Principal Assistant City Attorney

Posting Close Date

Applicants must submit their completed application by 06-24-2026 at 11:59 p.m. MST

Application and Special Instructions

The City Attorney is looking for an attorney to practice in the Civil Division of the Office. The attorneys in the Civil Division are assigned to various practice areas as Office needs may change or arise over time. Those practice areas could range from administrative law to zoning; and examples include construction of public works; constitutional law; contracts and intergovernmental agreements; economic development; elections; eminent domain; employment law (Title VII, Arizona Civil Rights Act, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, etc.); environmental law; municipal finance and taxation; open meetings and public records; procurement; public utilities and telecom; real estate; water law; land use/zoning and more. While the currently anticipated practice areas for this position include transportation, real estate and finance, given the range of practice areas within the Civil Division the City Attorney will consider applicants whose prior experience may not include experience in the currently anticipated practice areas of need. The City Attorney may choose to hire more than one candidate from this recruitment.
As part of the application process, all applicants must submit a chronological resume and a cover letter at the time of application. Applications that do not include both documents by the recruitment closing date will be considered incomplete and will not receive further consideration for this recruitment.

This position is on-site at City Hall. Remote or hybrid arrangement may be available.

Applicants must submit a legal writing sample created within the last three years, not to exceed ten pages. The sample may be submitted with the application or must be provided prior to the panel interviews.

Interview Information:
Highest‑scoring applicants will be invited to a panel interview, which will be held in person at City Hall on August 5, 2026, and August 6, 2026.

Applicants who achieve the highest scores on the panel interview will be invited to participate in an in person second interview at City Hall on August 13, 2026.

The eligibility list established from this process may be used to fill positions as they become available over the next six (6) months.

Recruiter Contact Information
If you have any questions, please contact Ankita Bhargava at

ABOUT THIS JOB

Position Specific Summary

The Principal Assistant City Attorney position in the Civil Division of the Tucson City Attorney’s Office provides advanced-level legal services and performs advanced-level legal work in assigned areas of practice. Attorneys at this level work with a high level of autonomy and accountability. Provides guidance and mentoring to lower-level attorney personnel.

Work is performed in accordance with general policies and established standards of the legal profession and is reviewed by the City Attorney or their designee. This position does not supervise.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to legal inquiries from the City’s executive management team and their staff, typically for assigned City departments. Identifies, analyzes and explains legal issues associated with projects and programs of City-wide importance. Performs advanced-level professional and administrative legal work including development of and revisions to the Tucson Code. Consults with client decision makers regarding departmental and major legal issues. Provides legal advice and assistance.
• Prepares and reviews materials submitted to the Mayor and Council for its consideration and approval for legal issues. Prepares ordinances or resolutions for consideration by the Mayor and Council. Analyzes legal issues associated with initiatives under consideration by the City Manager or Mayor and Council. Consults with Mayor and Council and City management at public meetings and in executive sessions as needed. Guides and mentors lower-level attorneys.
• Reviews and prepares a variety of legal documents including but not limited to contracts, intergovernmental agreements, legal correspondence, notices and position statements.
• Litigates complex legal matters (in administrative matters; or in federal or state courts) in assigned area of practice, and/or supports litigation efforts in those matters by performing research, preparing and filing pleadings, making court appearances, etc.
• Serves as litigator for the City in State and Federal Courts. Identifies, analyzes, and discusses legal issues associated with projects. Handles legal matters of assigned departments and acts as liaison with departments, the City Manager, and the Mayor and Council.
• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned. Any one position may not include all the duties listed. This position description identifies the responsibilities and tasks typically associated with the performance of the position.

Working Conditions

Mostly office environment.

All duties and responsibilities listed are subject to change.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Juris Doctorate
Work Experience: Five (5) years of relevant experience
Member in good standing with the State Bar of Arizona
License/Certifications: A valid and unrestricted driver’s license with two (2) years of licensed driving is required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Government law practice: including a working knowledge of the legal subject matter involved with the department to which assignment will be made.

Experience in the practice of municipal transactional law including the review, negotiation, and drafting of federal and state grant, development, tax incentive, or intergovernmental agreements and other municipal contracts.

Experience advising governmental leadership or executives on employment, discrimination, and labor matters.

Experience in the practice of real estate, finance, government contracts and procurement law.

Experience working with state and federal agencies.

Municipal civil litigation experience.

Five (5) years of civil practice

POSITION DETAILS

Job Profile

J0619 - Principal Assistant City Attorney

To view the full job profile including classification specifications and physical demands click .

Compensation Grade

G113

Hourly Range

$47.08 - 70.61 USD

The City of Tucson considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Exempt

Position Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

Department

City Attorney

Department Link

Background Check

This position has been designated to require a criminal background check. The City of Tucson is a Second Chance Employer.

ABOUT US

Benefits

The City of Tucson offers a generous benefits package for benefit-eligible positions. The comprehensive, flexible, and affordable coverage is designed to optimize health and well-being, security and future, and peace of mind. Benefits begin with medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and FSA coverage, surpassing your standard 401(k) program by offering a rich pension plan plus optional Roth and pretax deferred compensation savings. With your well-being in mind, our paid time off program provides new hires with 38 paid days off in the first year of employment, with time off increasing steadily in subsequent years. We offer twelve weeks of paid parental leave, paid tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, off- and on-the-job training, and opportunities to forge connections with peers and the community through employee resource groups and paid volunteer hours. You can learn more about our benefits at

Citizenship

The City of Tucson employs only U.S. Citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. Citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Status. The City of Tucson does not offer visa sponsorship.

City of Tucson is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer

The City does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy), national origin, veteran status, age, disability, genetic testing, or any other protected status. If you believe you have been a victim of discrimination, you may file a complaint with the City of Tucson's Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or Arizona Attorney General's Office of the Civil Rights Division (ACRD).

The City of Tucson is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities or who require religious accommodation; please contact Human Resources at or 520-791-2619.

Recruiter Name

Noelle Smith (103931)

Recruiter EmailFor Human Resources general questions please contact 520-791-4241.