Assistant City Attorney

<span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;" data-pasted="true">In the City Attorney’s Office, we make it our mission to bring together diverse talents, personalities, and experience in a way that is both effective and efficient to best serve the residents of Minneapolis. Under supervision provide the City of Minneapolis and its various officials, boards, agencies and departments with professional legal services relating to criminal legal matters, including advice on cases, broad policy level guidance and representation; or relating to criminal prosecution, including advice concerning investigation and development of particular cases, and courtroom representation.</span><br><br><p style="font-style: normal;margin: 0.0px;color: inherit;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong><u>Application Submission Requirements: </u><br> ALL applicants MUST </strong>submit completed:</p><ul style="margin: 10px 0px 3pt; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0px;"><li style="list-style-type: inherit;">City of Minneapolis online application through Government Jobs</li><li style="list-style-type: inherit;">Screening questions answered</li></ul><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Resume, Cover Letter and Writing Sample are strongly encouraged.</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">A sample of legal writing, including but not necessarily limited to an excerpt from a brief or memorandum, along with the required City application.  Your sample must</span><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"> </strong><u style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">not</u><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"> exceed six pages.  </span><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Work Location: </strong><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">This position may be eligible for flexible work arrangements, including hybrid work with some days working remotely and some days working in the office.</span><br><br><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><em>The City of Minneapolis does not sponsor applicants for work visas.</em></span><p style="font-style: normal;margin: 0.0px;color: inherit;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong>Represent the City and Advise on Criminal Law Matters</strong><br data-pasted="true">• Prepare and try criminal cases of misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor, including those of a complex nature. This includes but is not limited to bail hearings, settlement negotiations, treatment courts, contested evidentiary hearings, jury and court trials, sentencing hearings, probation revocation hearings, and a wide variety of other categories of hearings under often stressful conditions requiring attorneys to think quickly on their feet.<br>• Manage an assigned caseload, coordinating court dates and other schedules with judges, defense attorneys, defendants, and witnesses.<br>• Make independent determinations as to what constitutes fair and legal case outcomes, deciding whether to offer incarceration, restorative justice, or another disposition and structuring offers for case resolution.<br>• Work with crime victims to accurately assess their losses, obtain appropriate restitution awards, and vindicate their rights in court.<br>• Review and analyze evidence, including physical evidence, body-worn cameras, squad, transit, and surveillance footage, and jail and 911 tapes.<br>• Direct investigative and support staff as necessary to gather evidence and build a criminal case.<br>•Advise on applying legal requirements to specific data and facts.<br>• Conduct legal research and prepare legal opinions on criminal law issues, including complex ones. This includes using a caselaw database, such as Westlaw, to locate relevant controlling or persuasive cases concerning specific legal issues presented in litigation.<br>• Produce written briefs and memoranda on various criminal law issues, including complex matters, in district court, frequently under very tight deadlines, and occasionally at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.<br>• Deliver well-thought-out, persuasive oral arguments advancing the case’s legal theories and strengths to judges and juries.<br>• Develop the necessary expertise in various criminal and constitutional law areas, including complex areas.<br>• Draft changes to state statutes and city ordinances as requested.<br>• Confer with and advise Minneapolis Police Departments, other law enforcement partners, and other Minneapolis City departments on legal matters and concerns involving criminal law issues, including complex ones.<br>• Help implement community-based criminal justice and public safety initiatives, reforms, and grant programs.<br>• Assist the criminal deputy and criminal supervising attorneys with projects, policy, and legal research, including a complex nature.<br>• Exhibit critical thinking and problem-solving skills, sometimes with supervision.<br>• Prepare and conduct public presentations and provide training on various criminal law and criminal procedure issues, including complex ones, to other attorneys, city departments, elected officials, and outside partner agencies.<br>• Foster relationships of trust with department heads, city staff, state and judges, partner agencies, other governmental subdivisions, and internal colleagues.<br>• Research and draft briefs and present oral arguments for appeals at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.</p>• Regularly review new case law and statutes that change how laws are interpreted or enforced and adapt to those changes in making legal decisions. <br data-pasted="true">• Review police reports, video evidence, and other available evidence and independently apply the facts to applicable criminal statutes to make charging decisions. <br>• Work on cross-departmental multi-disciplinary work groups, task forces to develop and implement policies. <br><br><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Working Conditions: </strong><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Office and courtroom.</span><strong>Minimum Education: </strong>The position has a minimum educational requirement of a Juris Doctorate (J.D.)<br><br><strong>Minimum Experience: </strong>Two or more years of relevant legal experience.<br><br><strong>Licenses/Certification: </strong>Minnesota attorney licensure through the successful bar examination and current active bar membership; ability to be licensed in federal court.<br><br><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;" data-pasted="true">Selection Process</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">The selection process will consist of one or more of the following steps: a rating of relevant education and experience 100%. It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. This information will be used to determine which candidates will proceed in the selection process. A submitted application is also used to verify the answers to any supplemental questions. Only those candidates who attain a passing score (70%) on each step in the selection process will be placed on the eligible list. The City of Minneapolis Human Resources Department reserves the right to limit the number in any phase of the selection process.</span><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Background Check</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">The City has determined that a criminal background check and/or qualifications check may be necessary for certain positions with this job title. Applicants may be required to sign an informed consent form allowing the City to obtain their criminal history and/or verify their qualifications in connection with the position sought. Applicants who do not sign the informed consent form will not be further considered for the position.</span><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Background Check (Police)</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">The City has determined that a thorough Minneapolis Police Department criminal background check is necessary for positions with this job title. Applicants must sign an informed consent allowing the City to obtain their criminal history information in connection with the position sought. Applicants who do not sign the informed consent form will not be considered for the position.</span><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Drug and Alcohol Testing</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">All job applicants must pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test once a conditional offer of employment has been made.  Applicants will be required to sign a notification and consent form prior to undergoing drug and alcohol testing.  Applicants who do not consent to undergo drug and alcohol testing will not be required to do so and the City will withdraw the conditional job offer, resulting in the job applicant no longer being considered for the position. <br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Union Representation</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">This position is represented by a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the AFSCME Attorneys (CAT). For more information on the terms and conditions of this agreement please visit: <a href="https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/hr/labor-agreements/afscme-attorneys/" data-pasted="true" data-uw-rm-brl="PR" data-uw-original-href="https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/hr/labor-agreements/afscme-attorneys/">AFSCME Attorneys - City of Minneapolis</a><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"> </strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><strong style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">Eligible List Statement</strong><br style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;"><span style="color: inherit;font-style: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;">The names of applicants who meet minimum qualification and who pass the screening process shall be placed on the eligible list for employment consideration.  This list will be certified to the hiring manager who may use the list to fill a vacancy of the same job title. This eligible list will expire 4 months after it has been established.</span>•    Legal knowledge and technical skills <br>•    Work ethic, drive, diligence <br>•    Complex problem-solving, decision making, sometimes with supervision<br>•    Communication skills <br>•    Teamwork/collaboration skills <br>•    Contributions to CAO, the enterprise, legal systems <br>•    Commitment to Equity <br>•    At least some demonstration of leadership<br>•    Strong legal research skills<br>•    Organizational and prioritization skills<br>•    Excellent communication skills<br>•    Capacity to handle complex projects and make quality decisions

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...