Assistant City Attorney I - Code Prosecutor

Pay Range: $93,574.11 annual compensation

Job Posting Closing On: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Benefits for this position include: 11 Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, Professional Development Opportunities. Find Out More!

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of nearly 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability. 🌆

An Assistant City Attorney I – Code Prosecutor position is available with the Fort Worth City Attorney’s Office. The Fort Worth City Attorney’s Office is a collegial team of legal professionals providing excellent legal service to the City of Fort Worth. As an in-house legal department, we practice in a wide range of civil and criminal law on behalf of and for the City, including general counsel, litigation, and prosecutorial areas.  This position will partner with Code Compliance and the Police Department to effectively prosecute Code violations and file civil lawsuits against dangerous or non-compliant nuisance properties.

Specifically, in addition to prosecuting violations of the City Code, the City Attorney’s Office seeks to continue its efforts to bring forth nuisance abatement lawsuits targeting properties that are defined as “common nuisances” under Ch. 125 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.  The law allows the City to file suit against properties where persons habitually go in order to commit certain enumerated crimes, and the owners do not take reasonable steps to abate the criminal activity.  Crimes include, but are not limited to, murder, gambling, prostitution, robbery, reckless discharge of weapons, and drug violations.

Additionally, the City Attorney’s Office seeks to increase the use of statutorily available options to abate violations involving land use and code enforcement, generally.  Chapters 54 and 211 of the Texas Local Government Code allow the City to file lawsuits seeking civil penalties and injunctive relief for certain violations of the City Code.  These lawsuits are an effective tool against property owners who, despite being issued citations, continue violating the City Code.  Because injunctive relief is often an option, the City can potentially seek an order allowing it to enter onto the property to abate the nuisance.

Local government is the form of government that is closest to the people and working for a well-managed city like Fort Worth gives meaning and purpose as you see the direct and positive impact your legal work has on improving the community.  The City Attorney’s Office highly values diversity and work life balance, and we view our office as a work family, consistently striving to be a respectful and supportive workplace with a great culture.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.

• Two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in city or related governmental law, including relevant litigation experience.
• Possession of a license from the Supreme Court of Texas to practice.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Municipal law experience.
• Previous prosecution experience.
• Previous civil litigation experience.

The Assistant City Attorney I – Code Prosecutor job responsibilities include:

• Prosecuting State and local criminal offenses in the city’s municipal courts, conducting case screening and evaluation, case preparation, pre-trial hearings, case-in-chief presentations, appeals and other post-judgment requirements.
• Preparing and reviewing City Code ordinances carrying class “C” misdemeanor prosecution consequences, advising City departments.
• Pursuing civil remedies for enforcement of city ordinances and abatement of public nuisances; preparing case for trial; and conducting bench/jury trials.
• Appearing in court and administrative hearings to represent the city’s interests, as required, and representing City departments in litigation and administrative hearings in courts other than the City’s municipal courts.
• Preparing a variety of legal documents in support of class “C” prosecution and nuisance abatement litigation.
• Conducting research, analysis, and writing to draft legal opinions for assigned legal issues or case areas; utilizing a variety of resources for research, including computerized legal data bases and reference materials; and determining whether information is pertinent and relevant to specific issue or case.
• Engaging in litigation, including court appearances, hearings and trials; handling administrative law hearings or notices; conducting written discovery; attending and taking depositions; presenting oral arguments; negotiating settlements; and monitoring general compliance with local, state and federal law.

Apply Now! Come be part of something special in Fort Worth. 🌟

Working Conditions

Applicants for this position must pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility.  Due to CJIS requirements related to system access, the following will result in being disqualified for this position:  Felony Convictions, Felony Deferred Adjudication, Class A Misdemeanor Conviction, Class B Misdemeanor Convictions in the last 10 years, Class A Misdemeanor Deferred Adjudication, Class B Misdemeanor Deferred Adjudication in the last 10 years, an Open Arrest for Any Criminal Offense (Felony or Misdemeanor), and ALL Family Violence Convictions regardless of class.