Deputy City Attorney I - Criminal Division

Key Focus of the Role:

(Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following)

Responsibilities:  Responsible for the prosecution of all cases assigned in the North Las Vegas Municipal Court.

Tasks:

• Represent the City in the prosecution of all criminal violations covered by the North Las Vegas Municipal Code and Nevada Revised Statutes.
• Responsible for all aspects of prosecution including: investigation, arraignments, pre-trial hearings and motions, bench and/or jury trials, sentencing, review hearings and appeals.
• Prepare charges as referred by the Police Department. Follow cases through sentencing procedures and manage criminal appeals.
• Provides legal research, training and assistance to the Police Department in all criminal matters, including statutory interpretation, enforcement issues, and case decisions.
• Prepares cases for prosecution including contacting the Police Department, witnesses, victims and defense attorneys. Develops, recommends and drafts policies and ordinances pertaining to the municipal criminal code.
• The City Prosecutor has extensive contact with the public, including criminal defendants, witnesses and individuals with questions about criminal prosecution.
• Contacts are for the purpose of information sharing, complaint resolution, and/or case investigation/resolution.
• Contacts are frequently hostile or highly emotional in nature and the City Prosecutor is required to exercise skill in persuasion, arbitration and/or conflict resolution.
• The Prosecutor also has daily contact with members of the Legal and Police Departments for the purpose of work coordination.
• In the very busy field of municipal prosecution, inter-office contacts and coordination of effort are essential to successful enforcement and case management.
• Contact with the local legal community is required to remain current on issues relating to municipal law.
• May assist in the supervision of support staff.
• The City Prosecutor is accountable for the quality of legal services provided to the Police Department and the overall effectiveness of the City's prosecution of cases.

Knowledge, Abilities, Skills and Other Characteristics:

• Criminal and traffic law and procedure, especially at the misdemeanor and infraction level.
• Pretrial, trial and sentencing procedures.
• General litigation procedures, including rules of evidence.
• Alternative sentencing methods.
• Appropriate criminal investigation methods and procedures.
• Legal research methodology and procedures.
• Requirements of criminal record maintenance and retention.
• Resolving conflicts and gaining cooperation among conflicting groups and/or individuals.
• Providing effective factual, rational and persuasive presentations in Court.
• Reviewing, identifying, sorting and incorporating essential facts, issues and information involved in criminal prosecution cases.
• Composing clear, concise legal documents.
• Effectively prepare and manage criminal cases for prosecution.
• Prosecute cases and argue motions in Municipal and District courts.
• Apply creative and logical reasoning to legal problems; identify and/or accept alternative solutions; maintain an open and flexible approach to problem-solving.
• Understand complex factual and legal information, draw appropriate conclusions and formulate sound legal decisions.
• Communicate complex legal information, concepts and ideas, verbally and in written form, to a variety of audiences in a clear, comprehensive and professional manner.
• Articulate and persuade in verbal and written language.
• Work cooperatively as a member of a service-oriented team comprised of professional and support staff.
• Perform responsibilities with sensitivity, empathy, understanding and awareness of issues affecting individuals involved in the prosecution of criminal cases, including victims and families, law enforcement/ criminal justice personnel and defendants, representing widely diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, educational and ability levels, and familial/social environments.
• Use tact and appropriate discretion, maintain composure and professional demeanor in dealing with issues of a difficult and emotional nature, including confrontational in-person contacts.
• Prepare and present training information to audiences of various sophistication.
• Work independently under general supervision, and efficiently organize work schedule and tasks.

Qualifications:

• Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association required.
• Work experience in criminal law REQUIRED; experience in prosecuting or defending criminal cases preferred.
• Current license to practice law in the Nevada required at the time of hire. Maintenance of Nevada State Bar Association membership is a condition of continued employment.

Candidate Selection based 100% on Oral Interview

Job Posting will be posted from August 5, 2021 til August 26, 2021