Jarvis Fay is looking for one or two experienced public law attorneys to support either or both our litigation and transactional (land use) practices.  Candidates must have polished writing skills, and the ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in municipal law, as the position(s) offer the opportunity to work on cutting-edge legal issues in the field.  The litigation work would include handling a wide array of matters, including class action defense, mandamus, and administrative hearings, and the ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of Prop. 218/26 issues.  The transactional work would focus on land use and CEQA, and the candidate will be expected to analyze and advise on draft environmental impact reports, general plan amendments, zoning ordinances, affordable housing agreements, subdivision maps and related documents for legal sufficiency. The position also would involve advisory work, representing cities and special districts on traditional local government law matters such as the Brown Act, Public Records Act, and conflicts of interest.

Applicants must be licensed in California and have strong research and writing skills, the ability to approach legal questions creatively and critically, and the capacity to proactively manage multiple projects at the same time. Candidates should have good public speaking skills and professional judgment, because the role is a client-facing position (including attendance at public agency meetings).

Our firm is located in downtown Oakland, near BART.  We are happy to accommodate remote work (roughly half of our attorneys work remotely most or all of the time).  We maintain a relaxed and friendly atmosphere but require a high level of professionalism.  Compensation is competitive and based on experience, but more flexible than typical attorney-compensation schemes.  Attorneys have a billing target of 1,500 hours per year (negotiable – happy to consider part-time senior “of counsels”), plus a guaranteed bonus for each hour billed above the target.  We are an equal opportunity employer.

Interested individuals are invited to submit a cover letter (optional), resume, two or three current references, and at least one writing sample that demonstrates objective legal analysis (for example, a memo analyzing a particular legal issue) or persuasive legal advocacy (such as a brief). Applicants who have both objective and persuasive writing samples are encouraged to submit one of each. Please send materials via email to jdent@jarvisfay.com.