The City of Vacaville - A beautiful place to live, a great place to work!

The City of Vacaville is seeking a dynamic, collaborative public attorney with a proactive, service-oriented approach to municipal practice to join the City Attorney's Office as the Senior Assistant City Attorney. Reporting to the City Attorney, this at-will executive management position serves as a trusted legal advisor, tackles complex and high-profile legal issues, and partners closely with departments to advance City priorities while mitigating legal risk. It is an excellent fit for someone who excels at problem-solving, confidently navigates complex legal concepts, and delivers clear, strategic guidance and leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Salary Information:
Senior Assistant City Attorney:$220,105.94- $267,540.14/annually
A 2% COLA is scheduled for 11/01/2026

Working for the City of Vacaville comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

Medical Insurance at affordable rates - City covers up to 85% of Kaiser premium, other plans are also available
Vision and Dental Insurance monthly premiums covered 100% by the City
Healthcare double coverage opt-out incentive of $3,000 per year for eligible employees
Paid sick leave, vacation leave, thirteen holidays and two floating holidays a year
Up to 104 hours per year of Administrative Leave
Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment up to $2,200 per fiscal year
Deferred compensation plan with up to 6% City contribution available
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) plan enrollment and Retiree Health Savings account

View the Department Heads' agreementfor more detailed information.
*Benefits Summary is being updated to reflect the new agreement and will be available shortly.*

The City Attorney's Office is looking for a highly motivated, experienced legal professional who thrives on making an impact. The ideal candidate will bring strong legal acumen, excellent communication skills, and sound professional judgment. They will excel at analyzing multifaceted issues, presenting well-reasoned options to decision-makers, and delivering practical, solutions-focused recommendations.

This individual will value teamwork and collaboration, build strong relationships across the organization, and take pride in providing thoughtful, high-quality advice to City departments. The ideal candidate will also have experience supervising professional and administrative staff, mentoring team members, and contributing to a high-performing organizational culture.

A background in public or municipal law – along with a solid understanding of the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, and conflict-of-interest laws – will allow the ideal candidate to step confidently into this critical leadership role.

With over 600 employees, the City of Vacaville is proud to serve a vibrant, growing community. We offer a supportive and engaging workplace with employee social and wellness events, casual dress days, flexible work schedules, every other Friday off and outstanding pay and benefits.

Join us and help shape the future of Vacaville!

For information about the City of Vacaville and to view the complete job description, please visit our website at www.cityofvacaville.gov.

The Competitive Candidate will demonstrate the ability to:

Provide clear, forward-thinking legal counsel on labor and employment matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, performance management, leaves/benefits, accommodations, and recruitment.
Effectively defend the City and its management in employment litigation before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts, including the ability to strategically oversee and collaborate with outside counsel.
Prepare well-reasoned, persuasive written position statements for matters before the Civil Rights Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Skillfully represent the City in arbitrations, grievance proceedings, and related writ litigation arising from labor and discipline matters.
Support Human Resources by guiding internal employment investigations and effectively managing investigations conducted by outside counsel.
Serve as a knowledgeable legal advisor to the Police Department on operational and personnel matters, including effective representation involving Pitchess motions and related court proceedings.
Assist in the oversight of public liability litigation with strong analytical and case-management skills.
Provide timely, accurate, and practical legal advice at meetings of boards, commissions, and committees.
Conduct thorough investigations of claims and complaints and provide clear, actionable recommendations.
Independently manage all phases of affirmative and defense civil litigation—discovery, depositions, motion practice, trials, and appeals—demonstrating deep knowledge of federal and state defense strategies, statutes, and procedural rules.
Professionally represent the City Attorney at meetings, functions, and public proceedings.
Respond to citizen inquiries with clarity, diplomacy, and a commitment to excellent public service.

Other highly desirable skills and abilities that we are looking for in this position include:

Expertise in municipal or government-related law and public-sector legal issues;
Ability to provide representation in complex litigation in state and federal court;
Demonstrated, independent litigation capabilities with a strong record of success;
Ability to effectively represent elected and high-profile clients in sensitive or high-profile matters;
Outstanding research, writing, and communication abilities;
Strong organizational skills, with the ability to independently manage complex assignments and balance multiple priorities;
Comfort working with novel legal issues, emerging areas of law, and evolving regulatory frameworks;
Experience supervising professional and administrative staff, including mentoring, performance management, and team development.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A combination of experience and education that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education: Juris Doctor or equivalent degree from an accredited law school.

Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience as an attorney in the practice of municipal law, or in combination with experience in a closely related field. Experience in litigation, claims handling, or risk management experience, specialization in one or more areas of Municipal Law (e.g. public agency governance and public meetings, land use, housing, public contracting and public works, public finance, public safety, labor and public employment, parks and recreation and public programs and facilities), and proficiency with legal technology and software tools essential to performing the duties of the role.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE
Membership in the State Bar Association of California is a condition of initial and continued employment.

Select positions may require the possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and a satisfactory driving record as conditions of initial and continued employment.A completed City of Vacaville Employment Application and Supplemental Questionnaire must be received by Human Resources at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA 95688 by 5:30 pm, Monday, January 12, 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to apply online at www.cityofvacaville.gov. Application packets may also be requested in person at the Human Resources Department or by calling (707) 449-5101.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application packet.

IMPORTANT: Contact with applicants will primarily occur via email. Please ensure that your application indicates a valid email address that you check regularly.

For ADA information and other Frequently Asked Questions, please click here.

Applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment must successfully complete the pre-placement process for this position before a final offer will be extended. Pre-placement assessments for this position include a Livescan (FBI/DOJ fingerprint review) and a comprehensive background check (including education/employment verification, professional reference checks, criminal and civil county public records check, DMV history check and credit history check).

City of Vacaville

New Jobs

Senior Assistant City Attorney