Employment Type : Full-Time
JOB
Join the Sonoma County Counsel and make a difference!What makes Sonoma County a great choice? Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to a competitive total compensation package* including: An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance up to $1,700 and ongoing education/training opportunitiesCompetitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per yearSignificant portion of health care premiums paid by the County and access to several health plan optionsCounty contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefitsRetirement fully integrated with Social SecurityMay be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employmentEligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. THE POSITION The Deputy County Counsel II position represents a great opportunity to work in beautiful Sonoma wine country and join a collegial team of attorneys and staff committed to public service and quality of life. County Counsel seeks an experienced public agency lawyer with expertise in municipal finance and tax law. In this exciting role, you will provide legal counsel to a variety of departments within the County. The successful candidate will regularly: Draft legal documents such as memoranda, briefs, ordinances, resolutions, and ballot measuresParticipate in negotiations, tax appeal hearings, and litigation strategy meetingsWork collaboratively with other team membersAdvise the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax CollectorProvide advice to other departments, as requested, regarding possible financing mechanismsStudy and apply new case law, statutory law, and legislative changesAttend trainings, and in turn, may train other attorneys THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The Ideal Candidate will possess: Some public law experienceExceptional research and written communication skillsExperience sitting with Brown Act bodiesExperience with municipal finance and tax advisory lawA demonstrated ability to creatively problem-solveExperience with complex and fast-moving projectsThe ability to effectively work independently and as part of a teamAn excellent academic record is highly desiredThis recruitment is being conducted to fill one Deputy County Counsel II position in the Office of County Counsel. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. IMPORTANT: The position will be filled at either the II, or III level. If you are interested in applying at the III level, you will need to apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted for that classification. THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNSEL The Sonoma County Counsel's Office is committed to providing the highest quality legal representation and advice, in a timely and responsive manner, to assist the County, its governing Board of Supervisors, and other clients to promote the public interest, achieve programmatic and strategic goals, and protect financial resources. County Counsel is the primary provider of legal services to the Board of Supervisors, County departments, the Grand Jury, and over 25 special districts, including the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART), Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA), Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA). The Office provides legal staff to many County commissions, and its attorneys regularly provide counsel to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Civil Service Commission, and Board of Zoning Adjustments at public meetings and hearings. County Counsel attorneys regularly appear in court on behalf of County departments and on such matters as juvenile dependency cases, code enforcement actions, bail recovery, and mental health competency hearings. County Counsel either directly handles, or coordinates outside counsel, in the defense of all claims filed against the County, and proactively works with departments to minimize risk and assist in policy development and implementation.The Office of approximately 30 attorneys and 10 support staff places a high value on its collegial atmosphere and on its commitment to providing excellent legal services. It is structured into five practice groups: Health and Human Services; Infrastructure and Public Resources; Land Use; Litigation; and Natural Resources and Resiliency. Each Group is supervised by a Chief Deputy County Counsel and overall office supervision functions through the Assistant County Counsel and County Counsel. All staff is relied upon to work independently, meet client needs, and exercise sound judgment. APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Experience: Any combination of training and experience which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, one year of legal experience practicing civil or governmental law as a licensed attorney.Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California. License: Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Working knowledge of: written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; the principles and application of civil and administration law; legal research methods; the duties, powers, limitations and authorities of the Office of the County Counsel; the organization, power, and limitations of local governmental functions; trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence; the statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California.Ability to: research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; prepare, present and conduct cases of law in court; present statements of law, fact and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; develop and maintain effective relationships with other staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, members of advisory and policy-making bodies, the courts and the public; analyze and draft ordinances and other regulations.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses which state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.The selection procedure will consist of the following examination: An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (Weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.HOW TO APPLY Applications are accepted on-line at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.The County of Sonoma prioritizes and is committed to continuously providing a workplace where equal employment opportunity is afforded to all people. Please view the County's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy for further information. HR Analyst: DTS HR Technician: RR