Knoxville, TN; Johnson City, TN; Chattanooga, TN; US
Job Description
The University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) seeks applications for a Legal Consultant. This field position is based out of our Knoxville, Johnson City, or Chattanooga office but is afforded the flexibility of our alternate work arrangement (AWA) program. MTAS is an agency of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service and provides professional and technical consulting services to Tennessee municipalities, state government, and municipal government-related associations.
This position provides professional advice and technical assistance in the area of municipal law and municipal codes to a broad range of customers and groups, including municipalities in the state, state agencies, the Tennessee Municipal League, state legislators, and associations of municipal officials.
In addition to providing direct client assistance, this position researches, develops, and maintains timely technical reports and publications on critical issues, develops and teaches training courses, and assists other consultants in the agency in the performance of individual and team projects.
This position will perform other special project work as assigned by the Legal Consulting & Codes Program Manager or the Executive Director.
Responsibilities
This consultant provides:
professional advice and technical assistance on a wide range of complex issues to municipal Department Directors, Mayors, City Managers/Administrators, and other elected and appointed municipal officials;
advice and assistance for non-municipal clients, including elected and staff members of the Tennessee General Assembly, employees of state agencies, staff of the Tennessee Municipal League, and officers of associations of municipal officials
oral and written legal opinions, document preparation and review, and research and analysis on the wide variety of issues that impact municipal governments across the state.
This consultant develops and:
maintains close working relationships with both elected and appointed city officials for assigned cities; and
presents educational/training programs for municipal officials and employees, presents at conferences and meetings of municipal associations and organizations, and serves as subject matter expert for on-line classes and electronic training tools.
Other duties:
Researching, drafting, and maintaining publications on critical issues that are geared to various reader levels of sophistication and managerial experience.
The consultant is expected to maintain an area (or areas) of specialization and serve as the in-house expert to MTAS staff in that area, such as municipal codes, municipal courts, administrative hearings, land use, personnel law, code enforcement, taxation and state revenues, or zoning.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Education: Doctoral Degree; Doctor of Jurisprudence
Licensure: Licensed to practice law by a US state or territory. Required to become licensed to practice law in Tennessee within 18 months of hire.
Experience: A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in the field of government law or related private law experience is required.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
Knowledge of municipal law required.
Requires practical knowledge of the problems faced by municipal officials.
Requires a thorough understanding of Tennessee municipal law and the ability to interpret that law in oral opinions, written opinions, and in publications.
A high level of cognitive or intuitive skills are necessary to fully understand, design, and implement successful solutions to municipal legal problems.
Outstanding communications skills are necessary for this position. The consultant must provide advice and assistance to municipal officials in the operation of their respective offices, and must also possess managerial, analytical, conceptual, and interpersonal skills, abilities, and talents. These skills and abilities are used on a daily basis in identifying a specific municipality’s problem and providing advice and assistance to solve the problem. This requires the ability to write in a manner where complex legal issues are understandable to someone without a legal background.
This position requires travel and requires constant attention to scheduling and updating of work activities.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience: Preference for three years municipal attorney experience, municipal government experience, experience in a municipality larger than a population of 50,000, and/or one-year relevant Tennessee legal experience.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Proficient ability to research using Westlaw, familiarity with Tennessee Code Annotated, and proficient abilities in using Microsoft Office products are preferred.
Work Location:
Location: Knoxville, TN; Johnson City, TN; or Chattanooga, TN
The Institute for Public Service (IPS) supports a formal Alternative Work Arrangement program currently in place and more information can be provided if candidate progresses through the recruitment process.
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before March 12, 2026.
The UT Institute for Public Service provides outreach and assistance to all of Tennessee. Through our agencies and initiatives, we offer technical assistance, training, and consulting on a wide variety of services, including government operations, language services, law enforcement excellence, leadership training, manufacturing excellence, opioid abatement and much more.
About Us
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
Job Identification: 6963 Job Category: Legal Job Schedule: Full time Locations: Knoxville, TN, United States Johnson City, TN, United States Chattanooga, TN, United States
The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.
