City Attorney

The City of Portsmouth is seeking an experienced legal professional to take an active role in shaping Portsmouth’s future as the next City Attorney.

About the City of Portsmouth

Portsmouth is situated along the Elizabeth River in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. With a population of ~97,000 residents, Portsmouth is the ninth most populous city in the Commonwealth. The city is filled with art & culture, outdoor recreation, and live entertainment. Beyond the city limits, the rich history of Colonial Williamsburg, the excitement of Busch Gardens, and the majesty of Virginia Beach are all less than an hour away.

The City of Portsmouth government is a full-service organization and operates under the Council- Manager form of government. The City’s 2026 General Fund budget is $338 million, an increase of 3.8% from the previous fiscal year, and supports approximately 1,100 full-time employees. For more on the City’s strategic priorities, check out the Portsmouth Comprehensive Plan.

About the Portsmouth City Attorney

The City Attorney is the chief legal counsel and advisor to the City Government, appointed by the City Council. The Office of the City Attorney provides legal service to City Council, Boards and Commissions, the City Manager, and City Departments. The Office is responsible for drafting, reviewing, and advising on a vast number of municipal law matters including, but not limited to, collective bargaining agreements, city ordinances, contracts, deeds, leases, state and federal legislative needs, and other legal documents.

The Office also represents the City in federal and state courts, and in civil, criminal, and administrative matters, to defend the City in actions taken against it and to initiate cases to enforce the City’s laws and actions. The Office is further responsible for the legal review of the proper and efficient handling of requests for public records in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act by City Departments and CIO, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other state and federally protected rights and authorities.

The starting salary range for this position is $185,000 – $210,000 annually. The final offer will be commensurate with the selected candidate’s experience.

Duties of the City Attorney

In alignment with the requirements of the position, it is the City Attorney’s duty to:

• Serve as the chief legal counsel and advisor to the City of Portsmouth by way of representation to its Council, the City Manager, all departments, boards, commissions, and agencies of the City in all matters affecting the City’s interests, as well as manage and control all law business of the City.
• Report directly to the City Council and provide legal advice and guidance to the body.
• Contribute as a member of the City’s senior management team to guide City policies and operations from a legal perspective.
• Attend all meetings of the City Council and advise City Council on parliamentary procedure.
• Represent the City in regional legal and municipal organizations.
• Manage an office of 10 attorneys and 5 administrative staff to administer legal support on all legal matters of the City organization including:
  • Initiating civil litigation and criminal prosecution to uphold the City’s codes, contracts, and priorities.
  • Defending litigation brought against the City, including land use appeals, liability claims, and employment disputes.
  • Preparing resolutions and ordinances for consideration and action by the Council.
  • Negotiating and implementing collective bargaining agreements with up to three bargaining units.
  • Drafting or approving all bonds, deeds, leases, franchises, contracts, or other legal instruments to which the City is a party or in which it has interest.
  • Providing legal counsel to all departments on daily operations and tasks including land use processes, public works and infrastructure projects, city services to the community, and internal services operating the government.
  • Assisting in the compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fraud and Abuse claims, and Freedom of Information Act requests.

Position Qualifications

The next City Attorney should have a strong respect for the Council-Manager form of government and possess the political savvy to work effectively with City Council, the City’s constitutional officers, and other local and regional leaders. This individual should be committed to enhancing the city’s public image, and able to build on the existing collaborative practices within city government to establish a culture of accountability, innovation, and consistent customer service.

The next City Attorney should have a strong and successful track record of handling complex litigation matters in both state and federal courts of Virginia and be readily familiar with the ethical obligations applicable to the effective representation of various municipal clients and prosecution of City offenses.

Qualified candidates will possess a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school and experience as a practicing attorney in local government (with preference for experience in Virginia) of at least 10 years with 3-5 years of management and supervisory experience in the legal field to include budgetary and human resource management. The qualified candidate will also possess the following credentials, experience, knowledge, and qualities:

• Valid and continuous Virginia Bar license with no disciplinary loss or reprimand
• Comprehensive knowledge of municipal corporation law, litigation, and municipal financial
• Comprehensive knowledge of local, state, and federal laws and court decisions affecting municipalities
• Comprehensive knowledge of parliamentary rules of procedure, State Bar Rules of Professional
• Responsibility, COIA, and FOIA
• Experience in land use and labor and employment law
• Sound professional judgment and a high ethical standard
• The ability to speak and write effectively
• Valid Virginia Driver’s license

Special Requirements

Residency in the City of Portsmouth is required within a reasonable time period as outlined by City Code. The selected candidate will also hold no claims against the city or relationships with its affiliates that would serve as a conflict of interest under COIA.

To Apply

The City of Portsmouth is partnering with PoliHire to recruit the next City Attorney. To be considered for this position, attach 2 PDFs – a letter of interest and your resume – in an email to Portsmouth_Attorney@polihire.com. Please include only your name (Last, First) in the subject line of the email.

Once your application is successfully transmitted, you will receive an auto-generated acknowledgment email. Please be aware that this confirmation email may be in your junk/spam folder. Please contact info@polihire.com if you do not receive an acknowledgement or have any questions.