City of Miami - Office of the City Attorney

Practice Areas

The Office of the City Attorney currently employs 60 full time employees. The breakdown is as follows: one (1) City Attorney; two (2) Deputy City Attorneys; one (1) Chief Assistant City Attorney; four (4) Division Chiefs;  twenty-one (21) Assistant City Attorneys; five (5) administrative staff; (7) paralegals; three (3) senior legal assistants; eleven (11) legal assistants; and five (5) legal services staff.

One Deputy City Attorney is designated to oversee and supervise the Assistant City Attorneys assigned to the General Government and Complex Transactions Divisions as well as the administration of the office. The other Deputy City Attorney is designated to oversee and supervise the Assistant City Attorneys assigned to the Litigation and Appeals and Labor and Employment Divisions. On occasion Assistant City Attorneys will interchangeably work outside of their assigned division.

The Office of the City Attorney practices law in the following areas:



     General Litigation and Appeals

The attorneys assigned to this practice area defend the City and its various agencies, departments, officers, agents, employees and elected officials in lawsuits filed in federal and state courts. The bulk of litigation cases involve Civil Rights, Tort, Commercial and Risk Management. This practice area also pursues affirmative litigation matters which seek to recover money from breach of contract, damages to City property, injunctions to prevent nuisances and violations of City Codes, and collection of various debts and financial obligations owed to the City.

     Attorneys in this practice area:

 



     General Government

This practice area oversees regulatory compliance in the areas of Code Enforcement, Conflict of Interests, Elections, Emergency Preparedness, Ethics, Nuisance Abatement, Unsafe Structures, Police, Civil Forfeitures, Public Records, Land Use, Sustainable/Green Initiatives, and State/Federal Legislative Agenda. Attorneys assigned to this practice area collaborate as a team by providing support and assistance to the litigators handling related lawsuits.

     Attorneys in this practice area:



     Labor and Employment  

All legal matters related to the City's role as the employer of approximately 4,000 union and non-union workers is handled by this practice area. This includes all litigation in state and federal court in connection with workers' compensation, discipline, discharge collective bargaining and promotions. Attorneys in this practice area also advise management on labor relations issues, and compliance with state and federal labor laws.

     Attorneys in this practice area:



    Complex Transactions

This area includes all contracts, procurement, real estate, financial matters, grants, budgetary matters, capital improvements, community and economic development, and the like.

     Attorneys in this practice area: