Assistant County Counsel

County of Monterey, CA; Salinas (CA); On-site; USD 233,000 - 318,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Monterey, CA is seeking an Assistant County Counsel to support the Office of the County Counsel. The role involves advising County officials, supervising staff, and handling complex civil and administrative matters for the County and its agencies.

Promotional Only recruitment; requires valid CA Bar membership by hire and the ability to manage a heavy caseload with leadership responsibilities at the executive level.

Qualifications

• Requires CA State Bar membership by date of hire.
• Experience leading a county counsel office or public agency legal division preferred.
• Strong knowledge of civil, constitutional and administrative law and CA procedural rules.
• Ability to supervise staff and manage heavy caseloads.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning, organizing, and directing the work of the County Counsel’s office.
• Represent the County in meetings with boards, commissions, and public agencies.
• Direct a major legal division, assign cases, manage workload, supervise staff.
• Review legal documents, briefs, contracts, ordinances, and other instruments.
• Provide legal advice to County officials on complex issues; attend meetings.
• Prepare legal opinions; draft contracts, ordinances, leases, and resolutions.
• Represent the County in civil litigation and administrative hearings.

Skills

Computer skills

Administration

Legal analysis

Staff leadership

Drafting

Legal advisory

Relationship building

Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Licensed to practice law in California

Job description

Assistant County Counsel

Application Filing Deadline: Sunday, November 1, 2026

Exam #: P26/12C38/10GM

$ 233,153 – $ 318,439 Annually

The County of Monterey Office of the County Counsel serves as the in‑house legal counsel for the County of Monterey, Board of Supervisors, and all County officers, departments, agencies, boards, and commissions, as well as liaison and support to the Civil Grand Jury. In addition to providing legal advice, the Office represents the County in civil and special litigation in state and federal courts, various administrative proceedings, and coordinates the services of outside legal counsel. The Office of the County Counsel consists of four divisions: General Government, Litigation, Land Use and Risk Management.

The Office seeks qualified applicants to apply for the position of Assistant County Counsel. This is an At‑Will executive management position, and the incumbent is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

This is a Promotional Only recruitment; open only to current regular County of Monterey employees and former employees whose names currently appear on a Recall List.

The Eligible List established by this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies on a regular full‑time, part‑time, or temporary basis.

• Assists the County Counsel and Chief Assistant County Counsel in planning, organizing, and directing the work of the County Counsel’s office; participates in selection of staff.
• Acts for the County Counsel in the absence of the County Counsel and Chief Assistant County Counsel or at their direction; represents the County Counsel in meetings of boards, commissions, other County agencies, local, state, and federal agencies, and the public; performs reviews and analyses of policy and operational issues.
• Directs the work of a major legal division in the office; assigns cases, manages workload, supervises and evaluates the work of staff attorneys; provides guidance and advice to attorneys on complex legal issues, coordinates policy application within assigned division and with other divisions as necessary.
• Reviews legal documents, briefs, pleadings, legal opinions, contracts, MOU’s, leases, ordinances, and other legal instruments.
• Act as legal advisor to County officials on complex legal issues; develops and gives legal advice on issues of major significance on County programs and operations; attends meetings of boards and commissions and gives oral and written legal advice and counsel.
• Prepares legal opinions and briefs; motions, drafts contracts, ordinances, leases, resolutions, and other legal instruments; researches and interprets laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities.
• Represents the County in civil litigation, administrative hearings, and other legal proceedings; Attends and argues matters at court hearings related to pleadings, motions, and discovery; conducts legal research and prepares written and oral arguments.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

Will have a proven track record demonstrating the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Thorough knowledge of:

• Principles and application of civil, constitutional and administrative law and of California and federal civil procedures, particularly as it relates to county government, and other public agency law.
• Principles, methods and materials of legal research and writing.
• The rules of evidence, discovery practice, and appellate practice.
• Those areas of law directly affecting public entities and their operation, and public officials and employees and their rights, duties, and responsibilities.
• Principles and methods of management and supervision.

Working knowledge of:

• Administration of governmental tort claims, public liability, and/or Workers’ Compensation claims.
• The rules of evidence, discovery practice, and appellate practice.
• Federal and California labor, employment, and equal employment opportunity law.
• State and federal laws relating to civil litigation and land use planning.
• California Code of Civil Procedure, including rules governing pleadings, motions, discovery, and trial practice.

Skill and ability to:

• Use a computer for case management, to prepare reports and enter and retrieve information.
• Assist in the administration and management of a government law office.
• Analyze, appraise and organize facts, evidence, and precedents and present such materials clearly and concisely either in oral or in written, legal form.
• Plan, organize, and direct the work of legal and support staff.
• Draft legal instruments such as ordinances, resolutions, Board Orders, Joint Powers Agreements, and contracts.
• Analyze and appraise a variety of legal documents and instruments and give sound legal advice or devise appropriate plan of action.
• Establish and maintain confidential relationships with County Department Heads and members of the Board of Supervisors.
• Develop and maintain cooperative work relationships both within the County Counsel’s Office and with those contacted within the course and scope of work.

Any combination of training, education and/or experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities and required conditions of employment is qualifying. An example of a way these requirements might be acquired is:

Experience:

Two years’ of experience as Chief Deputy County Counsel with County of Monterey; or three years of increasingly responsible experience with a public agency in the appropriate legal specialty at a level comparable to a Chief Deputy County Counsel in the County of Monterey; or five years of increasingly responsible experience in a county counsel’s office, city attorney’s office, or other civil public law office as a managing supervisor or senior attorney; or a combination thereof.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Possess a valid California Class C driver license at the time of appointment and possess and maintain a satisfactory driving record or provide evidence of suitable transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.
• Be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during times of disaster and/or emergency; travel out of County to attend meetings.
• Independently manage a heavy caseload/workload which may require extra hours of work.
• Pursuant to Section 6060 of the Business and Professions Code, current, valid membership in the California State Bar is required by date of hire.

BENEFITS

The County of Monterey offers an excellent benefits package. This information is not legally binding, nor does it serve as a contract. The benefits listed in the Monterey County Personnel Policies and Practices Resolution or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) prevail over this listing.

NOTES

• As a condition of employment, prospective employees may be required to submit to a background review which may include a review of information concerning present and/or prior employment, driving record, and record of any criminal convictions
• Employment is contingent upon acceptable documentation verifying identity and authorization for employment in the U.S.; a list of acceptable documents is available on the USCIS Form I-9
• If you are hired into this classification in a temporary position, your rate of pay will be hourly, and you will not be eligible for the benefits listed in the summary

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

The County of Monterey is a drug‑free workplace and an equal opportunity employer. The County seeks candidates who can make contributions in an environment of cultural and ethnic diversity. The County of Monterey is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Gabriela Munoz, HR Analyst, at [e-mail] or at [phone].