General Counsel

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

CITY OF BALTIMORE

OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

GENERAL COUNSEL

Salary Range: $98,359 - $157,302

Starting Pay: $98,359 - $127,830.50

HOURS:

Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The position requires flexibility to work outside of regular business hours, including early mornings and evenings, as needed to attend meetings and hearings and provide legal counsel to the City Council President and Councilmembers.

GET TO KNOW US

Welcome to the City of Baltimore! Experience the reward of a fulfilling career and enjoy the added element of excitement in a vibrant, diverse atmosphere. The City of Baltimore offers limitless opportunities to help drive social impact, both on the job and in the community, while serving its citizens. Join us in making Baltimore a great place to live and work. In the City of Baltimore, we hire great people and provide them with the skills and opportunities to grow toward their career aspirations. If you are looking for a career change or are interested in learning more, explore our opportunities and benefits programs. We are excited to have you as a part of the City of Baltimore Team! The city offers medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, optional life, AD&D, and FSA plans. This office also supplies wellness programs, support groups, and workshops. You can learn about our benefits here: https://humanresources.baltimorecity.gov/hr-divisions/benefits

Mission Statement:

To ensure Baltimore City government offers a best-in-class resident experience that centers equity when engaging with residents and communities, allocating budget dollars, conducting oversight of city agencies, and enacting legislation.

Our Vision:

We will innovate, advocate, and deliver results across City government and neighborhoods so that residents, business owners, and visitors champion Baltimore as the best place to visit, live, work, and play.

Values:

• Results: Constantly striving toward “best-in-class” city services.

• Innovation: We don’t settle for the status quo; transformational results require creative problem-solving.

• Community Centered: Our people make Baltimore great, and those residents inform every decision.

• Joy: Baltimore has so much to celebrate, and we proudly share its stories with each other and the world.

JOB SUMMARY

A General Counsel plans and coordinates the legal activities of a City agency in conjunction with the Baltimore City Law Department. The work of this class involves supervising the activities of legal and office support work units. Incumbents receive executive direction from the head of an assigned City agency. Employees in this class work a conventional workweek. The work is performed in an office where normal working conditions are encountered. The work requires minimal physical exertion. 

The ideal candidate for General Counsel to the City Council needs to be strong in their understanding of how municipal law works especially in relation to state law authority, and they need to be a clear communicator able to navigate the intersection of political and policy considerations to advance the Council’s public policy priorities. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Legal Counsel to City Council 

·       Provide legal advice to the City Council President, all 14 district-level Councilmembers, and their staff on a range of legal issues appropriate for a legislative body 

·       In collaboration with the Department of Legislative Reference, provide preliminary evaluations of the legal sufficiency of proposed legislation 

·       Proactively identify opportunities to advise on legal issues that may affect legislation and policy objectives of the City Council 

·       Maintain confidentiality and attorney-client relationships in effective, independent relationships across the Office of the Council President and 14 district-level Councilmember offices 

·       Plan, organize, direct and participate in the Council’s legal activities, in coordination with the Baltimore City Law Department, including managing Public Information Act requests as governed by the Maryland Public Information Act.

·       Confer with the Baltimore City Law Department on legal procedural matters; obtain approvals as required; and participate in trial and appellate matters by researching and providing pertinent documentation.

·       Oversee and participate in preparing legal opinions, legislation, memoranda of law, contracts, agreements and other legal documents.

·       Represent the interests of the City Council before legislative and other public bodies and attend meetings of those organizations.

·       Advise on board governance and parliamentary procedures, as applicable.

Board of Estimates  

·       Manage the evaluation of contracts and other matters that come before the Board of Estimates and prepare the Council President to chair Board meetings of Estimates meetings 

·       Manage the internal preparation for Board of Estimates meetings, including but not limited to coordinating expert staff input on discrete, sensitive topics related to agenda items 

Administrative Support & Other Duties 

·       Manage, from receipt of request to submission of documents, all Maryland Public Information Act, Freedom of Information Act, Inspector General inquiries, and similarly situated requests for the Council President’s Office and all 14 district-level Councilmember offices 

·       Manage the administration of the Community Based Organization grant management process, both internal to the Council President’s Office and all 14 district-level Councilmember offices 

·       Develop, advise Council leadership on and implement procedures for handling legal affairs, procurement, human resources matters, compliance with federal, state and local laws, and City ethics requirements. (Legal advice and procedures only; this position does not supervise HR or other personnel.)

·       Serve as the City Council’s primary custodian of records

·       Other duties as assigned by the Executive Leadership Team

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

A law degree from an accredited law school and five years of experience in trial work, legal writing and/or municipal law and practice before Federal courts, including one year of such lead experience as assigning and reviewing the work of legal personnel.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATES

Admission to the Bar of the State of Maryland is required.  In good standing with barring association; able to practice law in the State of Maryland

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES           

Knowledge of:

·       Knowledge of pertinent Federal, State and City statutes 

·       Knowledge of the sources of legal reference and legal research methods 

·       Knowledge of the principles and practices of law.

·       Knowledge of court procedures.

Skills and Abilities:

·       Ability to convey complex information, both with and without advance preparation 

·       Superb written and oral communication skills 

·       Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively 

·       Skill in interviewing others.

·       Skill in negotiating contracts.

·       Ability to organize, interpret and apply legal principles.

·       Ability to draft a wide variety of legal documents, including legislation, contracts, and legal memoranda, and legal documents for submission and presentation in court.

·       Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

·       Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

·       Ability to utilize common business software.

·       General administrative ability.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

·       Experience serving a legislative body as counsel 

·       Familiarity with the legal issues relevant to the Baltimore City Council 

·       Familiarity with the contractual obligations created at the Board of Estimates 

·       Familiarity with City Council rules governing the operations of committees and the full body 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

BACKGROUND CHECK

Eligible candidates under final consideration for appointment to positions identified as positions of trust will be required to complete authorization for a Criminal Background Check and/or Fingerprint screening, and must be successfully completed.

PROBATION

All persons, including current City employees, selected for this position must complete a 6-MONTH mandatory probation.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

This position is required to complete a Financial Disclosure pursuant to Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the City Ethics Law.

ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL

The City Council is the City's legislative body, with the power to enact all ordinances and resolutions. City Council members are elected from fourteen districts, and the President is elected at large, by all voters of the City. The fifteen City Council members, along with the Mayor, act only by ordinance, resolution, or motion. They adopt and may alter the annual budget and confirm the Mayor's appointments. The City Council is responsible for the appropriation and issuance of bonds. The City Council determines its own rules of procedure, and its meetings are open to the public. City Council members are elected every four years. They are elected to geographic districts of roughly the same proportion of population.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER