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News and Announcements

SF Deputy City Attorney - Transportation Team

Bianca Garcia | Published on 10/1/2021

DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY – TRANSPORTATION TEAM

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is looking for a qualified and motivated attorney to join its Transportation Team.

About the 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 San Francisco and its residents. With just over 300 talented, dedicated, and diverse attorneys and support staff, the Office provides the highest quality 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 for the betterment of the San Francisco community.

The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, ideas and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain and promote capable 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, as well as candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and stay, and where employees feel engaged and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City.

To learn more about the City Attorney’s Office please visit: https://www.sfcityattorney.org/
To learn more about the Office’s efforts to provide a welcoming, diverse, equitable and inclusive

workplace please click here.

About the Transportation Team

The Transportation Team is a collaborative and dynamic group of seven attorneys, one legal assistant, and two legal secretaries. The Team serves as General Counsel to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). The SFMTA is a department of the City and County of San Francisco responsible for the management of all ground transportation in the City. With an annual operating budget of over $1 billion and almost 6,000 employees, the SFMTA has oversight over the Municipal Railway (Muni), the City’s public transit system, as well as bicycling, paratransit, parking, traffic, walking, and taxis. The Team also advises other City departments, including the Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors, on transportation-related issues. The Team works closely with other teams in the City Attorney’s Office, including the Labor, Government, Land Use, Contracts/Construction, and Trial Teams.


Deputy City Attorney Position and Responsibilities

Attorneys on the Transportation Team are assigned a variety of advice matters, legislative drafting, and contracting. On the advice side, we advise the SFMTA and its Board of Directors on compliance with state and local public records and meeting requirements; state and local regulatory requirements and proceedings including in front of the California Public Utilities Commission; intergovernmental cooperation agreements; imposition of fees, fares and fines; the City’s budget process; permitting and enforcement of permit conditions, data privacy; and intellectual property, among others. Attorneys on our Team also draft and analyze local, state and federal legislation on a broad array of transportation issues. And, attorneys handle a range of transactional issues, including federal, state, and local contracting for professional services, technology acquisition, transit vehicle purchases, public works, and materials procurement; US Department of Transportation and state grant requirements; and general real estate matters related to the SFMTA’s facilities including transit facilities and garages.

In addition to the range of general counsel work described above, the ideal candidate would have substantive experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Federal and/or state grant requirements: Compliance with federal regulations and other conditions for grants from the Federal Transit Administration and, usually through Caltrans, from the Federal Highway Administration, including Buy America regulations, drug and alcohol testing, and third-party procurement requirements including required contract provisions.

  • Large procurements: Expertise in large procurements, specifically the procurement and rehabilitation the SFMTA’s fleet that includes buses; light rail vehicles (LRVs); historic streetcars; and the cable car system. Current projects include advising on an existing procurement of over $1 billion for LRVs and the future procurement of additional hybrid electric coaches and trolleybuses; contracts for the rehabilitation of historic streetcars and a mid-life overhaul of older hybrid electric bus fleet and trolleybuses, and procurement of all-electric buses to achieve an all-electric bus fleet by 2035.

  • Construction: Experience in construction projects, from reviewing contract provisions to providing advice on bidding issues, change orders, and claims.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Familiarity with the ADA and federal regulations governing accessibility in transportation.

    Minimum Qualifications

Licensed to practice law in California.

Desired Qualifications

Ability to assume responsibility quickly and work independently and efficiently.
Excellent oral and written communication and advocacy skills.
Ability to manage and appropriately balance an active and varied workload, and adjust to

occasional workload increases.
Ability to exercise good judgment, multi-task, and meet deadlines.
Strong interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
Desire and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
Three or more years of legal experience, including experience in transportation, municipal or other government law, and contracting.

Salary and Benefits

The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $131,114 - $229,736. 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 can be found here: 8177 Attorney - Classification & Compensation

COVID-19 Vaccination Required as a Condition of Employment

The City and the Office are committed to the health and safety of our employees. Under the City’s Vaccination Policy, all City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. For details on how this condition applies to your employment, please click here.

Application

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter to careeropportunities@sfcityatty.org and specify that you are applying for the Transportation Team position. Applicants who advance in the selection process must submit at least two references and at least one writing sample.