Assistant County Attorney - Legal

Dona Ana County; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 81,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

Doña Ana County in New Mexico seeks an in-house counsel to perform legal research, provide oral and written opinions, attend public meetings and hearings, and defend or represent the county in limited litigation matters.

The role includes advising county departments on programs, budgets, and legislation, drafting ordinances, contracts, and policies, and coordinating with outside counsel as needed to ensure compliance with state and federal law.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Prior local government experience preferred.
• Must be licensed as an attorney by the New Mexico Supreme Court or eligible to apply for limited practice (Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA).
• Must pass pre-employment background check and driving record check.

Responsibilities

• Perform legal research and prepare written and oral opinions on various legal issues.
• Advise senior management and county departments on legal issues involving agency programs, budgets, and legislation.
• Represent the County in administrative hearings and civil actions.
• Draft and review ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other documents required for county operations.
• Work with outside counsel on legal matters as assigned.

Skills

Legal research

Oral communication

Written communication

Legal writing

Ethics and compliance

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Local government experience preferred

Job description

Job Description

PURPOSE SUMMARY.

Perform In-house counsel duties such as legal research, providing oral and written legal opinions, attending public meetings and hearings. Defend and/or represent the county in limited litigation matters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES.

1. Legal Research and Analysis

• Perform legal research and prepare written and oral opinions on various legal issues.
• Research and write memoranda and legal documents on a variety of legal issues.
• Research and write legal opinions on case law and administrative practices at the request of the County Attorney and/or Deputy County Attorney.
• Review policy and policy initiatives to ensure alignment with state and federal laws and regulations.
• Conduct research and apply that research to advise internal clients.
• Conduct discovery and interview witnesses, research and analyze a variety of issues, and propose strategy on specific matters.

2. Advisory and Department Support

• Provide legal assistance to County departments as assigned.
• Advise senior management and executives on legal issues involving agency programs, budgets, and legislation and participate in management teams to develop and implement strategic plans to meet the agency mission.
• Assist with personnel issues and labor law issues as assigned.
• Delegate duties to assigned support staff and monitor their work.

3. Litigation and Hearings

• Represent the County in administrative hearings as assigned.
• Prosecute violations of County ordinances and defend the County in civil actions.
• Prepare litigation pleadings and other court papers and advise on legal strategy.
• Work with outside counsel on legal matters as assigned.
• Prepare and present information for meetings and hearings as assigned.

4. Document Drafting and Review

• Draft legal documents.
• May prepare and review drafts of ordinances, resolutions, contracts, administrative policies, rules and regulations, and other written documents required in the operation of county government for compliance with legal requirements.
• Draft legally defensible documents for approval by the County Attorney and/or Deputy County Attorney.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES.

Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS.

A. Education. A Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.

B. Experience. Prior local government experience preferred.

C. Education/Experience substitution. N/A

D. Licenses/Certifications. Must be licensed as an attorney by the Supreme Court of New Mexico or qualified to apply for limited practice license (Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA).

E. Other (e.g., post-offer medical exam, polygraph, background check, driver’s license record, etc.).Must pass pre-employment background check and driving record check.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED BY THE POSITION:

Knowledge of:

• Legal research, including case law, statutes, ordinances, and administrative rules.
• Legal ethics, professional responsibility, and conflict of interest principles.
• Effective communication principles and practices including oral and written communication.
• Proper English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Principles of legal writing, including drafting memoranda, ordinances, and resolutions.

Skill in:

• Researching and identifying precedence in case law.
• Reviewing and assessing legal issues and documents.
• Utilizing and evaluating electronic legal research and online systems.
• Presenting oral and written information in a clear and concise manner.

Ability to:

• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents.
• Present materials in a clear and logical form, both verbally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, outside agencies, County staff, and other participants.
• Assess and prioritize multiple tasks, projects, and demands.
• Interpret technical instructions and analyze complex variables.

Compensation Range

$81,328.00 - $132,704.00

Doña Ana County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to abide by all federal and state laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of a person’s race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, disability, serious medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, spousal affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other unlawful criteria, except where a reasonable Bona Fide Occupational Qualification exists.

Doña Ana County will make reasonable accommodation(s) for the known physical or mental limitations of an applicant with a disability, upon request, unless the accommodation(s) would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the County. Please see http://www.donaanacounty.org/ada/ for our Public Notice and to get the Testing/Interview Accommodation Request Form or call 575-647-7210 for assistance.