Job 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 May 29, 2026
• Application Deadline Continuous, earliest close 5:00 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 2026
• Compensation Range: $155,428-$272,350
• Recruitment ID RTF0163587-01076960

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office seeks an exceptional attorney to join its Health and Human Services Team — a dynamic and high-impact legal practice at the forefront of public health, social and human services, and public policy.

This is an exciting opportunity to serve as a strategic legal advisor on issues that directly affect the health and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of San Franciscans. The attorney selected for this role will help City leaders navigate some of the most urgent and complex public health and services challenges facing local government today while supporting one of the nation’s most innovative public-sector health and human services systems.

The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, collaborative, practical, and motivated by public service and meaningful impact.

Importance of this Role

San Francisco operates one of the country’s most expansive and visible public health and human services systems. The City’s hospitals, clinics, behavioral health programs, homelessness response systems, and social safety-net services play a critical role in protecting vulnerable populations and advancing public health and equity.

Attorneys on the Health and Human Services Team help shape how those systems function. The team advises policymakers, department leaders, medical and social services professionals, and commissions on high-stakes operational, regulatory, and policy issues that influence how essential services are delivered across the City.

The work is dynamic, fast-paced, and consequential. Attorneys on the team are trusted advisors during moments of significant operational, legal, and public scrutiny, and regularly engage with issues that sit at the intersection of law, medicine, ethics, privacy, public policy, and government administration.

This position offers the opportunity to build a uniquely broad and sophisticated public law practice while making a tangible difference in the lives of San Francisco residents.

Position Responsibilities

Deputy City Attorneys on the Health and Human Services Team advise clients on complex legal and operational matters, help develop practical solutions to emerging challenges, and support major public initiatives and programs. This role offers substantial responsibility and meaningful client interaction.

• Advising City departments and officials on complex legal and policy matters related to health care, public health, social services, homelessness programs, and government operations
• Providing real-time legal guidance on operational, regulatory, and compliance issues affecting hospitals, clinics, behavioral health programs, and public benefit systems
• Counseling clients on legal risk, statutory interpretation, and administrative decision-making
• Drafting ordinances, regulations, ballot measures, and policies
• Reviewing and negotiating contracts, procurements, and requests for proposals
• Advising commissions and policy bodies before and during public meetings
• Interpreting federal, state, and local laws governing health care systems, human services programs, privacy protections, and public funding
• Advising on public records, open government, and government ethics issues
• Developing subject-matter expertise in areas critical to City governance and public service delivery.
• Advising on health care operations, regulatory compliance, HIPAA, and other privacy laws.

About the Health & Human Services Team

The Health and Human Services Team serves as legal counsel to some of San Francisco’s most vital and visible public-serving departments, including:

• The Department of Public Health
• The Human Services Agency
• The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
• The Department of Children, Youth, and their Families
• The Department of Early Childhood
• Other departments and commissions dedicated to protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of San Francisco residents

The practice is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary, requiring attorneys to work closely with policy experts, health professionals, administrators, and elected officials in solving novel and evolving legal challenges.

About the Office

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office is one of the nation’s premier public law offices, recognized nationally for its innovative legal work and commitment to advancing justice, equity, and effective government. With nearly 350 talented attorneys and staff, the Office serves as trusted counsel to the City and County of San Francisco, helping City leaders solve complex challenges and deliver critical public services.

Our attorneys tackle issues that are legally sophisticated, socially significant, and often nationally influential. The Office’s work spans constitutional law, public health, consumer protection, housing, labor and employment, environmental justice, government ethics, and complex litigation — all in service of protecting and improving the lives of San Franciscans.

We are equally committed to fostering a workplace where talented people from all backgrounds can thrive. We value diversity of experience, identity, and perspective, and we strive to create an environment where all employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to grow professionally and personally.

The Office offers a hybrid work schedule for eligible employees.

To learn more about the City Attorney's Office please visit our website

Qualifications

The Ideal Candidate

We are seeking candidates who combine excellent legal judgment with strong interpersonal skills, intellectual flexibility, and a commitment to public service.

Ideal candidates will have:

• At least five years of legal experience, particularly in an advisory, health care, or government counsel role
• Experience advising hospitals, health systems, or public agencies on operational and regulatory matters
• Experience advising on HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and related compliance obligations is preferred, but not required
• Familiarity with federal and state laws governing privacy protections for public benefit and health information
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities
• The ability to independently manage complex assignments in a fast-paced environment
• Sound judgment and the ability to provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice
• A collaborative approach and commitment to respectful and inclusive teamwork

Minimum Qualifications

• Licensed to practice law in California

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 inquires to Jumy Dang, Senior Human Resources Analyst, at jumy.dang@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.