Practice Areas
The Office of the City Attorney practices law in the following areas:
Litigation and Appeals
This division defends the City, its agencies, departments, officers, agents, employees, and elected officials in federal and state litigation cases involving mainly Civil Rights, Tort, Commercial, and Risk Management. This practice area also pursues affirmative litigation matters which seek to recover money from breach of contract, damages to City property, injunctions to prevent nuisances and violations of City Codes, and collection of various debts and financial obligations owed to the City.
Attorneys in this practice area:
General Government
The division practices regulatory compliance in the areas of Emergency Preparedness, Ethics, Police, Civil Forfeitures, Sustainable/Green Initiatives, Procurement, Grants, Capital Improvements, State/Federal Legislative Agenda, code compliance, nuisance abatement, unsafe structurers, and public records. Attorneys in this practice area work collaboratively with the litigators handling related lawsuits.
Attorneys in this practice area:
Labor and Employment
This division handles all legal matters related to the City's role as the employer of approximately 4,500 union and non-union workers. This practice area includes litigation in state and federal court involving workers' compensation, discipline, discharge, collective bargaining, and promotions, while advising management on labor relations and compliance with labor laws.
Attorneys in this practice area:
Land Use and Transactional
This division handles land use and zoning, contracts, procurement, real estate, public finance, grants, municipal elections, budgeting, capital improvements, community and economic development, and the like for all City departments, Elected Officials, boards, and agencies. Attorneys in this practice area work collaboratively with the litigators handling related lawsuits and serve as legal advisors to City boards and agencies.
Attorneys in this practice area: