Entry Level Lawyer Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $113,739.00 - $172,371.00 Annually
Location : City Hall Building, Gresham, OR
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 26120-1
Department: City Attorney's Office
Division: Legal Services
Opening Date: 07/13/2026
Overview
The City of Gresham's City Attorney's Office is seeking to add an entry-level or experienced municipal attorney with interest or experience in two or more of the following practice areas: construction contracting and disputes; public contracting; real estate and eminent domain law; environmental law; complex land use matters; labor and employment law; enforcement of city codes; public safety and law enforcement; civil rights and nondiscrimination; and/or general governmental law with a desire to learn new subject areas as the need arises.
The successful candidate may be hired as an Assistant City Attorney or as a Senior Assistant City Attorney depending upon years of relevant experience, demonstrated expertise and skills, education, and other qualifications.
The annual salary range for the Assistant City Attorney position is $113,739.00 to $147,835.00.
The annual salary range for the Senior Assistant City Attorney position is $132,631.00 to $172,371.00.
Initial placement in either salary range is dependent upon work experience, skill set, education, relevant certifications/licenses, and pay equity requirements. Promotion from the Assistant to Senior Assistant level is based upon performance and years of experience.
Gresham offers a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, City paid 6% PERS contribution, monthly HRA-Veba contribution, and more. You can find more information here:
Please contact City Attorney Ellen Van Riper for more information about this opportunity at
This job announcement will remain posted until the position is filled. First review of applications will occur on August 3, 2026.
Position Description
The Gresham City Attorney's Office offers a supportive, collaborative, and constantly evolving work environment in a progressive city government. The City Attorney's Office values work-life balance, flexibility, and supports a combination of in-office with some remote work allowed, consistent with business needs. The City's full legal team includes the City Attorney, a Deputy City Attorney, one or two Senior Assistant City Attorneys, and one or two Assistant City Attorneys. The Office also includes risk management professionals and support staff.
The City Attorney's Office provides legal counsel on a wide variety of municipal topics such as public safety, land use and development, urban renewal, real estate, economic development, public works, public contracting, employment and labor law, constitutional law, and general governmental law. The team's legal work also supports City operations and programs for small business incentives, local purchasing, financing economic development projects, internal operations, rental housing inspections, public/private partnerships, citizen involvement, code enforcement, innovative land use initiatives, and other programs.
As Oregon's fourth-largest city, Gresham is a welcoming community of hard-working people where tradition and heritage meet innovation and opportunity. Gresham is a dynamic and rapidly growing city where families and businesses have a mutual desire and drive to thrive. City of Gresham employees care deeply about the community they serve and go 'one step beyond' to deliver services in collaborative, inventive, practical, and nimble ways. Our work is challenging, fast-paced, and rewarding.
We believe that to deliver the highest level of service to all Gresham community members, it is crucial we employ a diverse workforce, foster an inclusive working environment, and ensure our policies and systems result in equitable outcomes. The City seeks candidates who will support these values by continuously incorporating Fairness, Access, Respect, and Accountability (FARA) in their daily work and actively contributing to a workplace culture that respects unique viewpoints, life experiences, and cultural perspectives. Come build the future with us.
Assistant City Attorney:
The Assistant City Attorney is the entry-level classification in the City Attorney series:
The Assistant City Attorney works under the supervision of the Deputy City Attorney and/or a Senior Assistant City Attorney with some supervision by the City Attorney and is expected to perform work for several City Departments that includes regular collaboration with City Staff. The Gresham City Attorney's Office is committed to the professional development of all staff. The Office purposefully focuses upon mentorship of less experienced attorneys so that someday they too may serve as a City Attorney should they choose this career path.
Senior Assistant City Attorney:
The Senior Assistant City Attorney possesses a higher level of experience, depth of knowledge of municipal law, is typically an expert in one or more relevant areas of law, and is capable of exercising a high level of independence and professional judgment:
The Senior Assistant City Attorney works under limited guidance from the City Attorney or the Deputy City Attorney and provides senior-level expertise and support in a variety of legal services to the City Council, City Manager, Department Directors, and City Staff, and may represent the City in legal proceedings, hearings, litigation matters, and negotiations.
The Senior Assistant City Attorney serves as lead legal counsel for one or more of the City's primary Departments: Environmental and City Services, Budget and Finance, Police, Fire, Human Resources, Community Development and Livability, or Information Technology.
Qualifications
Knowledge of:

• Laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and collective bargaining agreements affecting City policies and operations
• City government administration, organization, functions, and services
• Practices, principles, procedures, regulations, and techniques of local government law, administrative law, public contracting, and other relevant areas of law
• Court procedures and rules of evidence
• Techniques for effectively representing the City with government agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, regulatory, and legislative organizations
• Communication principles, practices, and techniques
• Modern office practices and methods, computer equipment, and software applications

Ability to:

• Exercise professional judgment and discretion in confidential and sensitive matters
• Analyze and evaluate routine factual legal issues and organize, interpret, and apply legal principles
• Conduct complex legal research and review and prepare legal documents
• Interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with applicable policies, procedures, laws, and regulations
• Effectively represent the City, either independently or under supervision, in court and at administrative hearings
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, assess consequences of proposed actions, apply legal principles, and prepare legal documents
• Influence and gain cooperation when there are competing or conflicting priorities; conduct effective negotiations and represent the City
• Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures, work standards, and internal controls
• Apply equitable program practices to diverse and complex City services
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all internal and external contacts
• Operate office equipment and technology tools including personal computers, laptop computers and printers, and presentation equipment
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing; present information, proposals, and recommendations clearly and persuasively

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• Active member in good standing in the Oregon State Bar or ability to become an Oregon State Bar member through reciprocity within six (6) months of hire.
• Three (3) or more years relevant legal experience

Preferred Qualifications for Senior Assistant City Attorney:

• Five (5) or more years of relevant legal experience to include three (3) years of direct experience in local government law
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in one or more of the following practice areas: complex land use matters; labor and employment law; construction contracting and disputes; public contracting; real estate and eminent domain law; environmental law; enforcement of city codes; public safety and law enforcement; civil rights and nondiscrimination; and/or general governmental law

Selection Process
To apply for this position, click 'Apply' at the top of this job posting.
Required application materials:

• Complete online application (Do not type 'see resume' in any fields or leave work experience fields blank in the application template.)
• A letter of interest summarizing your experience and qualifications as they relate to this position and your interest in working for the City of Gresham
• Resume

• Writing sample addressing a substantive matter you have handled or resolved
• Answers to supplemental questions

The City of Gresham offers a comprehensive and equitable base salary within the listed range based on your experience, skills, and education verified in your application. We encourage you to clearly describe how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications and essential attributes in your application materials.
If you desire a modification of this process to accommodate a disability, please provide your request in writing to HRRecruiting@GreshamOregon.gov, or by phone to 503-618-2729, upon submitting the required application documents.
A review of application materials including your response to supplemental questions submitted will determine which candidates will be invited to an interview.
Communication with candidates will be done primarily through e-mail. Sometimes these messages may land in a spam or junk mail folder. We encourage you to monitor your inbox as well as the inbox within the governmentjobs.com portal for important updates related to this process.
Veteran's Preference
The City of Gresham provides qualifying veterans and disabled veterans with preference in employment in accordance with state law. Any candidate wishing to have their qualifying veteran's preference applied to the process must submit a qualifying document (DD Form 214 or 215) at the time of application providing proof of eligibility that includes discharge status. Disabled veterans must also submit a copy of their Veteran's disability preference letter from the US Department of Veteran Affairs at the time of application, unless the information is included in the DD Form 214 or 215.
Our Commitment
The City of Gresham is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants without unlawful regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, familial status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, Oregon, or local law.
Please direct questions about this position to 503-618-2729 or HRRecruiting@GreshamOregon.gov.
If you need assistance with the online application, please contact NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627.
Any offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.
The City provides full family, comprehensive medical and dental insurance. Vision and prescription coverages are included in the medical plans. Most limited term and regular status employees who work at least 30 hours per week pay nothing for their medical and dental coverage.
Medical Insurance Options:

• City of Gresham Core Plan- UnitedHealthcare Options PPO Network
• Kaiser Permanente Traditional HMO

Dental Insurance Options:

• Delta Dental PPO Plan
• Willamette Dental Insurance
• Kaiser Permanente

Additional benefits include: Employer paid life insurance and long term disability, an employer sponsored deferred compensation plan, flexible spending accounts (medical, child care), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement (City picks up the 6% employee's contribution), an employer contribution to a HRA/VEBA medical savings account, paid time off (PTO) accrual at a minimum of 12.66 hours per month, and 4 hours of sick leave, in additional to nine paid holidays and 3.5 paid floating holidays per year.
For more detailed information, please visit our Employee Benefits page at:
01
What best describes your highest level of education?

• High School/ GED
• Some College
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None of the above

02
Which of the following best describes your relevant legal experience?

• No Experience
• Less than one year
• More than one year but less than two years
• More than two years but less than three years
• More than three years but less than four years
• More than four years but less than five years
• Five years or more

03
What best describes your related experience in public contracting law, real estate transactions, eminent domain, environmental law, and/or general governmental law?

• No experience
• Less than one year
• More than one year but less than two years
• More than two years but less than three years
• More than three years but less than four years
• More than four years but less than five years
• Fiver years or mor