Assistant City Attorney

Salary : $70,821.50 - $105,919.63 Annually
Location : City Hall, 124 W. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: CITY ATTORNEY
Opening Date: 10/12/2026
Closing Date: 11/9/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Advertisement
The City of Lansing's Office of City Attorney's Office is seeking an Assistant City Attorney. Candidates will have knowledge of legal principles and practices including civil, criminal, constitutional and administrative law and procedures; additionally, knowledge and/or experience in trial practice procedures, court rules, and the rules of evidence.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• J.D. Degree from an accredited school of law, admission to and maintenance of membership in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan

PHYSICAL CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS:

This position requires the individual through assistance or on their own to sit, speak, hear, listen, finger dexterity &/or feeling, reaching, near vision and far vision. Possess a valid license and be able to drive a motor vehicle.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: Office and court environment, public and elected officials' meetings.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS:

The essential position functions listed below do not include all functions, which may be found in this position as duties, and responsibilities may be added, deleted, or modified at any time.

• Represents the City in the State and Federal courts for jury trials, non-jury trials, formal hearings, motions and any attendant appeals.
• Directs, conducts, analyzes, organizes and obtains information, statements, witnesses, and evidence for the ongoing conducts of trials, defenses and appeals in all judicial and administrative bodies.
• Acts as an ombudsman screening complaints for individuals seeking warrants, letters, enforcement information, resolution of neighborhood complaints or general information about the City of Lansing or other law related information.
• Represents the City in complex civil litigation in various courts and tribunals.
• Investigates, researches, and drafts legal opinions in response to requests from Council Members, Department Heads, the Mayor and other City staff
• Reviews claims filed against the City and makes recommendations to appropriate City personnel and committees.
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
• Contract review
• Legislative drafting

Application Special Instructions
FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Attach resume and cover letter, transcripts and/or licenses with application.

Applications will not be reviewed until after the closing date.

City of Lansing
Teamsters Local 214 Fringe Benefits

Health Insurance: The City of Lansing shall offer at the time of hire the following choice of medical insurances. Coverage will be effective the first day of the month following the date of hire. If an employee chooses the non-base plan, they will be required to pay the difference between the base and non-base plan, in addition to any premium share. You may choose coverage under either Blue Cross Blue or PHP. Current plans offered are:

• Base - includes a $40.00 co-pay for office visits. Prescription drug co-pays are $10/$40/$80. This plan includes a $1000/single and $2000/family in network deductible and 80% co-insurance. Emergency room services have a $250 co-pay and Urgent Care visits have a $60 co-pay.
• Option 1 - includes a $30.00 co-pay for office visits. Prescription drug co-pays are $10/$40/$80. This plan includes a $500/single and $1000/ family in network deductible and 80% co-insurance. Emergency room services have a $150 co-pay and Urgent Care visits have a $50 co-pay.
• Option 2 - includes a $20.00 co-pay for office visits. Prescription drug co-pays are $10/$20/$40 or $15/$25/$50 for Physician's Health Plan. This plan includes emergency room services with a $50 co-pay, and a 50% co-pay for mental health and substance abuse services.

The Base Plan is as provided above. If the employee chooses to "buy up" to an optional plan (either Option 1 or Option 2) the employee will be responsible for any cost differential between the Base Plan premium and the premium of the selected optional plan chosen. Benefit summaries and rate sheets are available in the Department of Human Resources.

Opt out: Members of the bargaining unit will be allowed to opt out of the City's health care plan annually, during the City's open enrollment period provided the employee provides written proof of coverage from another source. Any employee who opts out of the City's health care plan will be eligible to receive $1 ,800 in any year which they receive coverage from another source. In addition, such payments will be made twice a year, by separate check, following the period the employee had alternate coverage. City employees married to City employees are entitled to one coverage only and are not entitled to opt out payments.

Dental Insurance: The City pays the full premium costs for the Dental plan provided by the City; coverage includes the employee and family members. Coverage includes 100% coverage for cleaning: 50% coverage for treatment costs with an $1 ,200 maxmum per person per contract year. Employees and dependents will also receive orthodontic coverage which provides fifty percent (50%) of treatment costs with a $3,500 lifetime maximum per person. Coverage is effective the first day of the month following thirty calendar days of service. Booklets and summaries are available in the Department of Human Resources.

Vision Plan:Employees are eligible for the BCBS VSP 12/12/12 Vision Plan. This plan provides vision exams, lenses, and frames, and contact lenses with a co-pay. Benefit summaries are available in the Department of Human Resources.

Life Insurance: The City pays the premium for a base $50,000 of group life and $50,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance for full-time regular employees. Life insurance coverage for dependents is available for a reasonable cost to the employee, in accordance with the following schedule:

Spouse

Unmarried child, age

$25,000

14 days to 6 months

$ 500

6 months to 23 years

$ 2,000

Coverage is effective one (1) month and one (1) day following the date of hire. Summaries are available in the Department of Human Resources.

Medical and Dependent Care Reimbursement: Employees have the opportunity to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses, and dependent care costs with pretax dollars through AFLAC. AFLAC also offers supplemental insurances that may purchased on a pretax basis through payroll deduction. Unreimbursed medical will be limited to $3,050 per plan year.

Bereavement: At the time of the death of a spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent and parent, an employee will be entitled to use a maximum of the next five (5) working days with pay, not to be deducted from the accumulated sick leave, to arrange for and/or attend the funeral. Additional time may be taken off with the approval of the department head and charged to vacation, personal leave, sick or compensatory time. An employee will be entitled to use a maximum of three (3) working days with pay, not to be deducted from the accumulated sick leave to make arrangements and attend the funeral for aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparents, grandparents-in-law and grandchild. Time must be taken within 30 days of the death of the family member unless prior approval is granted by Department Head or on-site Supervisor.

Holidays:

New Year's Day

Martin Luther King Birthday

Good Friday Memorial Day

Juneteenth

Independence Day

Labor Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day

Friday After Thanksgiving Day

Day Before Christmas

Christmas Day

Day Before New Year's Day

Lonqevity:

Longevity bonuses shall be paid to employees as follows:

5 but less than 10 years of service 2%

10 but less than 15 years of service 4%

15 but less than 20 years of service 6% 20 but less than 25 years of service 8%

25 or more years

Following completion of five (5) years of continuous full-time service by October 1 of any year and continuing in subsequent years of such service, each employee shall receive annual longevity payments as provided in the schedule. Payments to employees who become eligible by October 1 of any year shall be due the subsequent December 1.

No longevity payment as above scheduled shall be made for that portion of an employee's regular salary or wage which is in excess of the negotiated maximum base wage, which is currently $25,000.

Vacation: A new full-time employee shall be credited with forty (40) hours vacation time credited to their leave bank following 6 months of service. After the first year of service the regular full-time employee will receive an additional forty (40) hours of vacation time credited to their leave bank. In subsequent years two (2) years through five (5) years of service, employees receive 10 days' vacation. Thereafter, employees will receive one (1) additional day per each year of additional full-time service, not to exceed a maximum vacation leave of 20 workdays.

Personal Leave: Employees receive two (2) personal leave days annually on January 1 or at time of hire and another two (2) personal leave days on July 1 of each year. The sixteen hours in each six-month period may not be combined or carried over. Personal days must be used by December 31, or they shall be forfeited.

Sick Leave: Employees shall be credited with 3.7 hours of sick leave each pay ending. (Approximately (1) one day per month), no maximum accumulation. Employees may use sick leave for absences due to his/her illness or injury, including pregnancy, or an illness or injury in his/her immediate family. No sick leave credit shall be accrued by an employee during an unpaid leave of absence.

An employee who has accumulated 60 days of sick shall have the option at the end of the calendar year to relinquish and receive a reimbursement for up to the first five unused sick leave days accrued that year over 60 days.

Compensatory Time:

Employees Subject to Fair Labor Standards Act: In lieu of receiving pay for overtime, which is worked, an employee may elect to receive compensatory time off earned at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) hours compensatory time off for one (1) hour of overtime worked. Compensatory time shall be cumulative up to a maximum total of eighty (80) hours.

Employees Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act: In lieu of receiving pay for overtime, which is worked, an employee may elect to receive compensatory time off earned at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) hours compensatory time off for one (1) hour of overtime worked. Compensatory time shall not be limited in its accrual during the fiscal year, provided that any amount in excess of one hundred twenty (120) hours shall be forfeited if not used by the end of the fiscal year.

Education Reimbursement: The City shall reimburse for tuition and lab fees for approved college level course work or other departmentally approved training or education programs which are taken off-duty. Costs shall be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $400.00. Proof of attendance and successful completion of the course and proof of cost are required.

Parkinq/Transportation Subsidy: An employee shall be eligible for a monthly CATA bus pass at the City's expense or elect to receive a parking subsidy.

Deferred Compensation: Employees shall be eligible to participate in the City's deferred compensation plans as may be offered by the City. Currently those plans include VOYA and T. Rowe Price. The employee may contribute up to a maximum allowable annually through payroll deduction. For a bi-weekly employee the minimum contribution is $25.00 per pay period. Summaries are available in the Department of Human Resources.

Employees hired after October 29, 1990, Defined Benefit Retirement System: Employees will belong to the City of Lansing General Employees Retirement System (ERS). Vesting, retirement factor multipliers and effective dates for calculation are all governed by Ordinance Chapter 292. Commencing December 8, 2008, the retirement multiplier for full time members that retire after that date will be one and eight tenths' percent (1.80%). Employee contributions for retirement will be six and five-tenths percent (6.50%) and deducted on a pretax basis.

As provided by ordinance; for service after September 30, 2003, the annual retirement amount is calculated at 1.8 times the final average compensation for the first 35 years of credited service and for service. The maximum pension allowance will be equal to 100% of an employee's final average compensation. Eligibility, for regular retirement, will be age 50 with 25 or more years of service or age 58 with 8 or more years of service.

Employees hired after September 1, 2012, Retirement: