Senior Legal Analyst - Consumer Protection Division

Job Description

Job Summary

Senior Legal Analyst- Consumer Protection Division

Annual Salary: $109,764 - $135,504

Work Schedule: 9/80 schedule with alternating Fridays off

Hybrid Work: Currently available

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 16, 2026

Benefits: Comprehensive City benefits package

Employment Status: At-will position represented by the Public Attorneys Legal Support Staff Union

Join the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office

The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office seeks a Senior Legal Analyst with at least three years of relevant experience to conduct investigations for the office’s Consumer Protection Division. The position is well suited for an experienced investigator, paralegal, auditor, compliance professional, or other legal professional interested in conducting meaningful and complex investigations involving consumer, tenant, and worker protection laws.

The Consumer Protection Division enforces consumer, tenant, and worker protection laws, including through affirmative litigation and criminal prosecution. The Division also defends the City in legal challenges to consumer protection programs and in appeals of administrative enforcement actions, prosecutes code enforcement and nuisance abatement cases, advises the Code Enforcement Division and Housing Division, and educates the public about the laws enforced by the Division.

Position Overview

The Senior Legal Analyst will conduct investigations involving potential violations of consumer, tenant, and worker protection laws. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience conducting investigations, including interviewing complainants and witnesses, reviewing and auditing large volumes of records, and preparing and presenting investigative reports.

The candidate should also have experience working with members of the public from diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency.

Special consideration will be given to candidates with experience investigating violations of worker protection or wage-and-hour laws and auditing payroll records, timecards, wage statements, and employer policies.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Investigating complaints related to potential violations of tenant, worker, and/or consumer protection laws, including minimum wage and paid sick leave violations;
• Developing investigative plans and identifying the witnesses, records, and other evidence necessary to evaluate complaints;
• Interviewing complainants, witnesses, employers, tenants, landlords, consumers, business representatives, and other involved parties;
• Requesting and obtaining payroll and other business records, remotely and through in-person site visits;
• Analyzing large volumes of records, organizing data, primarily into Excel spreadsheets, and evaluating records for compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
• Preparing investigative reports, summaries, timelines, spreadsheets, and other materials for attorney review;
• Presenting investigative reports, including testifying in civil, criminal, and administrative hearings;
• Communicating frequently and professionally with complainants;
• Maintaining accurate, complete, and up-to-date case files;
• Handling a high volume of calls and emails from the public and providing information on consumer, tenant, and worker protection topics; and
• Assisting with drafting legal notices and public education materials and conducting outreach to tenants, workers, consumers, landlords, businesses, and community stakeholders.

The Senior Legal Analyst will also have the opportunity, depending on candidate interest, to play an active role in designing and building out the City Attorney’s Office’s new worker protection and wage-and-hour investigations program, including developing intake procedures, standard investigation protocols, data review and analysis templates, and public education materials.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this position, applicants must meet the following required qualifications:

At least three years of experience as an investigator, paralegal, auditor, compliance professional, or in another similar profession involving the collection, review, and analysis of evidence, ideally in a law firm or government legal department.

Experience conducting interviews and preparing clear, thorough, and written reports.

Strong organizational and case management skills and the ability to design and conduct investigations while managing the demands of frequent daily inquiries from the public.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, or comparable data-analysis tools.

Exceptional communication skills and the ability to communicate efficiently, professionally, and clearly, including with attorneys, colleagues, clients, members of the public, complainants, witnesses (including experts), and opposing parties.

Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive matters.

About the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office

The mission of the Santa Monica City Attorney is to perform excellent legal work efficiently and cost-effectively. As advisors to City officials and staff, to provide timely and complete assistance. As advocates, to represent the City and its employees vigorously and fairly. As prosecutors, to diligently and justly enforce the law on behalf of the People of California.

Under the Santa Monica City Charter, the City Attorney’s Office represents and advises the City Council and all City officials pertaining to their official duties. The City Attorney’s Office also prosecutes criminal cases against those accused of committing state and local misdemeanor offenses. The City Attorney’s Office also defends the City, City employees, and Councilmembers in civil lawsuits.

The office currently consists of 26 attorneys and 21 administrative professionals and is part of the citywide Realignment Plan that is working to restore Santa Monica to one of the premier destination cities in the region. As part of the Realignment Plan, in October 2025 and March 2026, the City Council adopted recommendations that included a series of new investments and policy actions designed to transition the City from organizational stabilization toward economic revitalization. The Office is recruiting to meet increasing enforcement, advisory, and litigation needs, including the growing responsibilities of the Consumer Protection Division.

Work Schedule

Division work assignments are subject to change based on the operational needs and workload of the City Attorney’s Office overall. The hours of the position are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on alternate Fridays. This is a 9/80 work schedule. Hybrid remote work schedule is currently available but not guaranteed, with a minimum of two days in the office, moving to a minimum of three days in the office in January 2027 (Tuesday - Thursday). Evening and weekend duties may be required to attend City Council meetings, public meetings or events.

Application Instructions and Compensation

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample of no more than ten pages, and the names of three references (will not be contacted prior to interview). These materials should be submitted in a single pdf document by email to CAO.Opportunities@santamonica.gov with the subject line: “Application - Senior Legal Analyst - Consumer Division”. Candidates must apply by Sunday, August 16, 2026, when consideration of applicants will begin.

A background check will be required prior to beginning employment. Salary is dependent on qualifications and experience, excellent benefits. Annual salary range Steps 1-5 from $109,764 to $135,504. This position is at will but is part of the Public Attorneys Legal Support Staff Union . Equal Opportunity Employer. See the EEO Policy on the City Attorney’s Office website.

The City's liberal fringe benefits for full-time employment include sick leave, holiday and vacation pay, the Public Employees Retirement System, medical, dental and vision insurance, credit union, deferred compensation, tuition reimbursement, Dependent Care Assistance Plan and priority enrollment consideration at Hill & Dale Family Learning Center, Marine Park Child Development Center, and Santa Monica Early Childhood Lab School.

Closing Date/Time: 8/16/2026 11:59 PM Pacific