Legal Office Manager

Salary: GS.13  $69,240.00   - $83,649.000

Work Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments, or projects.*

Work Location: City Hall Annex

FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.

Department:  City Attorney
 

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:  
This classification is responsible for assessing and addressing departmental operational needs in the City Attorney office to efficiently resolve ongoing departmental questions. A primary responsibility shall be to establish effective development, implementation, review and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures for transactional and departmental assignments within the City. Maintain and develop tracking and reporting of departmental data and performance metrics to be provided for budgetary justification. This classification shall work with the City Attorney and Deputy to assist implementation of human resources and overall talent management within the City Attorney’s office on developing, recommending and implementing department policies and procedures.

SERIES LEVEL:  
The Legal Office Manager is a stand-alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Reporting to the City Attorney and Deputy on day-to-day activities and operations which include
planning, coordinating, administering and evaluating departmental programs, projects,
processes, procedures, goals, objectives, systems and/or standards; so that trained and
licensed legal staff can insure compliance with Federal, State and Local laws, regulations,
codes, standards, policies and procedures.

Assisting the City Attorney and Deputy with the department’s human resources activities,
including staffing, hiring process, employee actions, employee evaluations, discipline, salary
administration and employee relations as directed by the City Attorney. Works as the
department’s liaison with Human Resources to obtain any required approvals based on the City
Code or Employee Information Guide (EIG).

Provides information to the City Attorney to assist in supervision of attorneys and support staff
which may include prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations;
ensuring staff and attorneys maintain necessary CLE and legal training on state and federal law
changes that are required annually; ensuring that employees follow EIG policies and
procedures; maintain a healthy and safe working environment and making hiring, termination
and disciplinary recommendations to the City Attorney pursuant to the City Code.

Responsible for tracking and reporting data and utilization metrics; managing performance
measures of the City Attorney’s office with protections for confidentiality based on a
demonstrated ability to present complex information related to data and performance on
pending legal transactions and litigation matters; and an established ability to understand both qualitative and quantitative aspects of data and performance management in a law office or
legal department setting subject to the Tennessee Open Records Act.

Prepare and manage the Fiscal Year budget of the City Attorney’s office, subject to the review
and approval of the City Attorney, to include all necessary personnel position expense
increases, benefits costs, license and educational costs, operational expenses, capital
budgeting, grant programs and both monthly and annual projections for each Fiscal Year budget
process required by the City.

Assess the functions of the City Attorney’s office to determine the most efficient structure and
apply appropriate training, development ensuring staff and attorneys receive necessary CLE
and legal training on state and federal law changes within budgetary limits that are required
annually to achieve departmental planning objectives.

Develop and implement any necessary changes in management plans approved by the City
Attorney based on an awareness of organizational strategy and the employee groups or
departments being impacted by change.

Implement communication programs with attorneys and staff of the City Attorney’s office that
reinforce a commitment to building a culture of accountability, learning, engagement and
performance to the other city departments and the City Council.

Establish effective relationships with all staff in the City Attorney’s office, from its hourly
employees to the exempt legal staff. Must meet daily office attendance requirements of other
legal staff. Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with legal staff, attorneys,
other department members and citizens. Must accomplish the essential functions of the Legal
Office Manager position, with or without reasonable accommodation, in a timely manner and
perform all other duties as assigned by the City Attorney and/or Deputy.

Assist in the collection and maintenance of public records by all city departments pursuant to
legal requirements of the Tennessee Public Records Act and adopted retention schedules
approved by state and federal law.

Assist the Public Records Manager in the City Attorney’s office to continue required legal repositories within legal standards, policies, standards, templates, and other resources used both internally and by other City Departments which comply with state and federal law.

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, organizational development,
or related field, Master’s degree preferred with at least seven (7)+ years of experience in
business management, finance, law, administration, training and development, and support of
operations with ten or more employees and at least five (5) years focused on leading and
implementing organizational development and managing SOP’s; or any combination of equivalent experience and education. Municipal experience in any location complying with state
and federal and legal requirements are preferred.

Legal Experience and some working familiarity with MS Office, Google, Oracle, Clio, GOVQA,
and Origami Software is preferred but not required. Applicants should be tech savvy and willing
to review new software applications that may meet the requirements of state and federal
retention requirements for municipal entities. Understanding of the need for attorneys to access
legal documents from anywhere and accelerate document review and prepare legal documents
quickly for filing with court on required timeframes. Understanding of the need to maintain legal
dockets and calendaring events and document deadlines in a law office setting is preferred.

All employees must maintain residency from the date of hire.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS: 
Valid Driver’s License
Certified Paralegal or Advanced Certified Paralegal with NALA Certification in any state is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of supervisory principles; project management principles; applicable federal, state
and local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, policies, procedures and standards;
advanced internal control practices; research methods and techniques; policy and procedure
development and implementation practices after approval by the City Attorney is desired.

Skill in monitoring and evaluating the work of staff; prioritizing work of support staff; performing mathematical calculations; preparing and analyzing complex reports; reading, comprehending and reviewing legal information provided by licensed attorneys; managing projects; managing and adapting to a rapidly changing environment; interpreting and applying applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures approved by licensed attorneys; analyzing problems, identifying alternative solutions, projecting consequences of proposed actions and making recommendations in support of organizational goals of the City Attorney’s office; effective assistance to attorneys in managing competing priorities and client needs; ability to build and cultivate relationships with internal and external customers within the City; excellent communication skills; ability to influence in a collaborative environment; ability to work independently and in a team based on legal expertise provided by licensed attorneys; experience leading and managing employees with diverse backgrounds; experience working with senior leaders and external partners to influence and facilitate change when approved by the City Attorney.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check 

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.