Deputy City Attorney

Salary: $154,918.40 - $200,000.00 Annually
Location : 4800 West Copans Road, Coconut Creek, FL
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2026-56
Department: City Attorney
Division: City Attorney
Opening Date: 10/12/2026
Closing Date: 11/13/2026 5:00 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt

Description
GENERAL PURPOSE:

Performs work as a recognized subject matter expert in the City Attorney's office. Provides legal advice and counsel to the City Commission, City Manager, City Staff, and City Advisory Boards. The employee attends meetings of the City Commission and advisory boards, as necessary, represents the City before various local and state departments and other governmental subdivisions, reviews and/or prepares routine legal documents and legal opinions, as well as assists the City Attorney in more difficult and complex questions and problems. Supervision is exercised over legal and clerical staff, which includes training and evaluating work performance. General direction is received from the City Attorney however; significant latitude is provided requiring the use of initiative and independent judgment. Position requires a high level of critical thinking and ingenuity in bringing successful resolution to unusually complex and strategic situations and issues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the classification. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

• Advises the City Commission, City Manager, City staff, and City boards as may be required, relative to legal matters affecting the City
• Attends City Commission meetings and workshops, Planning and Zoning Board meetings and other Advisory Board meetings as needed
• Conducts investigations and interviews based upon alleged or potential legal problems of a routine nature, and prepares reports or opinions based upon findings made
• Reviews contracts
• Prepares legal opinions, drafts ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents
• Represents various departments in legal matters as directed by the City Attorney
• Responds to and resolves sensitive and complex inquiries and complaints including: responding to requests of the City Attorney, City Manager, and elected officials for information and interpretation
• May present issues to the City Commission as needed or directed by the City Attorney
• Assists City Attorney in the preparation of legal opinions regarding more complex legal questions
• Assists in the preparation and defense of all civil cases involving the City including preparation of initial pleadings, discovery documents, motions and other litigation documents as needed; reviews claims and complaints by or against the City; works with other legal specialists hired by the City for special and/or complex cases
• Assists the City Attorney in conducting legal research concerning complex problems or projects and prepares reports, memoranda and draft opinions containing proposed or recommended courses of action or solutions; handles appeals as needed
• Assists the City Attorney in providing guidance to and reviewing the work of other attorneys retained by the City; enforces and makes recommendations regarding city policies and procedures
• Meets with City officials, City employees, and the public as needed
• Performs other related duties and functions as may be assigned by the City Attorney

Qualifications
Juris doctor degree from an accredited school of law; supplemented by ten (10) or more years' experience practicing in the area of City, County, and Local Government law or related field. Related field includes: land use/zoning, labor and employment, real estate, litigation/ trial experience, eminent domain, procurement/public finance, grants, contract drafting and administration, public records/ Sunshine law, civil litigation relating to Section 1983 liability, workers' compensation, personal injury law, construction law, police, fire, or other local government related experience. Board certification in City, County, and Local Government law is preferred, but not required. Must be an attorney at law in good standing in Florida and possess a license to practice law in the state of Florida.

*The City reserves the right to consider alternate combinations of education, certification, training, and/or experience.

Supplemental Information
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles, methods, materials, and practices of legal research (Westlaw and Lexus/Nexus)
• Knowledge of the laws of Florida and considerable knowledge of local, state and Federal statutory law
• Skill in conducting research on complex legal issues and preparing sound legal opinions - and considerable knowledge of the sources and availability of current legal decisions, opinions, rulings and statutes
• Considerable knowledge of legal instruments in applicable fields of law
• Skill in Microsoft Office products (Word, Outlook, and Excel)
• Skill in providing good customer service
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to interpret and apply legal principles and precedents in resolving complex legal problems
• Ability to multi-task while working with tight deadlines and shifting priorities
• Ability to prepare cases for civil litigation
• Ability to analyze and define problems, identify alternative solutions, estimate consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals
• Ability to organize work for timely completion
• Ability to conduct thorough legal research and prepare various legal documents and summaries
• Ability to express ideas clearly and to communicate effectively, orally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, City officials, representatives of private businesses, service and civic organizations, and the public
• Ability to assign and supervise work of subordinates in a manner conducive to full performance and high morale
• Ability to regularly attend work and arrive punctually for designated work schedule
• Understand the opportunities and risks of using artificial intelligence in the legal field

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Depending on functional area of assignment, tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (up to 20 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.
ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Tasks are regularly performed inside and/or outside with potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, fumes and/or poor ventilation, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature, and noise extremes, machinery and/or moving vehicles, vibrations, electric currents, animals/wildlife, toxic/poisonous agents, gases or chemicals, oils and other cutting fluids, violence and/or disease, or pathogenic substances.

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

Some tasks require manual dexterity, in addition to visual and hearing acuity.
CITY OF COCONUT CREEK BENEFIT SUMMARY

FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS

HOLIDAYS - 11 paid full-day holidays and 2 paid half-day (Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) holidays per year.
PERSONAL LEAVE - 20 hours/year (prorated the first year of employment based on hire date); does not roll over.
JOB BASIS LEAVE - 80 hours/year (prorated the first year of employment based on hire date); does not roll over.
VACATION LEAVE - Employees earn vacation leave from the date of hire based on the following schedule:

• < 1 year of service.0385 hours per each regular paid hour (80 hrs./yr.)
• 1+ years of service.0577 hours per each regular paid hour(120 hrs./yr.)
• 3+ years of service .0770 hours per each regular paid hour(160 hrs./yr.)
• 5+ years of service.0962 hours per each regular paid hour(200 hrs./yr.)
• 10+ years of service.1154 hours per each regular paid hour(240 hrs./yr.)

Maximum accumulation is 280 hours as of the last day of the pay period including November 1 each year, with up to 80 hours of any accumulation in excess of 280 hours paid out annually at a 100% conversion rate.
SICK LEAVE - Employees earn 0.0462 hours of sick leave for each hour of regular paid service. Accumulations in excess of 520 hours are paid out annually at a 50%, 75%, or 100% conversion rate depending on years of service.
GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM
For each employee, the City pays the premiums for $20,000 Basic Life and AD&D insurance, Long- and Short-Term Disability, an Employee Assistance Program (for behavioral and mental health) and contributes towards the employee and family medical insurance premiums, including 100% of the premiums for employee-only coverage on the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Most employees who enroll in the City's HDHP are eligible to participate in a Health Savings Account (HSA), which may include a City contribution. Eligibility for coverage is the first of the month following thirty (30) days of full time employment.
Proof of medical coverage is required for full-time City employees. However, employees may opt-out of the City's group medical insurance and receive an opt-out payment. The City's insurance program includes a Section 125 Program, which allows eligible employees to pay for most insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars and/or set aside pre-tax dollars for unreimbursed medical, dependent or elder care. All payments are made bi-weekly by payroll deduction. Changes to selections may only be made during qualifying periods.

MEDICAL PREMIUM OFFSET (LEAVE CONVERSION)

Employees may be eligible to convert accrued sick and/or vacation leave to offset medical insurance premiums under the City's group health insurance plan or to fund a Health Savings Account (HSA), if applicable.

PENSION/RETIREMENT PLAN
The City participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS), which offers a choice of Pension Plan (defined benefit) or an Investment Plan (defined contribution). The City contributes the amount determined by the State, and employees contribute a bi-weekly mandatory 3% through payroll deduction on a pre-tax basis. The Pension Plan benefit is determined by multiplying 1.6%* times the years of FRS service times the average final compensation based on the employee's highest paid five (5) or eight (8) years* of salary. The Investment Plan benefit is based on the performance of selected funds over time. Employees in the Pension Plan are vested after six (6) or eight (8) years of service*; vesting is after one (1) year of service for the Investment Plan. Normal Retirement for the Pension Plan is age 65 with six (6) or eight (8) years of service or 33 years of service at any age*, whichever occurs first. Early Retirement is any member who is vested after six (6) or eight (8) years*, who has not yet met normal retirement age or date. (There is a penalty of 5% for each year the retirement date precedes the normal retirement age.) There is no age requirement that must be met to receive a benefit under the Investment Plan, provided the one (1) year vesting requirement has been met.
*Please Note: If you have recently retired from FRS, please check the FRS website at to review the provision pertaining to re-employment restrictions.

*Age and years of service for vesting, highest average compensation, normal retirement, and early retirement requirements are lower for those enrolled in FRS prior to July 1, 2011. Please refer to the FRS Pension Plan Member Handbook for additional information.
Employees may also make voluntary contributions to a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan or Roth IRA Plan with MissionSquare Retirement, up to the annual limit as defined by the IRS.
RETIREMENT HEALTH SAVINGS PLAN
The Retirement Health Savings (RHS) Program is an employer-sponsored program designed to assist public sector employees pay for health care expenses during retirement. The City contributes 1% of the employee's taxable income into an RHS account. Additionally, the City makes a one-time lump sum contribution for employees who meet age and years of service requirements upon retirement. No contributions are made by the employee. Earnings are tax-deferred, and upon separation from City service, tax-free withdrawals may be made when used for reimbursement of qualified health care expenses.
LONGEVITY PAY - Employees are eligible for an annual lump sum longevity payment as follows:

• Upon completion of five (5) through nine (9) years of service:$500
• Upon completion of ten (10) through fourteen (14) years of service:$1,000
• Upon completion of fifteen (15) through nineteen (19) years of service:$1,500
• Upon completion of twenty (20) years of service:$2,000

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM
Employees who have completed their one (1) year probationary period are eligible to participate in the Tuition Reimbursement Program. With approval of the course(s) and subject to availability of funds, employees may be eligible for reimbursement of 100% for a grade of A, 75% for a grade of B, and 50% for a grade of C. The maximum tuition reimbursement available to any employee shall be the equivalent of (18) credit hours per fiscal year at either the State of Florida community college level or the State of Florida university level.