Assistant City Attorney Senior I

Date Opened: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 12:00 AM

Close Date: Friday, October 31, 2025 12:00 AM

Department: City Attorney Department

Salary: $117,081.00 - $146,352.00 Commensurate with Experience

Welcome to the City of Charlotte

Charlotte is America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses and visitors alike. Here you will find a safe, family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive. The mission of the City of Charlotte is to deliver quality public services and promote the safety, health, and quality of life for all residents.

Our guiding principles include:

• Attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce

• Valuing teamwork, openness, accountability, productivity, and employee development

• Providing all customers with courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless quality services

• Taking initiative to identify, analyze, and solve problems

• Collaborating with stakeholders to make informed decisions

SUMMARY

The Charlotte City Attorney’s Office is seeking a talented and mission-driven attorney to join our Land Use Team, a group at the forefront of shaping Charlotte’s rapid and transformative growth. This role offers a unique opportunity to practice law in high-impact areas including land development, zoning administration and enforcement, and environmental regulation—all within one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

You’ll work alongside a collaborative team of legal professionals dedicated to public service and legal excellence. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a hybrid work schedule.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic legal counsel on matters related to city planning, land use, zoning, and environmental law.
• Deliver clear, actionable legal opinions to internal stakeholders including elected officials, boards, commissions, and City staff.
• Represent the City in administrative hearings, quasi-judicial proceedings, and litigation related to land use and enforcement.
• Conduct thorough legal research and risk assessments for development and environmental matters.
• Facilitate dispute resolution and settlement negotiations involving land use and regulatory issues.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws governing municipal operations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to work collaboratively and build trust across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze issues from a legal and practical perspective that balances legal precision with practical solutions. 
• Ability to communicate effectively with a knack for translating complex legal concepts.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, independence, and creativity to proactively solve problems.
• Ability to adapt to a diverse legal portfolio while establishing and maintaining positive relationships with clients, elected officials, colleagues, and the public.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• License to practice law in North Carolina, or eligibility for admission to North Carolina via reciprocity prior to start date.
• For Assistance City Attorney II: Minimum of 5 years of legal practice.  
• For Assistance City Attorney Senior I: Minimum of 8 years of legal practice, ideally with a focus in municipal, land use, or environmental law.
• Candidates with less experience may be considered if they bring deep expertise in municipal law or land use regulation.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and phys