Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department
Salary: $120,008.00 - $172,512.64 Commensurate with Experience
Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.
This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.
Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.
The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.
SUMMARY
The Senior Counsel provides comprehensive legal services to the Charlotte Area Transit System (future: MPTA). The position advises CATS leadership and staff, conducts legal research, prepares legal documents, and represents CATS and the City (future: MPTA) in internal and external legal matters.
The position works closely with the City Attorney’s Office and other City departments to address legal, operational, business, regulatory, and policy matters affecting CATS. Work requires independent legal judgment, the ability to manage complex assignments, and clear communication of legal risks and options to attorneys, executives, managers, and other stakeholders.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Legal Advice and Counsel
- Provides timely and practical legal advice to CATS leadership, City representatives, department attorneys, and staff on routine and complex matters.
- Analyzes matters from legal, operational, policy, and business perspectives and recommends appropriate courses of action.
- Advises clients regarding legal requirements, potential risks, available options, and the practical implications of proposed decisions.
- Assists senior, lead, or supervising attorneys with highly complex, sensitive, or significant legal matters.
Legal Research and Document Preparation
- Researches and analyzes constitutional, statutory, regulatory, judicial, and administrative authorities relevant to assigned matters.
- Prepares legal opinions, memoranda, correspondence, agreements, pleadings, resolutions, policies, and other legal documents.
- Reviews documents and proposed actions for legal sufficiency, accuracy, consistency, and compliance with applicable requirements.
- Communicates legal conclusions and recommendations clearly, both verbally and in writing.
Representation and Matter Management
- Represents CATS in litigation in state and federal court, administrative matters, negotiations, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, and other external legal matters, as assigned.
- Coordinates with City attorneys, manages outside counsel, consultants, subject-matter experts, and CATS staff in managing assigned matters.
- Organizes and manages a diverse legal portfolio, establishes priorities, and completes assignments within required timeframes.
- Maintains appropriate legal records, work products, correspondence, and matter documentation.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
- Monitors local, state, and federal laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and proposed legislation that may affect CATS or City operations.
- Identifies and researches legal issues arising within the operational, business, policy, and regulatory framework applicable to public transit and local government.
- Supports compliance with applicable constitutional, federal, state, and local legal requirements.
- Advises CATS leadership and staff regarding changes in legal requirements and their potential effect on policies, programs, services, and operations.
Collaboration and Client Service
- Develops effective working relationships with CATS leadership and staff, City attorneys, elected and appointed officials, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Works collaboratively with clients to understand operational needs and develop legally sound and practical solutions.
- Participates in meetings, working groups, negotiations, and other activities requiring legal support.
- Performs other legal services and related duties as assigned by a Senior II, Lead, or Supervising Attorney.
Core Competencies:
Legal Analysis and Judgment: Ability to evaluate complex legal and factual issues and provide well-supported, practical advice.
- Applies relevant legal authorities to operational, policy, and business matters.
- Exercises sound judgment in assessing risk, recommending action, and escalating sensitive or highly complex issues.
Client Counsel and Service: Ability to understand client needs and translate legal requirements into clear, actionable guidance.
- Explains legal risks, requirements, and options to attorneys, executives, managers, and staff.
- Develops legally sound solutions that account for operational needs and organizational objectives.
Legal Communication and Advocacy: Ability to communicate complex legal information clearly, accurately, and persuasively.
- Prepares concise, well-reasoned legal opinions, agreements, memoranda, pleadings, and other documents.
- Represents CATS and the City professionally in meetings, negotiations, proceedings, and other legal matters.
Collaboration and Relationship Management: Ability to establish productive working relationships across legal, operational, governmental, and external stakeholder groups.
- Collaborates effectively with CATS leadership and staff, government officials, outside counsel, and other stakeholders.
- Builds credibility through responsiveness, professional integrity, and constructive problem-solving.
Accountability and Work Management: Ability to independently manage a diverse legal portfolio in a complex and time-sensitive environment.
- Prioritizes assignments, meets deadlines, and maintains accurate and complete matter documentation.
- Learns new legal and operational subject matter quickly and takes responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
Constitutional, federal, state, and local laws affecting municipal and local government operations.
Legal principles, judicial procedures, administrative processes, local court rules, and rules of evidence.
Legal research methods, sources, citation standards, and document-preparation practices.
Ethical and professional responsibilities applicable to attorneys representing governmental clients.
Laws, regulations, and legal principles relevant to public-sector and transit operations.
Principles of client counseling, negotiation, legal risk assessment, and matter management.
Skill in:
Researching, interpreting, and applying statutes, regulations, ordinances, case law, policies, and other legal authorities.
Analyzing complex legal, policy, operational, and factual issues.
Preparing clear, accurate, and persuasive legal opinions, agreements, pleadings, memoranda, and other documents.
Presenting legal advice and recommendations to attorneys, executives, staff, officials, and external parties.
Managing priorities, deadlines, records, and multiple legal assignments.
Building collaborative working relationships with individuals representing different professional and organizational perspectives.
Ability to:
Exercise independent legal judgment while recognizing matters requiring consultation or escalation.
Provide sound, timely, and practical advice in a complex and fast-paced operating environment.
Learn new legal and operational subject matter quickly.
Handle sensitive, confidential, or privileged information appropriately.
Work independently and collaboratively with attorneys, clients, officials, and stakeholders.
Analyze issues from legal, policy, operational, and practical perspectives.
Remain objective and professional when addressing difficult, controversial, or high-risk matters.
Establish and maintain effective relationships with clients, colleagues, the public, elected and appointed officials, and other stakeholders.
Minimum Qualifications:
Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Current license to practice law in the State of North Carolina and membership in good standing with the North Carolina State Bar.
At least seven years of relevant professional experience as a practicing attorney.
Experience conducting complex legal research, preparing legal documents, and providing legal advice to organizational clients.
Experience managing multiple legal matters and working independently with limited supervision.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience providing legal counsel to a municipality, public agency, public transportation organization, or other complex governmental or regulated organization.
Experience with legal issues involving local government operations, public-sector governance, transportation, administrative or regulatory law, or related practice areas.
Experience advising executive leadership and collaborating with operational, administrative, and technical professionals.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.
Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.
Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.
The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.
Our culture is to serve the community honorably.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online.
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.
You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.
For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email Careers@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.
BENEFITS
The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.
Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.
The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.