City Solicitor

POSITION:                   City Solicitor                                                                            

DEPARTMENT:             Law Department

HOURS OF WORK: Full-time-Exempt (35 hours/weekly) Regular Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM; Wednesday 8:30 AM – 7:30 PM; Friday 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM. (Additional Nights and Weekends may be required).

SALARY:  $138,648.89-$159,911.44 Annually (CAF 21.5 Non-Union FLSA Exempt)

BASIC FUNCTION:

The City of Medford is looking for a potential candidate with experience in City/Town Law. The City Solicitor is the chief administrator of the City’s Law department and is responsible for overseeing the provision of legal services to the City of Medford, the Mayor, the City Council, all City departments, boards, and commissions. Attendance at some events, community meetings, and other outside agencies which will include some evenings and weekends.

SUPERVISION:

Reports directly to the Mayor.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducts legal research and drafts opinions on numerous legal and policy issues for the Mayor, City Council, all City departments, and boards and commissions.
• Manages the legal work of all in-house and contracted employees, and facilitates the work of paralegal, and other department staff.
• Maintains an active litigation caseload from intake to conclusion before state and Federal courts and administrative agencies.
• Reviews, negotiates and signs off on all City contracts for goods and services.
• Advises on the negotiation of all labor contracts for the City’s labor unions with the negotiations team.
• Manages the resolution of tort claims against the City and seeks collection on claims on behalf of the City.
• Drafts state legislation, Home Rule Petitions, and City ordinances, rules, and regulations.
• Appears before all City boards and commissions.
• Interacts with City department heads to manage city projects.
• Prepares and oversees the administration of the department’s annual operating budget.
• Serves as the City’s official Keeper of Record for all documents in the Law Department.
• Serves as the City’s Records Access Officer in responding to public records requests.
• Performs other duties as required by local ordinance and state statute.

SUPERVISION REQUIRED:

Under the administrative direction, the employee works from municipal policies and objectives, establishing short and long-range plans and objectives, and personal performance standards, and assumes direct accountability for department results. Employee consults with a supervisor only where clarification, interpretation, or exception to municipal policy may be required. The employee exercises control in the development of departmental policies, goals, and objectives. The employee is also expected to resolve all conflicts that arise and coordinate with others, as necessary. Employees at this level are expected to exercise whatever reasonable means are necessary to resolve conflicts that cannot be addressed at the departmental level.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

Supervisory responsibility for a major department of the City with responsibility for the supervision of individuals including service delivery, training, evaluation and disciplining of subordinates, budget development, and control. Directs and coordinates the operation of the department through subordinate supervisors who are responsible for supervision over individual departments. The employee provides direct management responsibility over assigned employees.

JUDGMENT:

Work is performed based on administrative or municipal policies, general principles, legislation, or directives that pertain to a specific department or functional area. Extensive judgment and ingenuity are required to develop new or adapt existing methods and approaches for accomplishing objectives or to deal with new or unusual requirements within the limits of the guidelines or policies. The employee is recognized as the department or functional area’s authority in interpreting the guidelines, regulations, or laws, determining how they should be applied, and developing operating policies. The employee also must be able to direct the overall activity of the municipality by accepting responsibility while exercising authority for planning, operation, and oversight.

NATURE AND PURPOSE RELATIONSHIPS:

The employee has constant interaction with local, state, and federal government officials, community leaders, and other individuals to protect and promote the municipality's overall interest. Employees must possess a high degree of diplomacy and judgment and must be able to work effectively with, and influence, all types of people. Duties require a well-developed sense of strategy and timing representing the municipality effectively in critical situations that may influence the well-being of the municipality.

CONFIDENTIALITY:

The employee has access to any confidential information on a municipal-wide basis including official personnel files, collective bargaining negotiations, lawsuits, criminal records/investigations, client records, department records as well as medical and psychological records of employees and litigants and conversations with clients by the Board of Bar Overseers regulations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

Knowledge: Thorough working knowledge of all local, state, and federal legal laws, and court cases relevant to serving the needs of an urban municipality. Working knowledge of municipal organization structure and municipal services. Working knowledge of legislative processes.

Abilities: Excellent oral and written communication ability. Ability to manage multiple tasks in a detailed and accurate manner. Ability to supervise employees; ability to develop, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of a wide range of legal services. Ability to work effectively with confidential information. Ability to collaborate effectively with disgruntled employees and members of the public. Ability to interact effectively with government officials at all levels.

Skill: Excellent work ethic. Excellent management and leadership skills. Skill in developing policies and procedures to accomplish goals and objectives. Excellent listening, customer service, and public relations skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

EDUCATION:

Juris Doctor degree with more than ten (10) years prior work experience preferably in municipal law practice at a partner level; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

A member in good standing with the States Bar of Massachusetts. Admission to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals is desired but not required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT:

While performing the duties of this position, an employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear, in person and by telephone, and use hands to finger, handle, feel, or operate standard office equipment, (such as calculators, copiers, typewriters, fax, and personal computers) and reach with hands and arms.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Standard indoor office environment. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate.

ADDRESS ALL COVER LETTERS AND RESUMES TO

Human Resources Department City of Medford – Room 204 85 George P. Hassett Drive

Medford, MA 02155

Or send a cover letter and resume with the job title in the subject line to jobs@medford-ma.gov

For the posting, please visit the City of Medford's website– www.medfordma.org

The City of Medford is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/504 Employer Residents of the City of Medford, Women, People of Color, Veterans, and Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to apply.