Assistant City Attorney Senior I

Date Opened: Monday, July 14, 2025 12:00 AM

Close Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025 12:00 AM

Department: City Attorney Department

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

SUMMARY

This position is part of the City Attorney’s Office and responsible for providing comprehensive legal services and representation to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and City Departments, specifically on matters involving land use, specifically zoning administration and enforcement, development regulations, and environmental ordinances The position is physically located at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center. The job title and classification will ultimately be determined by the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide advice and counsel on issues arising from implementation and interpretation of the City’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), Tree Ordinance, land use including permitting, engineering plans, donated infrastructure, reimbursement agreements, or extension of existing infrastructure, as well as state statutes and case law.
• Represent the City in administrative hearings, quasi-judicial proceedings, and litigation related to land use and environmental enforcement.
• Identify and resolve policy, operational and business issues associated with matters involving land use and environmental law.
• Conduct thorough due diligence investigations to assess the legal and regulatory risks associated with matters involving the land use and environmental law.
• Negotiate and draft documents such as agreements for donated projects, reimbursement agreements, and other documents needed to accomplish land development objectives.
• Perform all necessary tasks to resolve or settle any dispute between the adverse parties concerning matters involving land development.
• Conduct legal research, draft, review, write and effectively communicate with clients when rendering legal opinions.
• Stays current on all relevant law, document management tools and litigation and trial-related technology.
• Identifies and research issues within the complex operational, business, policy, and legal framework of the City.
• Actively analyzes matters, provide accurate, timely and sound legal advice and opinions to other attorneys, elected and appointed officials, and city staff.
• Ensures compliance with all local, state, and federal laws specific to municipalities.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of constitutional, federal, state, and local laws affecting municipal government, specifically general environment, trees, land use, water, wastewater, and storm water operations.
• Ability to work collaboratively with others, analyze issues from a legal and practical perspective, and provide clear advice and counsel.
• Possess business acumen and the ability to negotiate transactions effectively.
• Ability to master new material quickly, manage a diverse legal portfolio, and handle a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to think creatively to solve problems.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, colleagues, the public, elected and appointed officials, and City staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA accredited law school.
• License to practice law in North Carolina or ability to be admitted into the NC State Bar via reciprocity prior to beginning employment.
• Minimum of five (5) years of practice experience for an Assistant City Attorney II; minimum of eight (8) years of practice experience for Assistant City Attorney Senior I. Based on the years of experience and qualifications of the candidate, this position can be filled as an ACA II or ACA Sr. I.
• Less relevant experience for each position may be considered if experience includes significant concentration in municipal law.

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 requi