Litigation Deputy County Counsel IV at County of Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA

Description

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Are you an experienced litigator with a commitment to justice and public service? We are currently accepting applications to fill one vacancy for a Litigation Deputy County Counsel IV in Santa Barbara for the Office of County Counsel. The job classification for this position is Deputy County Counsel IV.

As part of a dynamic team, you will work on complex cases that make a real impact in our community. This position offers flexibility, including remote and hybrid work options. If you're ready to take on challenging legal issues, foster collaboration, and make a difference, we want to hear from you!

THE POSITION: Under general direction, the selected candidate will perform professional legal work, including civil litigation; prepare legal pleadings and give legal counsel to assigned departments, boards, and districts; and do related work as required.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT: Santa Barbara County's Office of County Counsel offers a great career opportunity for attorneys seeking meaningful work in the public sector. Our work impacts a broad range of significant legal issues in beautiful Santa Barbara County. We support the County's elected and appointed decision-makers, its advisory boards and commissions, and the departments that implement the County's operations and programs.

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. For information click here. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

Retirement reciprocity
Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

The Ideal Candidate will possess:

Strong legal research and analytical skills
At least three years of experience handling civil matters, land use matters, or in an appellate practice
Ability to research, analyze, and present complex legal issues and arguments clearly and succinctly, both orally and in writing
Ability to work efficiently and effectively as part of a team
Ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences
Good professional judgment in answering questions, releasing information, and anticipating consequences of decisions and recommendations
Ability to remain calm and act professionally, especially under stressful conditions
Ability to adapt to change and adjust to fluid work environment
Positive attitude, impeccable character, and strong commitment to public service

Examples of Duties

Studies, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, and briefs
Prepares legal pleadings such as complaints, answers, demurrers, discovery, appeals, and judgments
Represents the county in lawsuits by or against the county
Conducts administrative hearings before state and county agencies; engages in legal research
Performs related work such as preparing petitions, legal instruments, reports, and correspondence

Employment Standards

Active membership in the State Bar of California; AND

Three years of progressively responsible experience as an attorney in the practice of public law or six years in the practice of general civil law; or,
one year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Deputy County Counsel III with Santa Barbara County; or,
a combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be required at time of appointment. Incumbents must be willing and able to travel throughout the County on a regular basis.

Knowledge of: the organization, powers, and limitations of the county, the courts, school and special districts, and other public agencies; civil law codes, and the California Constitution; trial procedures and the rules of evidence; administrative law; code of Professional Conduct and Rules of Ethics.

Ability to: appraise, interpret, and apply legal principles and precedents to difficult legal problems; present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; engage in legal research; work effectively with others.

Supplemental Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.

Application Ranking: Candidates that meet the employment standards will have their application evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the information provided on their application that demonstrates the skillset outlined in the ideal candidate section. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive written notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

The appointee must satisfactorily complete a probationary period of 12 months.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Application & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Statement of Commitment
The County of Santa Barbara is dedicated to cultivating and sustaining an environment that exhibits equity and inclusion everywhere, and at all levels of our organization. The County believes equity is a fundamental principle that must be imbedded in policies, institutional practices and systems. The County recognizes the negative impacts of systemic racism and is committed to eliminating the barriers affecting our Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian community members, as well as people of other diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. We envision a world where society and its systems (e.g. education, criminal justice, and health care, housing the economy) are just, fair, and inclusive, enabling all people to participate and reach their full potential.

We celebrate community and employee diversity, strive for inclusion and belonging, and promote empowered participation. We aspire to build a workforce that is reflective of these values and the communities we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will resolutely uphold federal, California state law and/or Santa Barbara County ordinances.

We believe equity and inclusion are vital to fulfill the County's mission and to embody a culture of "One County, One Future." Expanding the full range of employee talent allows the County to deliver our best to all our community members.

We believe in the dignity and humanity of all people. We strive for a healthy and prosperous society that promotes all people having equitable access and opportunity.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: April 8, 2025, at 4:59 PM PST; postmarks not accepted. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Leza Patatanian, Talent Acquisition Analyst - LPatatanian@countyofsb.org