County Attorney

Virginia Bar As; Harrisonburg (VA); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Virginia Retirement System (VRS)

Life insurance

457(b) plan

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Flexible spending accounts

Paid time off

Job summary

Rockingham County seeks an experienced legal leader to serve as County Attorney, the chief civil legal officer for the organization, providing strategic counsel to the Board of Supervisors and County leadership, and guiding procurement, contracts, and land use matters.

The role involves litigation oversight, advice on growth and development issues, and coordination with various departments, with a focus on transparent, legally grounded public service.

Qualifications

• Requires Juris Doctor degree from ABA-accredited law school.
• Must be licensed to practice law in Virginia with good standing in the Virginia bar; admission can be facilitated if needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to Board of Supervisors, County Administrator, department heads, and boards/commissions.
• Oversee ordinances, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal instruments for the County.
• Manage litigation oversight and coordinate with outside counsel on specialized matters (bond, labor, construction, etc.).
• Advise on land use, development, and regulatory matters; support governance and FOIA/COIA and Public Records compliance.

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Rockingham County seeks an experienced legal leader to serve as its County Attorney, the chief civil legal officer for the organization. The County Attorney provides legal advice to the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrator, department heads, and County boards, commissions, and agencies, while also serving as parliamentarian to the Board. This role combines strategic counsel, technical legal expertise, and day-to-day operational leadership in support of a large and growing local government.

The position carries substantial responsibility across core areas of county government. The County Attorney prepares ordinances, deeds, contracts, agreements, leases, franchises, releases, and related legal instruments on behalf of the County, and ensures the codification and publication of adopted ordinances. The role supports compliance with County legal policies and reviews contractual documents while also guiding procurement, personnel, and administrative matters.

The County Attorney also serves as counsel in areas that directly affect growth, development, and public trust. The position works closely with the Department of Community Development, Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, and Subdivision Agent; brings injunction and abatement actions to enforce zoning regulations and violations of county code; assists in the sale, purchase, financing, and lease of public property; and handles matters involving title examinations, closings, and eminent domain proceedings. In a county experiencing continued growth, this work places the attorney at the center of land use and development issues with lasting community impact.

The role also includes litigation oversight and external coordination. The County Attorney manages potential, threatened, and actual litigation, represents the County when appropriate, and coordinates with outside counsel in specialized areas such as bond matters, labor and employment, construction law, and annexation defense. The position serves as liaison with insurance counsel when the County or its officers or employees are sued for covered acts or omissions, prosecutes delinquent tax suits, and conducts property sales for delinquent taxes. In addition, the County Attorney monitors state and federal legislation affecting local governments, advises County leadership on local impacts, and helps shape the County’s response to legal and regulatory change.

The County Attorney is an also an external facing position that responds to inquiries from residents when appropriate, provides training to elected officials, staff, and board and commission members, and supports governance practices involving the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, the State and Local Government Conflicts of Interest Act, or COIA, and the Virginia Public Records Act. The successful candidate will be both a trusted internal advisor and a visible representative of sound, transparent, and legally grounded public service.

The County Attorney’s Office is a small but high-impact department with countywide reach. The County Attorney supervises eight employees, including seven full-time employees and one part-time Administrative Assistant, underscoring both the leadership responsibilities of the role and the office’s direct service model. The current fiscal year department budget is $1.45 million.

The office provides legal counsel across a broad portfolio that includes governance, contracts, procurement, land use, zoning enforcement, litigation management, public records, employment matters, tax enforcement, real estate transactions, and legislative monitoring. The office also serves as legal counsel for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Department of Social Services, adding an additional layer of intergovernmental and subject-matter complexity. The position requires regular attendance at Board meetings and ongoing coordination with County leadership and operating departments.

Compensation and Benefits

The hiring salary range for the County Attorney is $175,000 to $225,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Relocation assistance is provided.

Rockingham County offers a competitive benefits package that includes

• participation in the Virginia Retirement System, or VRS
• life insurance
• a 457(b) plan
• medical coverage
• dental coverage
• vision coverage
• additional optional life insurance
• flexible spending accounts
• discounted wellness memberships at local fitness centers
• optional supplemental insurance coverage
• flexible work arrangements
• an attractive paid time off program

Required Experience:

Candidates should hold a Juris Doctor from an American Bar Association-accredited law school and be licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with membership in good standing with the Virginia bar, or the County will work with the successful candidate to facilitate Virginia bar admission. The County seeks sufficient experience in the practice of law to perform the full scope of the position successfully, and three to five years of service as legal counsel in the public sector is preferred.