Assistant County Attorney

Marion County Board of County Commissioners; Ocala (FL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Marion County Board of County Commissioners seeks an Assistant County Attorney to provide complete legal representation to the Board of County Commissioners. The role carries independent judgment and handles a variety of complex tasks in a county government setting.

Responsibilities include drafting opinions and ordinances, advising on legal matters for the County, and representing the County in litigation and administrative actions, with emphasis on timely, accurate legal support to County

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited college or university.
• Admission to the Florida Bar is required.
• Two years or more of legal experience preferred; local government experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Draft legal opinions, resolutions, and ordinances.
• Provide legal counsel at County Commission meetings and advisory boards.
• Negotiate and prepare agreements, leases, deeds, and related documents.
• Conduct in-depth legal research for case load assignments and preparation.
• Represent the County in civil litigation, administrative actions, and code enforcement.
• Provide legal advice to the County Commission, Administration, managers, and staff.

Skills

Legal drafting

Litigation

Oral advocacy

Independent judgment

Florida law knowledge

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

Under the direction of the County Attorney, the Assistant County Attorney positions are responsible for providing complete legal representation to the Board of County Commissioners. This position exercises considerable independent judgment and performs a variety of complex legal tasks.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Drafts legal opinions, resolutions, and ordinances.
• Attends meetings of the County Commission advisory boards and committees of the County Commission to provide legal counsel.
• Assists County Commission and County Administration in the negotiation and preparation of agreements, leases, deeds, and other documents.
• Conducts complex and in-depth research relevant to case load assignments for comprehensive review, evaluation, analyses, and case preparation purposes.
• Represents the County in litigation, including civil litigation, administrative actions, and code enforcement actions.
• Renders legal advice to the County Commission, County Administration, department managers, and County employees concerning federal and state statutory, administrative, and case law, and offers solutions to legal problems.
• Provides excellent customer service to members of the general public and other County employees. Personal contact occurs with other employees of the unit, employees of other departments in the County, citizens, and customers of the department. Service is provided in person or by phone contact.
• Implements the organization’s guiding principles and core values.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION

This position is responsible for directly and regularly supervising work of a relatively small number of employees (two or more) with no indirect supervision. Includes assigning, directing, evaluating, and reviewing work of subordinate employees. Responsibilities include providing on the-job training; evaluating job performance; recommending selection of new staff members, promotions, status changes, and discipline; and planning, scheduling, and coordinating work operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Assistant County Attorney I

• Valid Florida Driver's License required.
• Admission to the Florida Bar.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Juris Doctorate required; and previous local government law experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least two (2) years progressively responsible legal experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Paygrade 116.

Assistant County Attorney II

• Valid Florida Driver's License required.
• Admission to the Florida Bar.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Juris Doctorate required; and previous local government law experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5) plus years progressively responsible legal experience and/or in local government environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Paygrade 117.

Assistant County Attorney III

• Valid Florida Driver's License required.
• Admission to the Florida Bar.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Juris Doctorate required; and previous local government law experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten (10) plus years progressively responsible legal experience and/or in local government environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Paygrade 118.

Assistant County Attorney IV

• Valid Florida Driver's License required.
• Admission to the Florida Bar.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Juris Doctorate required; and previous local government law experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fifteen (15) years progressively responsible legal experience and/or in local government environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Paygrade 120.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Language Skills:

• Ability to write effective pleadings, motions, briefs, and memoranda.
• Ability to speak with brevity in a focused manner.
• Ability to conduct effective interviews.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret highly complex documents and related materials relevant to litigation, e.g., legislation, legal opinions, case law.
• Ability to respond effectively to highly sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style.
• Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards.

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Problem-Solving Ability:

• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
• Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to analyze major organization-wide policies, budgets, procedures, systems, or accounting methods on a continuous basis.

Specialized Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the laws of Florida, the Common law, and all local legislation pertaining to the County and administrative law including regulations and their enforcement.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles, methods, materials, and practices of legal research and writing.
• Knowledge of business English, spelling, and punctuation.
• Skills in professional legal writing.
• Ability to prepare legal memoranda, opinions, legal documents, briefs, resolutions, ordinances, and other legal correspondence.
• Ability to work independently under the direction of the County Attorney.
• Ability to prepare highly complex legal materials in conformance to prescribed standards.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Ability to take a teamwork approach to the job by cooperating with others, offering to help others when needed, and considering larger organization or team goals rather than individual concerns. Includes the ability to build a constructive team spirit where team members are committed to the goals and objectives of the team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally be required to use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms; will regularly be required to stand, walk, and sit; and will frequently be required to talk and hear Work is performed primarily in an indoor environment with limited exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed primarily in an indoor environment with limited exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Marion County has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.