Assistant Chief Counsel

California Department of Industrial Relations; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Industrial Relations seeks an Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel to lead the Office of the Director, Legal Unit (OD Legal). This role advises the DIR Director, department leadership, and division chiefs on labor and employment matters and supervises a team of attorneys and legal staff.

It requires active California State Bar membership and extensive experience in legal practice. The Assistant Chief Counsel directs practice teams, coordinates with the Attorney

Qualifications

• Active membership in the California State Bar and at least nine years of legal experience after admission.
• Experience at a level equivalent to Attorney V or Attorney Supervisor, or Attorney IV/III as described in the posting.
• Ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing; a Statement of Qualifications is required.

Responsibilities

• Plans, directs, and reviews the work performed by legal staff advising and representing the Department and its leadership.
• Supervises Attorneys, Attorney IIIs, Attorneys IVs, Attorney Vs, and Attorney Supervisors.
• Oversees representation and legal advice to the Director, the Department, and division chiefs in labor and employment matters.

Skills

Team leadership

Legal supervision

Legal writing

Education

Active California State Bar member

Tools

Litigation

Job description

Job Description And Duties

The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel position is in the Office of the Director, Legal Unit (known as “OD Legal”). OD Legal serves as the general counsel’s office for DIR and provides advice and representation to the DIR Director, department leadership, and division chiefs in the performance of their statutory functions. The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel manages the work of Attorney Supervisors, attorneys, ranging from the Attorney to Attorney V classifications, investigators, analysts, and legal secretaries. Under the direction of the Chief Counsel and in coordination with other Assistant Chief Counsels, the Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel oversees the office’s representation and legal advice to the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), the Department, and division chiefs and managers in a variety of subject areas within the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Department, which are broadly in the labor and employment area.

The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel is responsible for ensuring that the unit attorneys provide the best representation to the Director of DIR in special types of workers’ compensation cases involving trust funds administered by the Director (SIBTF, UEBTF and DWD). In addition, the Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel leads one or more of the unit’s practice teams, such as the unit’s SPB appeals and internal labor and employment team; the hearing officer team; or the contracts review and advice team, among others. The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel must also ensure that unit attorneys provide prompt and accurate legal advice to Department executives and division chiefs with respect to issues involving public works, prevailing wages, Public Records Act, public contracting, privacy, litigation, and other matters concerning a wide variety of legal issues that may arise in the operation of the Department. In the absence of the assigned unit attorneys, the Assistant Chief Counsel may perform these duties directly.

The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel plans, directs, and reviews the work performed by legal staff who advise and represent the Department and its executive leadership. The position directly supervises Attorneys, Attorney IIIs, Attorney IVs, Attorney Vs, and Attorney Supervisors involved in the most difficult and complex work of the Department. In the absence of the Chief Counsel the individual may assume the role of the chief legal counsel to the Department and its executive leadership. The Assistant Chief Counsel also assists and works with the Attorney General’s Office and serves as in-house counsel in litigation matters. The Assistant Chief Counsel works with broad discretion and independence with minimum supervision.

This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR. 249.3

Working Conditions

This position is located at: 1515 Clay St, Suite 701; Oakland, CA 94612.

This position is located in the Department of Industrial Relations, Office of the Director, Legal Unit (known as “OD Legal”). Employees in this position work in an office environment, have assigned offices and work at desks, and are required to work extensively on computers as necessary for the drafting of correspondence, briefs and other documents, and for research, email communication, file review, training and other purposes.

Special Requirements

The Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel position requires active membership in the California State Bar and at least nine years of legal experience in the practice of law following admission to the bar; one year of which must have been at a level equivalent to an Attorney V or Attorney Supervisor, or three years at a level equivalent to Attorney IV, or four years at a level equivalent to Attorney III.

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted along with the State Application and serves as documentation of candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. It should be typed, no more than three (3) pages in length, using Arial 12-point font, and normal margins.

In your SOQ, be sure to include your total years of experience, when applicable, in addressing the following statements:

• Describe your experience in the practice of law related to state personnel and labor and employment.


• Describe your experience in the practice of administrative law.


• Describe your knowledge of or experience with public works, prevailing wages, apprenticeship, self-insurance, wage and hour, worker safety, or workers’ compensation.


• Describe your experience leading teams or supervising or managing attorneys or other individuals.


• Describe the approaches you use to motivate colleagues, track progress, and achieve desired outcomes.

Applications received without the SOQ addressed as stated will not be considered.

Note: Resumes, letters, and other materials will not be evaluated or considered as a response to the SOQ. As part of the application package for this position, you must submit a legal writing sample.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug‑free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.