Deputy City Attorney - Transportation Team - City Attorney's Office (8177)

About the Transportation Team

The Transportation Team is a collaborative and dynamic group of seven attorneys, one paralegal, and two legal secretaries.  The Team serves as General Counsel to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).  The SFMTA is the department of the City and County of San Francisco responsible for managing all ground transportation in the City – it plans, designs, builds, operates, regulates, and maintains one of the most diverse transportation networks in the world.  With an annual operating budget of over $1 billion and approximately 6,000 employees, the SFMTA has oversight over the Municipal Railway (Muni), the City’s public transit system, as well as paratransit, parking, traffic, taxis, and bicycling and pedestrian facilities. 

Attorneys on the Transportation Team handle a variety of advice matters, including interpreting City, State, and Federal laws and advising on the legal risks of particular government actions, legislative drafting, and contracting and procurement. 

The Team also advises other City departments, including the Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors, on transportation-related issues.  The Team works closely with other teams in the Office, including the Labor, Government, Land Use, Contracts/Construction, Tax, and Trial Teams. The Team does not handle litigation but provides input or support regarding litigation handled by other Teams in the Office.

Deputy City Attorney Position and Responsibilities

Attorneys on the Transportation Team are assigned a variety of advice matters, legislative drafting, and contracting.  On the advice side, attorneys handle a range of transactional issues, including federal, state, and local-funded contracting for professional services, technology acquisition, transit vehicle purchases, public works, and materials procurement; US Department of Transportation and Caltrans grant requirements; general real estate matters related to the SFMTA’s facilities including transit facilities and public parking garages; and legal advice related to emerging mobility modes, including Transportation Network Carriers (TNCs), autonomous vehicles, e-bikes, and electric scooters.  We advise the SFMTA and its Board of Directors on compliance with state and local public records and meeting requirements; state and local regulatory requirements and proceedings including in front of the California Public Utilities Commission; intergovernmental cooperation agreements; fees, fares and fines; the City’s budget process; permitting and enforcing permit conditions; data privacy; and intellectual property.  Attorneys on our Team also draft and analyze local, state, and federal legislation on a broad array of transportation issues.

The ideal candidate for this position would be qualified to advise on complex contracting and procurement matters and would have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Large purchasing procurements: Experience with large procurements, specifically transit vehicle procurement.  Familiarity with the use of consultant agreements and cooperative purchase agreements is a plus.

• Federal and/or State regulatory and grant requirements: Experience with advice on Federal and California grant requirements.  Familiarity with conditions on grants from the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration (usually through Caltrans), including Buy America regulations, drug and alcohol testing, and third-party procurement requirements is a plus.

• Construction projects: Experience with large construction projects, including reviewing contract provisions, addressing proposal and bidding issues, and reviewing change orders and claims.  Familiarity with alternative project delivery methods, including design-build, Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC), and other alternative delivery methods, is a plus.

• Technology procurements: Experience drafting and reviewing requests for proposals and contracts for software as a service (SaaS), software design, and related maintenance and professional services.  Experience with technology to support public transit systems, parking / speed / traffic enforcement, and other transportation-based technology is a plus.

• Large/Complex Professional Services Contracts: Experience advising on large and complex professional services agreements to support essential government functions.  Specific examples include paratransit, engineering, security, and towing services.

• Third-Party Subpoenas: Experience advising and assisting government clients in responding to third-party subpoenas, including reviewing requests, identifying applicable privileges and objections, and coordinating responses with litigation counsel.

• Privacy and Public Records: Experience advising government agencies on privacy and public disclosure issues, including responding to requests under the California Public Records Act and San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance, evaluating applicable disclosure exemptions and privacy protections, and advising on the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.