City Attorney

POSITION SUMMARY

THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE, FL INVITES YOUR INTEREST FOR THE POSITION OF CITY ATTORNEY

Welcome to the City of Fort Lauderdale. Click on the link below for more details on this exciting opportunity:

https://ftlcity.info/cityattorney

The City is seeking an outstanding leader to head up the City Attorney’s Office. This legal mind will have the vision and skills to take the City Attorney's Office to the next level. They will partner with the members of the City Commission and City staff to solve problems while being a supporter and a trusted advisor. The ideal candidate will be extraordinarily responsive with a "can do" attitude.

The individual will thrive on solving problems strategically. When asked a question, they will already know the correct answer and provide it quickly and succinctly. When the individual does not know the answer, they will say so and provide the requested information quickly. They will keep all Commissioners and stakeholders equally informed and be consistent with communication. No surprises will be the rule, not the exception. They will understand the political environment but not be involved in it. A key to success will be regular communication with the City Commission, the City Manager, and City staff.

Personally, the individual will be honest, ethical, very intelligent, upbeat, outgoing, hardworking, organized, flexible, congenial, and progressive. The ideal candidate will remain calm in the face of adversity and will be quick to think and act reasonably and responsibly. They will believe strongly in transparency and apply it to the degree it is wise to do so.

The City Attorney is a Charter Officer of the City and serves as legal advisor to, and attorney and counselor for, the City and all of its officers in matters relating to their official duties. The City Attorney is responsible for prosecuting offenders against the ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale. The City Attorney is responsible for all legal matters related to the City of Fort Lauderdale, interacts with all City departments, and provides legal advice and direction to the City Commission, City Manager, Department Heads and other officials in the best interest of the City. The City Attorney plans, coordinates, manages, supervises and oversees the activities and operations for administrative and or technical operations of the City Attorney’s Office and heads major initiatives and special projects as directed by the City Commission. Direct reports include 31 FTE positions. The Department is supported with a FY 2025 Adopted Budget of $7,805,557.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

The City of Fort Lauderdale offers a competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience. The salary is negotiable, but is expected to be in the high $200,000 range. The City provides a generous benefits program, including health, dental, life insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave. In addition to the competitive benefits package and salary, the City of Fort Lauderdale participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) which offers an investment option and a pension option and requires a 3% contribution from employees. New hires are automatically enrolled in FRS.

Please Note: This position is not subject to Civil Service Rules or any collective bargaining agreement.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

A summary of the responsibilities of the City Attorney includes the following essential functions, which are the basic job duties that this Charter Officer must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of a function does not preclude the City Commission from assigning essential duties not listed herein if such duties relate to the position:

• Serves as the chief advisor to the City Commission, City Manager, employees and boards created by the City Commission
  Negotiates and drafts terms and conditions of contracts and agreements
  
• Participates and supervises in the preparation of cases for trial, briefs, memoranda of law, pleadings and discovery relating thereto, and advises investigators and keeps the City Commission informed of the progress of litigation
  
• Participates and supervises in the preparation of appellate actions
  
• Responsible for representing the City in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, ordinance and resolution drafting and advising various boards/committees
  
• Attends and presides at City Commission meetings and other meetings as assigned
  
• Reviews collective bargaining proposals and contracts for negotiation and provides advice on the legality of same
  
• Prosecutes City ordinance violations
  
• Prepares proposed legislation and makes recommendations to repeal or amend existing ordinances
  
• Directs the work for and supervises Deputy/Assistant City Attorneys, Paralegals and Administrative Assistants as well as outside counsel
  
• Supervises Deputy/Assistant City Attorneys in representing the City’s interests before various City boards such as Planning & Zoning Board, Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Board, Special Magistrate, Code Enforcement Board and Civil Service Board
  
• Additional required duties as outlined in Section 4.12 of the Charter of the City of Fort Lauderdale, FL
  
• Exercises and performs additional duties as the City Commission may deem necessary and appropriate, provided it is not inconsistent with the Charter
  
• Performs related work as required
  

JOB REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school is required.
Eight or more years of increasingly responsible experience in city, county or local government law is required.
The Florida Bar certification in city, county and local government law may substitute for three years of this required experience.
The City Attorney must be licensed to practice law in the State of Florida in accordance with The Florida Bar for a minimum of two years.
Three or more years of experience supervising attorneys and/or legal staff is required.
Applicants must also have three or more years of litigation and appellate experience.
Experience in land use, historic preservation, public utilities and labor unions is a plus.
The City Attorney is considered an Essential Employee as a member of the Policy Group operating at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) when activated. If unable to be present in the EOC, the City Attorney is expected to assign a designee.
I DEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate will have administrative and management experience with a public or private practice, a variety of litigation experience, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and strong analytical abilities. The ideal candidate will also exercise extensive independent judgment and have a thorough knowledge of legal principles and concepts related to local government law and how to apply them properly. Candidates should have thorough knowledge of municipal charters, city and county codes and federal, state and local laws and judicial decisions of federal and state courts as they relate to local government rights, privileges and responsibilities. The ability to handle administrative, trial and appellate work is needed. The successful candidate must be able to handle several assignments concurrently, maintain security and confidentiality, develop and maintain effective working relationships and supervise others’ work through planning, review and management. The City Attorney should be accessible and work well with other departments and agencies, both internal and external to the organization. A strong leader with a collaborative management style who promotes teamwork and encourages and mentors staff is desired.

HOW TO APPLY/ VETERAN INFORMATION

To be considered, please apply online through the City of Fort Lauderdale Career Page .

By applying for the position of City Attorney, applicants acknowledge that they are subject to Florida's Sunshine Laws, which ensure transparency in government operations. As such, all applications and related materials are considered public records and may be disclosed upon request in accordance with state law.

Applications will be reviewed, and the selection committee will reach out to applicants whose qualifications best align with the requirements of the position.

Applicants who qualify will be subject to an extensive selection process and screening program, which may include, but not be limited to evaluation of training and experience; interview; employment record, and background check. The expected duration of the selection process varies by position.

The City of Fort Lauderdale is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, inclusive employer and Drug Free Workplace. The City of Fort Lauderdale does not discriminate based on age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. Veterans' preference per Florida law.



The City of Fort Lauderdale offers a comprehensive benefits package to all regular full-time employees including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance.

Click here for an overview of employment information including our benefits package.

Say "Hello" to the City of Fort Lauderdale and Say "Goodbye" to Your Student Loan!Under the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the remaining balance on your student loan may be forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time at the City of Fort Lauderdale. Click here for more information or to see if you qualify.

In addition to the competitive benefits package and salary, the City of Fort Lauderdale participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) which offers an investment option and a pension option and requires a 3% contribution from employees. All new City of Fort Lauderdale employees are automatically enrolled in FRS. Click here to view additional information on the Florida Retirement System.

Closing Date/Time: 2/14/2025 11:59 PM Eastern

• 

• City of Fort Lauderdale

• (954) 828-5300

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