TRANSACTIONAL CONTRACTS ATTORNEY
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TRANSACTIONAL CONTRACTS ATTORNEY
Salary
$98,162.74 - $106,668.12 Annually
Location
900 Bagby-City Hall Annex
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
37866
Department
Legal
Opening Date
12/26/2025
Closing Date
1/2/2026 11:59 PM Central
Description
Benefits
Questions
POSITION OVERVIEW
Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
Job Classification: ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY II: TRANSACTIONAL CONTRACTS ATTORNEY
Department: LEGAL
Division: CONTRACTS
Reporting Location: 900 BAGBY
Workdays & Hours: MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 AM - 5:00 PMSubject to Change
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:
The City of Houston Legal Department strives to provide the highest quality municipal legal services to the City, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees in the most efficient manner feasible through adherence to the following guiding principles:
Quality & Service - Achieving high customer satisfaction as judged by our clients.
Partnership & Teamwork - Working cooperatively internally and with our clients to achieve the City's goals.
Integrity & Candor - Placing honesty and ethical behavior first.
Dignity & Diversity - Promoting each person's value.
Innovation & Imagination - Seeking novel and creative approaches to achieving the City's objectives.
Composed of approximately 100 of Houston's finest attorneys across 10 sections, the Legal Department has the pivotal role of providing litigation support, negotiating, and drafting contracts, handling taxation matters, advising on personnel actions, dealing with the acquisition or sale of City property, overseeing City elections, drafting ordinances, advising on ethics and conflicts of interest, and dealing with neighborhood protection and quality of life issues.
Every employee is committed to the Department's motto - "Service Through Law."
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
The City of Houston seeks a solutions-focused transactional attorney to join the Legal Department's Contracts Section. The Contracts Section handles a wide variety of legal issues such as drafting and negotiating public contracts, advising on procurements, and drafting and interpreting local ordinances.
The ideal candidate will be team-oriented and have knowledge regarding Texas procurement laws and best practices in procurement, as well as experience in all aspects of governmental procurement, preferably at the municipal level, including but not limited to: experience advising clients regarding procurement laws and policies applicable to requests for qualifications, requests for proposals, bids, cooperative purchasing, information technology, and alternative delivery of construction.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Drafting and negotiating moderately complex contracts.
Counseling clients on procurement rules applicable to City, state and federally funded projects.
Drafting and training clients on relevant City policies, procedures, and City Code provisions.
Assisting the City Attorney and others with special projects, such as drafting City Attorney legal opinions.
Working with litigation teams on disputes involving transactions relating to City of Houston contracts.
WORKING CONDITIONS
This position is physically comfortable; the individual has discretion about walking, standing, etc. There are no major sources of discomfort in a normal office environment.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATIONAL:
Requires a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association accredited college of law. Requires basic computer skills and working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite.
EXPERIENCE:
Minimum of 4 years of experience practicing law and must be an active member in good standing of the Texas State Bar and eligible for admission to Federal court. License to practice law in Texas must be kept current as a condition of employment.
LICENSE:
Member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas.
PREFERENCES
Preference will be given to applicants with:
Between 4 to 8 years' experience in a transactional practice focusing on procurement or contract negotiation matters, preferably in a governmental setting in the State of Texas.
Exceptional contract negotiation and drafting skills.
Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Willingness to take the initiative to identify and solve business and legal issues
Experience working with federal, state and local agencies.
Proficiency with Office 365 suite of programs, including Word, Teams, PowerPoint, OneDrive, SharePoint, Outlook, Excel as well as Westlaw Edge and other new and emerging technologies in legal practice.
Willingness to work extended hours as needed to accommodate work demands.
Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.
GENERAL INFORMATION
SELECTION/SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED: None
All applicants will be expected to provide a writing sample and transcripts. All applicants must upload a current resume in addition to completing the application.
SAFETY IMPACT POSITION: No
If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.
SALARY INFORMATION:
Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in the appropriate classification.
Pay Grade: 27
Salary Range: Salary will be determined depending on qualifications.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Only online applications will be accepted for this City of Houston job and must be received by the Human Resources Department during posting opening and closing dates shown. Applications must be submitted online at: www.houstontx.gov.
To view your detailed application status, please log-in to your online profile by visiting: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/houston/default.cfmor call (832) 393-6214.
All new and rehires must pass a pre-employment drug test and are subject to a physical examination and verification of information.
Due to the high volume of applications received, the Hiring Department will contact you directly, should you be selected to advance in our recruitment process.
If you need special services or accommodations, call (832) 393-6214.
If you need login assistance or technical support call 855-524-5627.
EOE - Equal Employment Opportunity
The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
The city offers a competitive benefits program, including competitively priced health coverage and a defined contribution pension plan. Benefits include:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Wellness
Supplemental Insurance
Life insurance
Long-term disability
Retirement pension
457 deferred compensation plan
Employee Assistance Program
10 days of vacation each year
11 city holidays, plus one floating holiday
Compensable Sick Leave
Personal Leave
Flexible schedules
Hybrid-Telework for eligible positions
Professional development opportunities
Transportation/parking plan
Section 125 pretax deductions
Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
Paid Prenatal, Parental and Infant Wellness Leaves
Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
For plan details, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/hr/benefits.html
01
Are you a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces (United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) for more than 90 consecutive days and received either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions?
Yes
No
02
Do you possess a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association accredited college of law?
Yes
No
03
Are you a member of or eligible to become a member of the State Bar of Texas?
Yes
No
04
How many years of experience do you have practicing law?
I have less than 2 years of experience.
I have 2 years but less than 4 years of experience.
I have 4 years but less than 6 years of experience.
I have more than 6 years of experience.
05
Which best describes your years of experience in transactional law including drafting and negotiating contracts?
I have more than 1 but less than 4 years' experience in transactional law.
I have more than 4 but less than 8 years' experience in transactional law.
I have more than 8 years' experience in transactional law.
06
Please describe how your legal experience relates to this position. If none, please enter N/A. "See resume" is not acceptable and will delay your application.
07
With respect to academic performance in law school please indicate your placement within your class.
Top 25% (1st Quarter)
26 - 50% (2nd Quarter)
51 - 75% (3rd Quarter)
Bottom 25% (4th Quarter)
I don't know
08
What range best represents your annual salary requirement?
$98,000 - $100,000
$100,001 - $102,000
$102,001 - $106,000
09
Have you ever been disciplined by a State Bar Association?
Yes
N
10
Has your right to practice law ever been limited?
Yes
No
11
Have you submitted a current resume in addition to completing the application?
Yes
No
Required Question
