Assistant Chief Counsel

California Department of Industrial Relations; California (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) seeks an Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel to lead the Office of the Director, Legal Unit. The role oversees Attorneys and Supervisors, advises the DIR Director and executives, and coordinates across practice teams in labor and employment matters.

The Assistant Chief Counsel provides strategic leadership, ensures high-quality legal services, and collaborates with the Attorney General’s Office as in-house counsel on litigation matters.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the work of unit attorneys, including supervisors and staff, to ensure high-quality legal representation.
• Provide timely legal advice and representation to the Director, department leadership, and division chiefs.
• Lead one or more practice teams (e.g., SPB appeals, hearings, contracts review) and coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General.

Skills

State personnel law

Administrative law

Public works / prevailing wages

Team leadership

Legal strategy / motivation

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

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. Assistant Chief Counsel manages the work of Attorney Supervisors, attorneys, ranging from the Attorney to Attorney V classifications, and the supervisors of investigators, analysts, and legal secretaries. 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.

There is one (1) position that may be filled in either Los Angeles or Orange County.

Other postings under a different job control in CalCareers for the other locations. If you are interested in the position at more than one location, please submit a new application for each job control.

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

• 249.3

To be considered for this Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1587

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This postion location is in Orange County. This position is 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, 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. Being in a stationary position for long periods of time. The usual business hours are Monday through Friday. Employees in this position are expected to work all hours as necessary to accomplish their assignments. Although they will generally average a 40-hour week, longer work hours may occasionally be required. There is some flexibility as to the specific work schedule, which will be determined after hire in consultation with the Chief Counsel. This position may be eligible for some amount of telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position.

Special Requirements

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.

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.

Final Filing Date: 10/6/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

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.