General Duty Statement

Positions in this class perform a variety of complex professional legal work at the entry to intermediate level in the City of Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office. This position will be responsible for prosecuting criminal cases, representing the City and City employees in civil litigation, and providing general legal services to various City departments, divisions, offices, authorities, boards, commissions, and committees; and performs related duties as required.

Information about this position: There is 1 vacancy for an Associate Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office, 500 City Hall, 15 West Kellogg Blvd., Saint Paul, MN 55102. 

General description of duties:

1. Represent the City by prosecuting individuals charged with petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and gross misdemeanor offenses including preparing for and making appearances at arraignments, pretrial hearings, trials, sentencing, and other court proceedings; keep affected parties informed as to case status; negotiate resolution of cases, and recommend disposition of cases.
2. Conduct case investigations by identifying and researching legal issues, interviewing victims and witnesses and obtaining evidence from sources such as phone records, business records, video or audio tapes, background searches, and other evidentiary materials.
3. Draft and submit memoranda, discovery requests, appeals, court orders, pleadings, motions, letters and other legal documents.
4. Assist in the screening of cases for criminal charges by reviewing and evaluating reports from various law enforcement agencies, investigating the factual information, assessing evidentiary issues and the merits of cases, and recommending approval of or declining of charges.
5. Draft complaints for criminal charges to be filed or prepares written explanations of the legal basis for declining charges.
6. Prepare answers to complaints filed against and prepare complaints on behalf of the City and its employees after researching the law and reviewing the facts; may undertake the handling of lawsuits through any or all stages including pretrial motion practice, discovery, trial, and appeal before state and federal court, or administrative proceedings.
7. Research, prepare and litigate routine matters for administrative hearings and proceedings before quasi-judicial boards, commissions, administrative law judges, and arbitrators, in a broad range of substantive areas including revocations and suspensions of business licenses, appeals from the imposition of employee discipline, labor grievances, claims of discrimination, zoning and land use hearings on variances, conditional use permits and site plans, and eminent domain commissioners’ hearings; may handle appeals of such matters.
8. Evaluate the City’s liability, client needs, and merits of opponents’ cases in preparation for settlement negotiations and participates in such negotiations.
9. Respond to requests of City departments for analysis, research, and legal opinions.
10. Prepare, review, and approve City Council resolutions and ordinances, contracts, and other legal documents.
11. Conduct and coordinate special projects as assigned by the unit or division head.
12. Keep current on changes in the law by reviewing available legal information and attending continuing legal education sessions.
13. Assist with training interns.

The City of Saint Paul’s mission is to integrate equity and inclusion into how we approach all our work. Our vision is to be committed to building an equitable and inclusive city that will shift culture in city processes and policies, eliminate structural inequities, and ensure timely and relevant access to services, resources, support, and opportunity to every person in Saint Paul.Requirements

Candidates for positions as an Associate Attorney will have at least a Juris Doctorate Degree and a license to practice law from the Supreme Court of the State of Minnesota. Preferred candidates will have two years of experience as an attorney in active public or private practice.

Continued employment as an Associate Attorney is contingent upon maintaining such licensure.By Closing Date, you MUST

1. Submit a City of Saint Paul online application, including answers to the Supplemental Questionnaire.
2. Upload or submit the following required document(s) via the online application system, mail, in person, email, or fax. (Zip files and web links will not be accepted. Each uploaded attachment is limited to 10MB.)

• A Resume (required) 
• A Cover Letter (required)
• A legible copy of your proof of license to practice law in the State of Minnesota (required at time of hire)

First time applying online? Read our How to apply Online Guide.Selection Process Information

Unclassified: This is an UNCLASSIFIED position and is therefore not governed by City Civil Service Rules.

Final Selection Process: You will be notified if you are invited to participate in the final selection process which may include an interview. 

If you are selected to participate in the interview process, interviews are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 13, 2019. 

Human Resources Contact Information:  
Chrissy Hauge at 651-266-6512
200 City Hall Annex
25 West Fourth Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Fax: 651-266-6490
E-mail: jobs@stpaul.gov

To refer back to this information, we recommend you print this job posting before you apply. For technical assistance regarding the online application, please call 1-855-524-5627 during regular business hours.

The City of Saint Paul is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Veterans, women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information or to apply go to:
https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/human-resources/jobs