[1] Unlike a district attorney or public defender, who usually handles criminal cases, a city attorney generally handles civil cases, advising the city on legal matters and representing it in court.
[2] In some jurisdictions, city attorneys also function as prosecutors, pursuing low-level criminal cases against persons charged with violating city ordinances, such as those relating to public drunkenness, traffic violations, zoning and building codes, and municipal health regulations.
[7][8] In some areas, the position of city attorney is a part-time position based on a retainer agreement, and city attorneys engage in the outside private practice of law.
For example, the elected position of San Francisco City Attorney is important due to the large array of duties associated with the office.
The San Francisco city attorney is also unusually powerful because of the broad scope of properties and activities operated by the city and county government (including land ownership in San Mateo County); for example, the city owns the San Francisco International Airport, Crystal Springs Reservoir, Sharp Park Golf Course, San Francisco Employees' Retirement System, and Port of San Francisco.