Deputy City Attorney - Complex Commercial Litigator - Tax Team - City Attorney's Office (8177) at City and County of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA, United States

Job description

• The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is looking for a qualified and motivated complex commercial litigator to join its office.
• The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With nearly 350 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors.
• The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City.
• The Office provides a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.
• To learn more about the City Attorney’s Office please visit our website.
• Job Description
• This position would be part of the Tax Team. Litigators on the Tax Team work primarily on defending the City in tax refund lawsuits. Issues litigated in these cases include federal and state constitutional doctrines (e.g., Commerce, Due Process, and Equal Protection Clauses, state preemption of city taxing power); valuation of taxable and nontaxable property; interpreting complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and the application of the City’s taxes to the diverse and emerging industries comprising San Francisco’s business community. Amounts in dispute range from the tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. Experience with state or local tax matters is not required as litigators on the Tax Team benefit from the subject matter expertise of the Team’s advice attorneys and collaborate with auditors and appraisers in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector and the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.

Responsibilities

• Defending the City in tax refund lawsuits
• Litigating issues including federal and state constitutional doctrines (e.g., Commerce, Due Process, and Equal Protection Clauses, state preemption of city taxing power)
• Valuation of taxable and nontaxable property
• Interpreting complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations
• Application of the City's taxes to diverse and emerging industries

Requirements

• Licensed to practice law in California.
• Five or ideally more years of civil litigation experience.
• Experience with complex litigation, ideally litigation involving financial transactions or financial issues (for example, business litigation).
• Experience with litigation involving constitutional issues and/or statutory interpretation issues.
• Experience with complex motion practice and/or appeals.
• Ability to assume a high degree of responsibility quickly, work both independently and collaboratively, and identify and assess substantive and procedural legal issues.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently, meet multiple competing deadlines, manage workload changes, and dive into new assignments quickly.
• Excellent written and oral communication and advocacy skills.
• Ability to manage, investigate, and litigate multiple matters.
• Ability to handle all phases of litigation, including written discovery, depositions, motion practice, settlement negotiations, non-jury trials, and appeals.
• Experience handling court appearances and oral argument.
• Familiarity with California civil procedure and San Francisco local rules.
• Experience with e-discovery.
• Demonstrated interest, comfort, and good working knowledge of sophisticated document review tools.
• Ability to work effectively with paralegals, legal assistants, investigators, and other colleagues.
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, adapt to changes, and be curious.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
• Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Interest and ability to work successfully as part of a team.

Skills

Required

• Licensed to practice law in California
• Experience with e-discovery

Benefits

• The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $158,548-$277,810. The successful applicant is appointed to a salary step based on years of experience as a lawyer. The City offers robust health, retirement and other benefits. For more information please visit: https://sfdhr.org/benefits-overview. Attorneys are represented by the Municipal Attorneys Association. Information about compensation and benefits is available by entering Classification Code 8177 at https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/.