to outside locations for meetings. May be required to attend off-hours meetings and work occasional late hours as necessary. Opportunities for scheduled remote work may be available at the discretion of the attorney's supervisors.
All rates are bi-weekly.
2026 Rate Sheet - To view our rate sheet, please copy and paste this link into your web browser: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:67382b58-4d1a-4519-89d7-8453f91e19a1
Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month):
Basic: Employer Paid
Optional Life Insurance Employee Only (rates per $1,000 per month)
Additional:
<25-29 $0.058
30-34 $0.083
35-39 $0.099
40-44 $0.132
45-49 $0.223
50-54 $0.363
55-59 $0.600
60-64 $0.795
65-69 $1.329
70 + $2.054
IMPORTANT PERF UPDATE:
Annuity Savings Account (ASA) -This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. Youre always vested in your ASA portion - its always yours.
Pension - The pension portion of the retirement benefit is funded by contributions made by the employer over the course of the employees career and separate from the annuity savings account. Employees enrolled in the PERF Hybrid plan are eligible for retirement benefits at age sixty-five (65) if they have ten (10) or more years of creditable service. After June 30, 1995, employees may retire at age sixty (60) with at least fifteen (15) years of credible service or if the members age in years plus the years of credible service equals at least 85 and the member is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. With fifteen (15) or more years of creditable service, the employee may retire as early as age fifty (50) with a reduced pension.
With the PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan, the ASA is split up into two parts:
Part one - This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. Youre always vested in your ASA portion - its always yours.
Part two - This consists of an additional variable rate contribution paid by the City toward your ASA. This variable rate contribution is currently 1% of your gross wages. Vesting in the value of the variable rate employer contribution will vary by length of participation. You are:
Annuity Savings Account (ASA) -This consists of the mandatory employee contribution of three (3%) percent of compensation (made for the employee by the City), plus interest credits or earnings. Youre always vested in your ASA portion - its always yours.
Pension - The pension portion of the retirement benefit is funded by contributions made by the employer over the course of the employees career and separate from the annuity savings account. Employees enrolled in the PERF Hybrid plan are eligible for retirement benefits at age sixty-five (65) if they have ten (10) or more years of creditable service. After June 30, 1995, employees may retire at age sixty (60) with at least fifteen (15) years of credible service or if the members age in years plus the years of credible service equals at least 85 and the member is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. With fifteen (15) or more years of creditable service, the employee may retire as early as age fifty (50) with a reduced pension.
The Indiana General Assembly has enacted a provision that allows public employees to make voluntary contributions in addition to the mandatory three percent (3%) contributions. Employees may contribute up to an additional ten- percent (10%) of their compensation per pay period to the annuity savings account. This means that the maximum level of contributions to the annuity savings account under this new provision is thirteen percent (13%) of an employees compensation per pay period.
Employees who separate from the city within their first ten (10) years of employment need to contact INPRS - PERF regarding their ASA account.
Questions relating to PERF may be directed to INPRS - PERF at:
Indiana Public Retirement System
Public Employees Retirement Fund
One North Capitol, Suite 001
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(888) 236-3544
Employer City of Indianapolis and Marion County
Address 200 E. Washington Street
CCB 1501
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204
Phone 317-327-5211
Website http://www.indy.gov