at City of Nampa in NAMPA, Idaho, United States
Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY:
The City of Nampa recently transitioned to in-house legal counsel in 2025 and is seeking a dedicated, team-oriented Assistant City Attorney to support the City Attorney in the exciting undertaking of building the legal department for Idaho’s third-largest city in a time of significant growth.
Under the direction of the City Attorney, an Assistant City Attorney assists the City Attorney in providing legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, the City Council, Department Directors, and City employees on a wide variety of municipal law issues. An Assistant City Attorney, as directed by the City Attorney, is expected to represent the City in litigation, administrative hearings, contract negotiations, and other legal matters and proceedings, including but not limited to handling infraction and misdemeanor prosecution.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Serve as legal counsel to the City of Nampa, assisting the City Attorney with all legal matters, both civil and criminal.
• Provide legal review and guidance to all City Departments for various municipal matters, such as contracts for public works projects, professional service agreements, grant proposals, inquiries with public record requests, public hearing procedures, and the interpretation of laws and ordinances. Provides legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, City Council, City Departments, and City boards and commissions on the legal risks and viable options regarding governmental and operational affairs.
• Represent the City in civil litigation cases and/or administrative hearings; prepare memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings for judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings; negotiate, review, and prepare agreements and contracts for City Departments; may represent the City in complex contract negotiations.
• Attend City Council meetings and other City public meetings, as needed or assigned. At the request of the City Attorney, Department Directors, or other city officials or employees, provide training to public safety officers and general City employees, as well as legal training in civil and related law topics in areas of law, risk assessment, legal compliance, and policy development.
• Deliver excellent customer service to the public, other City staff, and departments. Provide information, answer questions, and respond to inquiries in person and by telephone.
• Direct and assign tasks to legal staff assistants.
• As may be assigned, prosecutes misdemeanor and traffic infractions, including appeals, and domestic violence cases. Coordinates efforts of police, county prosecutors, victim witness coordinator, and other victim advocates, victims, and Domestic Violence Court personnel in the prosecution and resolution of domestic violence cases. Researches and prepares legal briefs on criminal matters, including appeals. Represents the City to the specialty courts and other community and law enforcement groups, committees, and agencies, as assigned.
• The range of services routinely includes, but is not limited to, the following areas of municipal law:
Public Records Act
Conflicts of Interest
Collection law - matters related to the collection of accounts receivable
Election law
Contracts
Real estate law and property transactions
Land use and environmental law - including land leasing, cell towers, and naming rights
Public Works contracting/public contracts/capital projects
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Labor negotiations
Code Enforcement
Tort liability and risk management
Fees, taxes, assessments
Water rights
Ordinances and resolutions
State of emergency declarations and powers
Municipal financing- bonding, enterprise funds, etc.
• Continuously update City ordinances, procedures, and practices documents as required by the City.
• Review and analyze local, state, and federal pending legislation, laws, and court decisions, providing updates to the City Attorney, Mayor, City Council, and City staff. Legal Staff will need to proactively propose modifications to City policies, ordinances, and plans.
• Review and approve staff reports, conduct preliminary research/analysis, and/or prepare ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents as required by the City.
• Represent the City in civil litigation brought on behalf of, or against, the City as necessary, at the Mayor and City Council's request.
