Attorney II – Labor & Employment Unit

Judicial Branch of California; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health / Dental / Vision benefits

14 paid holidays per year

CalPERS Retirement Plan

401(k) and 457 deferred compensation

Job summary

The Judicial Council of California's Legal Services office seeks an attorney to join its dynamic team, providing legal support to judicial branch clients on challenging employment and labor issues. The attorney will independently manage a workload in a collegial environment and may collaborate across practice groups.

Candidates should have a J.D. and at least three years of post-bar experience, active California Bar membership, and substantial experience in labor or employment law.

Qualifications

• Juris doctor and three years of relevant post-bar legal experience as a practicing attorney.
• Current active membership with the State Bar of California prior to hire.
• Desirable: substantial experience in labor and/or employment law.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and support to judicial branch clients on complex employment and labor issues.
• Work across practice groups to draft opinions, staff advisory bodies, draft rules of court and legislation, and manage litigation.
• Support other Legal Services units as needed based on experience and workload.
• May work with the Judicial Council’s policy and operations teams to advance access to justice.

Skills

Legal writing

Legal research

Oral advocacy

Public speaking

Time management

Teamwork

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

The Legal Services office of the Judicial Council of California provides quality, timely, and ethical legal advice and services to the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, trial courts, Judicial Council, and the Judicial Council’s advisory bodies and staff. Legal Services is currently searching for an attorney to join its dynamic law office that provides legal support to judicial branch clients on challenging, varied, and significant legal issues. The attorney will have meaningful experience in general employment and labor law. The attorney will independently manage a workload in a collegial environment and may work across practice groups to serve judicial branch clients.

Attorneys within the Legal Services office often support the work of units other than their primary assignment. Depending upon experience, the attorney who fills this position may be called upon to work with other Legal Services units to provide written legal opinions, staff advisory bodies, draft rules of court and legislation, and manage litigation.

The Judicial Council

The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.

By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council’s staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work-life balance, including substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package, including pension, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, student loan forgiveness as part of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and retirement savings plans. In San Francisco, the office is only a 7-minute walk from the Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader’s direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations. To be eligible for Judicial Council employment and participation in the Judicial Council’s Hybrid Work Program, a prospective or current employee’s primary residence/remote work location must be in the State of California and within a 150-mile driving radius of their assigned reporting location.

Some highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• FlexElect Program
• Pretax Parking
• Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Juris doctor, and three (3) years of relevant post-bar legal experience as a practicing attorney. After passing a state bar, work experience as a Law Clerk to a federal or state judge prior to formal bar admission will be considered qualifying experience.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS

Current active membership with the State Bar of California prior to hire.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Substantial experience in labor and/or employment law;
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, negotiating, and public speaking skills;
• Exceptional legal research, writing, and analysis abilities; and
• Experience in or with the public sector.

SKILLS

• Excellent critical thinking, problem solving capabilities, and judgment;
• Superior communication, interpersonal, diplomacy, and public speaking skills;
• Ability to present issues and advocate positions clearly, concisely, and logically;
• Ability to manage workloads, coordinate deadlines, and prioritize competing demands;
• Ability to work autonomously while being a team player with a positive and enthusiastic attitude;
• Ability to listen to and consider different points of view;
• Ability to build consensus and resolve conflicts; and
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships.

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and/or ordinances, particularly in labor and employment law;
• Principles and practices of California and federal labor and employment law;
• Principles and methods of legal research (including electronic research) and analysis;
• Principles and methods of legal writing and editing;
• Principles and methods of litigation management; and
• Principles and practices of civil procedure, constitutional law, and administrative law.