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City Attorney Jobs (NOW HIRING)

DEFINITION Under general direction of the City Attorney, assists in providing comprehensive legal services including counsel, representation, and litigation oversight over citywide matters including ...

Assistant City Attorney II

Ocala, FL ยท On-site

$113K - $141K/yr

The Assistant City Attorney II also performs a wide variety of administrative and managerial functions necessary for the efficient and effective operation of the City Attorney's Office, including ...

Description The Assistant City Attorney II serves as an assistant to the City Attorney and performs highly responsible legal work involving a broad range of complex municipal legal matters. The ...

Assistant City Attorney

Tyler, TX ยท On-site

$73K - $110K/yr

Purpose Of Position Under the general direction of the City Attorney, the attorney will handle all aspects of criminal and civil proceedings/trials at Municipal Court and related appeals in the ...

Assistant City Attorney

Los Banos, CA ยท On-site

$213K - $272K/yr

DEFINITION Under general direction of the City Attorney, assists in providing comprehensive legal services including counsel, representation, and litigation oversight over citywide matters including ...

Assistant City Attorney

Tyler, TX ยท On-site

$73K - $110K/yr

Legal Opening Date: 05/11/2026 Purpose Of Position Under the general direction of the City Attorney, the attorney will handle all aspects of criminal and civil proceedings/trials at Municipal Court ...

ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY

Kissimmee, FL ยท On-site

$50.66 - $69.66/hr

Assists the City Attorney in the legal representation of the City. Performs professional work in providing legal services necessary to the City Commission, City departments, boards and committees. An ...

Provides the City Attorney, Mayor and Senior City staff with analysis of complex legal issues for assigned departments. Assists in development of policies and procedures. Develops expertise in ...

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City Attorney information

See salary details

$76.5K

$167.9K

$272K

How much do city attorney jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for city attorney in the United States is $167,939.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,500.00 and $200,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a City Attorney's job?

A City Attorney is the chief legal advisor for a city government, providing legal counsel to city officials, departments, and agencies. They represent the city in legal matters, including litigation, contracts, and ordinance enforcement. The City Attorney ensures compliance with local, state, and federal laws while drafting and reviewing legal documents. They may also prosecute or defend the city in court and help shape policies to minimize legal risks.

What does a typical workday look like for a City Attorney?

A typical day for a City Attorney involves drafting and reviewing ordinances and contracts, providing legal advice to city departments, representing the city in court or administrative hearings, and responding to inquiries from city officials. The role often requires attending city council meetings, collaborating with law enforcement, and handling liability claims against the city. City Attorneys work closely with colleagues in legal departments and other municipal staff, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment. Due to the wide variety of legal issues municipalities face, the position offers diverse and challenging work every day.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the City Attorney position, and why are they important?

A City Attorney must possess deep knowledge of municipal law, strong legal research and writing abilities, and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree with a valid state bar license. Experience with case management software, legal research platforms like Westlaw or LexisNexis, and familiarity with government procedures is often required. Exceptional negotiation, public speaking, and interpersonal skills help City Attorneys advise city officials and represent the municipality effectively. These skills are critical to ensure efficient legal compliance, mitigate risk for the city, and provide sound counsel to public entities.

More about City Attorney jobs
What cities are hiring for City Attorney jobs? Cities with the most City Attorney job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of City Attorney jobs? The most popular types of City Attorney jobs are:
What states have the most City Attorney jobs? States with the most job openings for City Attorney jobs include:
What are popular job titles related to City Attorney jobs? For City Attorney jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various City Attorney job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Locum Tenens, 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 74% Physical, 8% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $167,939 per year, or $80.7 per hour.

Assistant City Attorney

City of Petersburg, VA

Petersburg, VA โ€ข On-site

$63K - $104K/yr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

Salary : $63,159.00 - $104,023.00 Annually
Location : 135 North Union Street, Petersburg, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 00840
Department: City Attorney
Opening Date: 06/27/2024
Description
General Description:
The purpose of this job within the organization is to assist the City Attorney in providing excellent legal representation for the City of Petersburg. In accordance with Section 2-192 of the City Code, this position works under the supervision and serves at the pleasure of the City Attorney. This position is not covered under the City's Grievance Policy.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this job. The City Attorney may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the job as necessary.
Essential Functions
Provides support and assistance as instructed by the City Attorney in his efforts to provide legal representation of the City of Petersburg.
Prepares, researches and drafts legal documents as assigned including but not limited to deeds, ordinances, resolutions, and contracts.
Prepares legal memoranda on complex legal issues.
Provides legal advice in matters as assigned to various City employees and constitutional officers.
Attends meetings and other functions as assigned by the City Attorney.
Provides representation to the City on assigned cases in various civil matters including but not limited to Building Code Enforcement; Taxation; Personnel Matters; Land Use; Zoning; FOIA and other areas.
Provides representation to the City on assigned cases in various administrative proceedings including but not limited to Employee Grievances, ABC and other State Licensure Proceedings; State Technical Review Board proceedings; EEOC; DEQ; SCC, and other areas.
Prosecutes cases involving specified misdemeanor offenses and violations of City Code as assigned.
Additional Duties:
Performs all tasks as directed or requested by the City Attorney in support of his efforts to provide quality legal services to t he City of Petersburg, Virginia.
Responsibilities, Requirements and Impacts Data Responsibility:
The Assistant City Attorney will be exposed and have access to highly sensitive and confidential material. Will be required to maintain the highest ethical and moral standards.
People Responsibility:
May be assigned to counsels or instructs/trains others through explanation, demonstration and supervised practice to make recommendations based on technical expertise.
Asset Responsibility:
May be assigned cases or assignments having high asset responsibility in relation to the receipt and proper stewardship of substantial City funds or valuable City property.
Mathematical Requirements:
Uses addition and subtraction, multiplication and division and/or calculates ratios, rates and percents. May require some complex financial calculations relating to Finance and Tax matters.
Communications Requirements:
Reads and interprets professional materials, involving advanced bodies of knowledge related to politics, economics, technology, law, medicine and other complex disciplines; writes extremely complex papers and reports; speaks to high level scientific, political, economic, legal, medical or other such groups.
Judgment Requirements:
Expected to exercise a high level of good judgment in assigned tasks.
Complexity of Work:
Performs work involving the application of principles of logical thinking, scientific, medical, or legal practice to diagnose or define problems, collect data and solve abstract problems with widespread unit or organization impact; requires sustained, intense concentration for accurate results and continuous exposure to unusual pressures.
Impact of Errors:
The impact of errors is extremely serious -- affects entire organization and the general public.
Physical Demands:
Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.
Equipment Usage:
Handles computers and standard office equipment.
Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:
Requires a Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school.
Experience practicing law and considerable knowledge of municipal law, contracts, administrative processes and real property.
An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the position.
Special Certifications and Licenses:
License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and be in good standing with the Virginia State Bar. At his discretion, the City Attorney may accept candidates contingent upon satisfactory receipt of Virginia State Bar licensure within a specified period of time.
Must possess and maintain a valid Virginia Driver's license.
Additional Requirements
Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance:
The City of Petersburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City of Petersburg to provide adequate accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.
For a summary of Benefits currently being offered by the City of Petersburg for Full-Time Employees Only, please click the following link: