Municipal Law Fellow; Limited Term

City of Palo Alto invites applications for the position of:

The Palo Alto Office of the City Attorney invites recent graduates and current judicial clerks to apply for a Municipal Law Fellowship. The Fellowship is a full-time, paid position beginning in Fall 2026 for a limited term of two years. The ideal candidate will have strong writing and speaking skills, a commitment to public service, and a willingness to engage in practical problem solving in a fast-paced environment.

As part of a team of ten attorneys and three professional staff, the Municipal Law Fellow will have an opportunity to gain experience in all aspects of municipal practice, including litigation and advice in constitutional law, land use regulation, utilities regulation, public contracting, labor and employment law, government tort liability, public ethics, and airport law. While assignments and responsibilities may be tailored to the Municipal Law Fellow's specific interests, the Office of the City Attorney is committed to providing the Municipal Law Fellow with the breadth of training, experience, and professional development opportunities necessary to launch a successful career in public service.

• Competitive compensation plan and comprehensive benefits
• A collaborative, values-driven workplace
• Professional development opportunities and other perks
• The chance to make a real impact in public service

• Updating local zoning code and drafting an emergency resolution to support development of affordable housing and other forms of shelter.
• Researching and drafting a firearm safety ordinance, drawing on feedback from local legislators and advocates.
• Supporting local publicly owned utility in initiating programs responsive to effects of climate change, including by responding to drought levels and supporting customers’ energy efficiency.
• Advising public officials on identifying and managing conflicts of interest.
• Ensuring City department practices comply with state and federal law, covering topics such as police and fire services, open meetings, and public records.
• Revising internal City policies for constitutional compliance, such as City social media policies.
• Reviewing state and local law and contracts to respond to questions of liability.
• Responding to state and federal inquiries to promote physical and cyber security.
• Working with various City departments to negotiate with and/or respond to the needs of private entity stakeholders, including universities, property developers, and local interest groups.
• Advice to the City's zoning code enforcement team and representation in administrative hearings.
• Researching legal issues and options for a Safe Parking program to support individuals living in vehicles.
• Drafting an ordinance incentivizing all-electric power for new construction.
• Assisting with City records management, including the production of records pursuant to subpoenas or discovery requests.

• Juris Doctorate. Applicants must be law students in their final year at an accredited law school or joint degree program, current judicial clerks recently graduated from an accredited law school, or attorneys in their first year of practice.

Member in good standing with the California Bar or willingness to seek admission to the California Bar upon eligibility. Failure to gain admission to the California Bar within one year of appointment may result in separation.

• Job posting will be open until filled with the first review of applications on or about January 26, 2026. Applicants are asked to provide a resume, cover letter, transcript, references, and writing sample. Please direct any questions to city.attorney.
• Applicants will receive email recruitment status notifications.  account also has notification status updates.
• Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination…