Legal Liaison for Enforcement and Claims Advisor (Strategic Advisor 2)

City of Seattle

  • Seattle, WA
  • $66.61 per hour
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 19 days ago
Position DescriptionThe Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is seeking a Strategic Advisor for its Code Compliance division to work as the legal liaison in enforcement cases and as the law/rule-making/claims advisor for the department This position is a key advisor to the Division Director and managers in the Code Compliance Division on legal and policy issues for enforcement cases as they move through inspections and compliance or on to court-based enforcement and settlement. The position also carries responsibility across the entire department for responding to claims, managing the director's rule process, and serving on inter- and intra-departmental teams for code compliance issues. Another key role is to collaborate with other departments such as the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Office of Housing (OH), and Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) on complex enforcement scenarios or projects. This role is critical to effective implementation and enforcement of all SDCI codes and authorities.Job Responsibilities
  • Lead and model the values of an Anti-Racist organization with knowledge and commitment to a culture of belonging and inclusion.
  • Acts as liaison between SDCI and the Law Department, Municipal Court, and Hearing Examiner's Office on legal issues and procedures.
  • Advises and recommends actions on legal issues to management and staff as requested.
  • Reviews code violation cases to determine legal grounds for prosecution and sufficiency of evidence in the file.
  • Represents SDCI at pre-trial settlement conferences, which work includes review of case status and development of settlement proposals.
  • Represents SDCI at citation enforcement appeal hearings to Hearing Examiner. Work includes preparation of witnesses, exhibits and other evidence, submittal of motions, and service of documents.
  • Represents SDCI at Municipal Court enforcement trials. This work includes preparation of witnesses and exhibits, service as expert SDCI witness and the provision of advice to the City Attorney representing the case regarding SDCI's settlement position.
  • Negotiates penalties and compliance agreements with code violators on tree protection cases, the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance program, and the full range of other enforcement cases including those under the Housing Code, Construction Codes, the Critical Areas Ordinance, the Land Use and Shoreline Codes, Vacant Buildings, Junk Storage, Vegetation, Tenant Protections, and Tenant Relocation requirements.
  • Analyzes and responds to claims against SDCI for the City's risk management section
  • Directs and coordinates SDCI's Director's Rules process.
  • Triages constituent issues, elevates to the Division Director (if needed), and develops timely responses.
  • Drafts and edits responses to interrogatories and prepares documents for production to the City Attorney's Office on behalf of the department.
  • When public records requests involve enforcement cases, this position may assist the department's public records officer in preparing responses.
  • Advises staff on legal issues involving interpretation of City codes and also advises and trains staff about general legal issues such as private property rights, due process, first amendment rights and compliance with applicable state laws that might come into play during complaint investigation and enforcement actions
  • Responds to inquiries from City Council offices or Mayor's Office staff about controversial enforcement actions.
  • Assesses proposed state legislation during the annual legislative session for impacts on SDCI enforcement authority
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications
A Law degree and 3 years of legal experience in code enforcement or City regulatory processes. Combinations of, education, training, experience and skill necessary to meet the business needs of the employing unit will be considered.Successful candidates will possess the following experience, knowledge, skills, abilities
  • Experience working with racially and ethnically diverse communities and colleagues with an anti-racism lens
  • Court experience, especially with persons representing themselves pro se
  • Experience working with highly stressed and uncooperative customers
  • A demonstrated commitment to problem-solving
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Experience with Accela or similar permit processing, database, or CRM software
Additional InformationPlease include a cover letter of no more than 500 words with your application explaining how you meet the qualifications for this position.The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is a proud participant in the Race and Social Justice Initiative, a citywide effort to realize the vision of racial equity. We require a strong commitment to customer service and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences; people of color, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.The full salary range for this position is $66.61 - $66.61 per hour.The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and covered family-members/most employees-plansThe City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at:

City of Seattle