City Attorney Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
City Attorney positions rarely offer visa sponsorship as they typically require U.S. citizenship or permanent residence due to security clearances and oath requirements. Most municipalities restrict these roles to citizens only, making H-1B and other work visas unavailable for this career path. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany Description
Appointment Type: Permanent Exempt (PEX) position; individuals who are appointed to Exempt Positions are appointed at the pleasure of their appointing officer and are considered to be "at-will."
- Application Opening: March 12, 2026
- Application Deadline: Continuous, earliest close 5:00 p.m. Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Compensation Range: $155,428-$272,350
- Recruitment ID: RTF0164035-01097727
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is seeking a qualified and motivated investment attorney for advice and transaction work.
About the Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With nearly 350 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors.
The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City. To learn more about the Office’s efforts to provide an inclusive workplace where employees feel they belong and can meaningfully contribute, please visit: https://www.sfcityattorney.org/aboutus/dei/.
The Office offers a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.
Job Description
About the Retirement Team
The Retirement Team is a collaborative group of six attorneys and a legal secretary. The Team counsels the Retirement Board and the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS), which administers, manages, and operates the City’s retirement plans. SFERS serves approximately 81,000 members and beneficiaries, and manages approximately $40 billion in assets. The Retirement Board also administers the San Francisco Deferred Compensation Plan (SFDCP), which has over 37,000 participants and approximately $6.7 billion in assets. Additionally, the Team counsels the San Francisco Retiree Health Care Trust Fund (RHCTF) and RHCTF Board. The RHCTF currently has approximately $1.6 billion in assets and is a trust fund whose purpose is to defray the healthcare costs of the City and other participating employers. The Retirement Team’s work covers a broad array of municipal issues that impact our clients, including matters related to pension benefits, the trust funds’ investment portfolios, and various regulatory and tax issues. The Team also represents SFERS in administrative hearings on industrial and ordinary disability retirement applications involving employees of the City, the Community College District, and the School District before the California Office of Administrative Hearings and may defend those administrative decisions in court.
Deputy City Attorney Position and Responsibilities
The Team’s lead attorney serves as general counsel to the Retirement Board, SFERS and the RHCTF. Two attorneys provide investment advice, and procurement and general contract advice. Three attorneys manage and present disability benefit cases and provide benefits advice related to SFERS. We are seeking an additional attorney to provide investment advice. The responsibilities listed below are representative of the range of duties to be assigned and are not intended as an exhaustive list.
- Provide legal advice regarding investments across various asset classes and strategies, including public and private equity, fixed income, private credit, real assets, venture capital and absolute returns, and co-investments, including review and negotiation of investment documentation and post-investment matters such as amendments, consents, waivers, terminations and continuation vehicle transactions.
- Review and negotiate agreements related to domestic and foreign private investment funds, separately managed accounts, collective investment trusts and co-investment vehicles (e.g., offering memoranda and other investment-related agreements such as limited partnership agreements, subscription agreements and related side letters), and provide legal advice regarding same.
- Draft and negotiate investment management agreements, non-disclosure agreements and other investment-related agreements with service providers (e.g., custodian, investment consultants, external discretionary investment managers, and outside legal counsel).
- Draft and negotiate a wide range of service provider and vendor agreements, including software license agreements, subscription and SaaS contracts, and professional services agreements.
- Prepare and review requests for proposals (RFP) and requests for qualifications (RFQ) for a broad range of services, including investment management, consulting and information technology services.
- Participate in selection and oversight of outside investment counsel, including coordinating workflow, evaluating work product, and reviewing invoices.
- Provide legal advice on relevant laws, rules and regulations that affect our clients’ investment activities.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Licensed to practice law in California.
Desired Qualifications
- Three or more years of experience with investment transactions, such as private fund formation, representing institutional investors across various investment strategies and asset classes, and advising on portfolio investments.
- Ability to assume responsibility quickly and work independently and efficiently.
- Excellent oral and written communication.
- Ability to manage and appropriately balance multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and adjust to fluctuations in workload.
- Ability to quickly prioritize among different legal issues and assess legal risks.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
- Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
- Desire and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
Verification
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.
Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Selection Procedures
The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.
Additional Information
Salary and Benefits
The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $155,428 to $272,350. The successful applicant is appointed to a salary step based on years of experience as a lawyer. The City offers robust health, retirement and other benefits. For more information please visit: https://sfdhr.org/benefits-overview. Attorneys are represented by the Municipal Attorneys Association. Information about compensation and benefits is available by entering Classification Code 8177 at https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
- Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
- Make sure to include your CA Bar Number in the education section on your application
- Upload a Cover Letter and a Resume
Applicants who advance in the selection process must submit two references and one writing sample.
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfcityatty.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Human Resources Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please send your inquiries to Asa Nojd, Human Resources Analyst, at asa.nojd@sfcityatty.org.
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Company Description
Appointment Type: Permanent Exempt (PEX) position; individuals who are appointed to Exempt Positions are appointed at the pleasure of their appointing officer and are considered to be "at-will."
- Application Opening: March 12, 2026
- Application Deadline: Continuous, earliest close 5:00 p.m. Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Compensation Range: $155,428-$272,350
- Recruitment ID: RTF0164035-01097727
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is seeking a qualified and motivated investment attorney for advice and transaction work.
About the Office
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is an innovative, nationally-recognized municipal law office working to protect and advance the rights and interests of the City and County of San Francisco and its residents. With nearly 350 talented and dedicated employees, the Office provides exceptional legal services to the City’s Mayor, Board of Supervisors, officials, and departments. Our work empowers City leaders with effective, responsive, and creative legal solutions and representation so they can deliver critical public services, and our affirmative advocacy enhances the lives and wellbeing of San Francisco’s residents and visitors.
The Office recognizes that diversity in the backgrounds, identities, and experiences of our employees enriches our workplace and enhances our work. We aspire to recruit, employ, retain, and promote talented individuals representing the full spectrum of our community, and welcome all candidates, including candidates of any race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and age, and candidates with disabilities. We have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of people want to come and stay, grow professionally, and find purpose and engagement, and where all employees feel welcomed and respected, and valued for their work and contributions to the Office and the City. To learn more about the Office’s efforts to provide an inclusive workplace where employees feel they belong and can meaningfully contribute, please visit: https://www.sfcityattorney.org/aboutus/dei/.
The Office offers a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.
Job Description
About the Retirement Team
The Retirement Team is a collaborative group of six attorneys and a legal secretary. The Team counsels the Retirement Board and the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS), which administers, manages, and operates the City’s retirement plans. SFERS serves approximately 81,000 members and beneficiaries, and manages approximately $40 billion in assets. The Retirement Board also administers the San Francisco Deferred Compensation Plan (SFDCP), which has over 37,000 participants and approximately $6.7 billion in assets. Additionally, the Team counsels the San Francisco Retiree Health Care Trust Fund (RHCTF) and RHCTF Board. The RHCTF currently has approximately $1.6 billion in assets and is a trust fund whose purpose is to defray the healthcare costs of the City and other participating employers. The Retirement Team’s work covers a broad array of municipal issues that impact our clients, including matters related to pension benefits, the trust funds’ investment portfolios, and various regulatory and tax issues. The Team also represents SFERS in administrative hearings on industrial and ordinary disability retirement applications involving employees of the City, the Community College District, and the School District before the California Office of Administrative Hearings and may defend those administrative decisions in court.
Deputy City Attorney Position and Responsibilities
The Team’s lead attorney serves as general counsel to the Retirement Board, SFERS and the RHCTF. Two attorneys provide investment advice, and procurement and general contract advice. Three attorneys manage and present disability benefit cases and provide benefits advice related to SFERS. We are seeking an additional attorney to provide investment advice. The responsibilities listed below are representative of the range of duties to be assigned and are not intended as an exhaustive list.
- Provide legal advice regarding investments across various asset classes and strategies, including public and private equity, fixed income, private credit, real assets, venture capital and absolute returns, and co-investments, including review and negotiation of investment documentation and post-investment matters such as amendments, consents, waivers, terminations and continuation vehicle transactions.
- Review and negotiate agreements related to domestic and foreign private investment funds, separately managed accounts, collective investment trusts and co-investment vehicles (e.g., offering memoranda and other investment-related agreements such as limited partnership agreements, subscription agreements and related side letters), and provide legal advice regarding same.
- Draft and negotiate investment management agreements, non-disclosure agreements and other investment-related agreements with service providers (e.g., custodian, investment consultants, external discretionary investment managers, and outside legal counsel).
- Draft and negotiate a wide range of service provider and vendor agreements, including software license agreements, subscription and SaaS contracts, and professional services agreements.
- Prepare and review requests for proposals (RFP) and requests for qualifications (RFQ) for a broad range of services, including investment management, consulting and information technology services.
- Participate in selection and oversight of outside investment counsel, including coordinating workflow, evaluating work product, and reviewing invoices.
- Provide legal advice on relevant laws, rules and regulations that affect our clients’ investment activities.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Licensed to practice law in California.
Desired Qualifications
- Three or more years of experience with investment transactions, such as private fund formation, representing institutional investors across various investment strategies and asset classes, and advising on portfolio investments.
- Ability to assume responsibility quickly and work independently and efficiently.
- Excellent oral and written communication.
- Ability to manage and appropriately balance multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and adjust to fluctuations in workload.
- Ability to quickly prioritize among different legal issues and assess legal risks.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a positive attitude.
- Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
- Desire and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
Verification
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.
Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Selection Procedures
The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.
Additional Information
Salary and Benefits
The Deputy City Attorney position has a 16-step salary scale ranging from $155,428 to $272,350. The successful applicant is appointed to a salary step based on years of experience as a lawyer. The City offers robust health, retirement and other benefits. For more information please visit: https://sfdhr.org/benefits-overview. Attorneys are represented by the Municipal Attorneys Association. Information about compensation and benefits is available by entering Classification Code 8177 at https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
- Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
- Make sure to include your CA Bar Number in the education section on your application
- Upload a Cover Letter and a Resume
Applicants who advance in the selection process must submit two references and one writing sample.
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfcityatty.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Human Resources Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please send your inquiries to Asa Nojd, Human Resources Analyst, at asa.nojd@sfcityatty.org.
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a City Attorney
Target federal attorney positions instead
Federal agencies like DOJ, EPA, or Treasury sponsor H-1B visas for attorney positions more readily than municipal governments with citizenship requirements.
Consider corporate counsel roles
Private companies frequently sponsor attorneys for H-1B, O-1, or L-1 visas, offering more viable paths than government positions with citizenship restrictions.
Research state-level opportunities
Some state attorney general offices or public defender programs may sponsor visas, though most still prefer citizens for government legal roles.
Build immigration law expertise
Specializing in immigration law can make you more attractive to firms that regularly sponsor visas and understand the process firsthand.
Network through bar associations
Join local and state bar associations to connect with attorneys who've navigated visa sponsorship and can provide referrals to sponsor-friendly employers.
Consider contract-to-hire positions
Some municipalities hire attorneys as contractors initially, which may lead to permanent positions once you obtain a green card through other means.
City Attorney jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can international lawyers work as City Attorneys?
Most City Attorney positions require U.S. citizenship due to oath requirements and security clearances. International lawyers should focus on private practice, corporate counsel roles, or federal positions that may sponsor work visas instead of municipal government positions.
What degree requirements apply to City Attorney roles?
City Attorney positions require a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school and bar admission in the relevant state. Foreign law degrees typically need evaluation and additional U.S. legal education to meet these requirements.
Do any government legal positions sponsor H-1B visas?
Federal agencies occasionally sponsor H-1B visas for attorney positions, but municipal and state governments rarely do due to citizenship preferences. The Department of Justice, EPA, and Treasury are more likely sponsors than local government entities.
Can City Attorneys transfer to private practice for visa sponsorship?
Yes, attorneys can transition from government work to private practice where H-1B and O-1 visa sponsorship is more common. Large law firms and corporations frequently sponsor experienced attorneys, especially those with government legal experience.
What alternatives exist for foreign lawyers in government work?
Foreign lawyers can pursue roles as legal analysts, paralegals, or policy advisors in government while working toward permanent residence. These positions may not require citizenship and can provide government experience before transitioning to attorney roles.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored City Attorney jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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