The City of Port Arthur is seeking a skilled and dedicated public servant with the experience to lead its fast-paced Legal Department.

 

Resting along the Texas coast where the Sabine Pass greets the Gulf of Mexico, the City of Port Arthur offers its residents and visitors an inviting, small-town feel close to the attractions and amenities of a major urban center with culture, recreation, shopping, and dining for almost any taste.

 

The City of Port Arthur is a home-rule city operating under a council-manager form of government. The Port Arthur City Council includes a Mayor elected at-large and six City Council members. Four council members are elected from single-member districts, and two are elected at-large, with all positions serving three-year terms.

 

Created by the City Charter, Port Arthur’s Law Department is a team of seven employees that contribute to the organization’s and the department’s success by ensuring adherence to proper legal procedures and processes. Led by a City Council-appointed City Attorney and working with an annual budget of $1.6 million, the department serves as legal advisor to the City Council, City officers, boards, and commissions.

 

An appointee of the Port Arthur City Council, the City Attorney provides highly complex legal guidance and representation to the community’s elected and appointed officials as well as executive leadership, working closely with staff in carrying out Council priorities and assisting in achieving the City’s vision.

 

This position is responsible for providing the City Manager and senior staff with multifaceted assistance in examining various initiatives, programming, and strategic planning. Additionally, the new hire will work integrally with the City Secretary regarding elections, City Council agenda preparation, and records retention.

 

This position requires someone with substantial experience in a municipal or similar setting, working with and providing legal guidance to a City Council or similar body and leading a professional legal staff. The successful candidate will be an attorney experienced in the research, reasoning, and application of Texas and Federal law who can build relationships effectively with colleagues throughout the organization and demonstrate excellent judgment in applying the law to various organizational matters.

 

This position requires the equivalent of a juris doctorate from an accredited law school and eight (8) years of increasingly responsible experience in municipal or other government law, including at least five (5) years of practicing law in the State of Texas. The selected candidate must maintain their status as a member of the state bar of Texas throughout their tenure. Possession of, or the ability to obtain, their license to practice before the U.S. District Court, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court is also required, as is an understanding of Industrial District (also known as Payment In Lieu of Taxes) Agreements.

 

The City of Port Arthur is offering a salary range of $152,700 to $190,000 for this position, depending on experience and qualifications.