Legal Services Department

The Legal Services Department is located in the Seneca Building at 18861 SW Martinazzi Avenue #200. The Legal Services Department provides a variety of services to the City and the Tualatin Development Commission. Its primary mission is to provide accurate and timely legal advice and assistance to the City Manager, City Council, and City and Commission staffs to limit the city's liability exposure by identifying and addressing legal issues before they become legal problems. To encourage this approach, the City Attorney has an "open door" policy to encourage staff and councilors to ask questions and explore possible solutions. The attorney regularly attends Council and Budget Committee meetings and various in-house meetings to provide legal advice. The City Attorney negotiates the City's franchise agreements and fills in for the City Manager in her absence when requested.

The City Attorney prepares or reviews contracts, ordinances, and other legal documents, codifies the Municipal and Development Codes, represents the City and Commission in various courts and land use appeals and monitors all cases against the City and Commission involving outside counsel.

The Paralegal provides support and public service for the department including legal research and writing, ordinance drafting, code codification and coordination, and general clerical duties. The paralegal provides front counter service to the public, provides assistance to Administration when needed, and serves as Municipal Court Clerk.