Principal Attorney - City of Birmingham

TARGET CLOSE DATE: 10/09/2026 PAY GRADE: Grade 38 TYPE: Full time JOB SUMMARY: The City of Birmingham is seeking to hire an experienced Principal Attorney to be responsible for performing complex professional legal duties for the city, such as preparing complex and difficult cases for trial and providing legal assistance to executive-level leadership (e.g., City's council, department heads, boards). Employees in this position conduct legal research, establish goals and timelines for departmental projects, offer advice and feedback to less-experienced attorneys, negotiate various agreements (e.g., claim settlements, contracts), and participate in professional development activities (e.g., conferences, workshops). COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: The City of Birmingham provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more. The pay range for this job is listed below: $108,617 - $168,500 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position: Member of the Alabama State Bar Association in good standing. Experience in areas of litigation or transactional work handling complex legal issues (e.g., police misconduct, excessive use of force, workplace discrimination, personal injury claims, violation of constitutional rights, reviewing and drafting agreements, real-estate transactions, writing ordinances, government procurement issues). Experience assigning and delegating work to administrative support staff. Experience as the lead attorney in litigation or transactional matters. TYPICAL JOB DUTIES: Represents the City, boards, agencies and employees in court (e.g., trials and appeals), before administrative boards, agencies and mediators following legal standards and practices and City and departmental policies to protect the City’s legal position and achieve City goals. Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City and prepares for and represents the city in litigation involving the City and its staff in order to eliminate and/or minimize liability and loss. Drafts and reviews legal documents per applicable laws to protect the legal position of the City, boards and agencies and guide their decision-making processes. Ensures adherence to applicable laws, codes, ordinances, etc. on behalf of the jurisdiction (e.g., City of Birmingham) and its Boards/Agencies by providing legal advice (e.g., policy, other legal matters) and communicating with local businesses, residents, and professionals in order to minimize legal liability of the jurisdiction. Conducts legal research and participates in professional development activities to maintain a current, comprehensive knowledge of applicable laws and legal procedures and a license to practice law. Negotiates agreements (e.g., claim settlements, contracts, etc.) with individuals and/or attorneys on behalf of the jurisdiction. Manages agency projects by establishing goals and timelines, delegating responsibilities, reviewing work, working with outside agencies and vendors, and completing various project reports. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods. Job may also involve occasional light lifting of items or objects weighing up to 25 lbs. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is conducted almost exclusively indoors in office settings and courtroom settings. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc. EEO STATEMENT: The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Each Merit System member city/agency operates its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website. ACCOMMODATION: To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at or phone at 205-279-3500 (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process. NOTE: This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System. More detail regarding this job is available by clicking Apply. DISCLAIMER: This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required for this position and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.