Assistant City Attorney

The City of Livonia is seeking a dedicated, Michigan-licensed litigator to join our close-knit Law Department as an Assistant City Attorney II and directly impact our community through vital civil defense and municipal legal work.

About Us:
The City of Livonia is a safe, well-planned community of 36 square miles in southeast Michigan. Our population of about 95,000 residents places us as the ninth-largest city in the state. Livonia enjoys a strategic location second to none in the region, with easy access to the I-96 and the I-275 expressways. Close-knit neighborhoods and strong community spirit have long been hallmarks of Livonia. The City’s motto proclaims, "Families First," and Livonia has successfully maintained its friendly, hometown atmosphere while keeping a strong emphasis on public safety, parks, and public services.

About the Job:
The Assistant City Attorney II performs municipal legal work under the supervision and direction of the City Attorney. Their primary focus will be upon the City's civil litigation in state and federal courts. With time and training, they may also be engaged to support 16th District Court prosecutions of civil infractions and misdemeanor violations, Michigan Tax Tribunal matters, land use and transactional matters, as well as provide advice to the Administration, City Council, Department Heads, and Commission. As the Livonia Law Department is relatively small considering the scope of service it provides, all staff are expected to assist each other as needed in various capacities.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents and present such materials effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Communicate orally in the English language with witnesses, judges, other agencies, and members of the public by telephone or in a one-to-one or group setting.
• Determine the limits of action available to opponents and the probable course of action of the opponents in court cases.
• Present and argue cases in court.
• Produce written documents with clearly organized thoughts and proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Negotiate settlements.

About You:

• Must be admitted to the practice of law in the state of Michigan and be in good standing with the Michigan State Bar Association.
• Minimum of five years of full-time paid work experience as an attorney whose practice within the last ten years has been substantially in the area of civil litigation and/or Municipal.
• Citizen of the United States or a resident alien with the right to work in the United States.
• Knowledge of Civil Litigation, civil procedure, and rules of evidence.
• Familiarity with drafting pleadings, briefs along with discovery requests and responses.
• Knowledge of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
• Ability to work smoothly with unanticipated situations when these arise.
• Work cooperatively with others.

Benefits:

• Paid time off - Employees receive vacation and sick time based on their years of service. New employees accrue vacation and sick time at a rate of eight hours per month. Upon completion of the six-month probationary period, employees are also entitled to four personal business days each year.
• 14 paid holidays per year.
• Medical benefits - Medical and prescription drug coverage is offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. An employee has the choice between four plans and pays a monthly premium determined annually during each open-enrollment period, which is in January of each year. New employees are eligible for medical coverage on the first of the month following 30 days of employment.
• Dental & Vision - Dental and vision insurance are also available for regular employees through Delta Dental and EyeMed, respectively. The employee pays a monthly premium determined annually during each open-enrollment period, which is in January of each year. New employees are eligible for these insurances on the first of the month following employment.
• Retirement Health Savings Plan - The City has established a Retirement Health Savings Plan for employees to assist with healthcare-related costs in retirement. The Employee contributes 2% of their pay, and the City contributes $100 per paycheck to this Plan. The City’s contributions and earnings on those contributions are vested after four years of service.
• Additional benefits information will be provided as candidates move through the interview process.