Attorney; Civil​/Criminal

Deputy City Attorney - Trial/Litigation Team - City Attorney's Office (8177)

Apply using Smart Recruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

Appointment Type:
Permanent Exempt (PEX) position; individuals who are appointed to Exempt Positions are appointed at the pleasure of their appointing officer and are considered to be "at-will."

• Compensation Range
  : $150,124- $263,042, with pay increases scheduled for 6/30/25 (1%) and 7/1/25 (1%)
• Recruitment :
  
  RTF

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is looking for a qualified and motivated litigator to join its Trial Team.

About the Office The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With just over 300 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors.

The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, ideas, and lived experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities.

We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected for their full authentic selves, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City. To learn more about the Office’s efforts to provide a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where employees feel they belong and can meaningfully contribute, please visit: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Currently, the Office offers remote work to eligible employees, with three days onsite and up to two days remote work.

About the Trial Team The Trial Team is a collaborative, nimble, and dynamic group of over 40 attorneys and support staff and the largest team at the City Attorney’s Office. The Team primarily defends lawsuits filed against the City and County of San Francisco and its employees in state and federal court, handling all phases of litigation, from case intake and assessment, litigation strategy, discovery and document review, motion practice, settlement evaluation and negotiation, trial, and appeal.

The Team’s docket is broad, and ranges from personal injury accidents to taxation, land use to constitutional torts. The Trial Team represents employees from all City departments and touches every aspect of the City’s operations, from transit to sewer, law enforcement to public health. Trial Team members also work on cross-team assignments on an as-needed basis, including helping City departments assess litigation risks, respond to third-party discovery, and respond to crisis situations.

Deputy City Attorney Position and Responsibilities Attorneys on the Trial Team are assigned defensive matters, primarily involving accidents or injuries involving City operations, but also including constitutional claims and contractual disputes. Attorneys are assigned their own caseloads and have primary responsibility for all aspects of their cases, from responding to lawsuits, filing and arguing motions, trying cases before a jury, all the way to appeal.

Attorneys should expect to make regular appearances in court and depositions as the first chair on all of their cases. The Trial Team regularly schedules weekly meetings for attorneys to roundtable and discuss their cases before the entire team. Attorneys are also supported by direct supervisors, the Assistant Chief, and the Chief Trial…