Deputy District Attorney II

County of Marin; San Rafael (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Marin is seeking a Deputy District Attorney II to join the District Attorney’s Office. The role focuses on professional legal services in prosecution of criminal and civil matters, advising law enforcement, and preparing cases for jury trial, including misdemeanors and felonies.

The ideal candidate has prosecutorial experience, handles both misdemeanor and felony cases, and maintains high professional standards.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree required with active status in the State Bar of California.
• Minimum one year of progressively responsible experience as a Deputy District Attorney or equivalent.
• Knowledge of criminal and civil law, evidence rules, and trial procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional legal services in preparation and prosecution of criminal and/or civil matters.
• Advise law enforcement on legal/evidentiary issues before complaints.
• Prepare cases for jury trial and prosecute misdemeanor and felony matters.
• Conduct witness interviews and advise complainants and witnesses.
• Draft opinions, pleadings, and briefs; handle writs and appeals as needed.
• Research, write, and litigate pre-trial motions; manage calendars and motions.

Skills

Prosecutorial experience

Trial advocacy

Legal research

Communication

Interviews/witnesses

Judgment/Discretion

Collaboration

Maintains confidentiality

Education

Juris Doctor

Active CA Bar membership

Job description

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.

As a Deputy District Attorney, you play a vital role in protecting public safety, advocating for victims, and ensuring that the law is applied with fairness, integrity, and accountability.

The District Attorney’s Office currently has two (2) full-time, regular hire vacancies at the Deputy District Attorney II level.

This position provides professional legal services in the preparation and prosecution of a variety of criminal and/or civil matters. Specifically, the position:

• Advises law enforcement agencies in legal and evidentiary matters prior to the issuance of a complaint.
• Approves or refuses the issuance of criminal complaints and petitions.
• Assists police officers in drafting affidavits in support of a search warrant.
• Prepares both misdemeanor and felony cases for jury trial and prosecutes these cases.
• Interviews and advises complainants and witnesses.
• Negotiates dispositional offers with defense attorneys.
• Participates in reviews on criminal cases involving immigration and three strike issues.
• Handles criminal court calendars and motions.
• Researches, writes, and litigates pre‑trial motions and does trial work for both misdemeanor and felony trial teams.
• Provides research assistance to attorneys.
• Handles writ and appeal work including conducting hearings in the superior court appellate division, court of appeal, and supreme court.
• Researches and responds to post‑conviction challenges.

Our Highly Qualified Candidate:

The ideal candidate has demonstrated a willingness to perform all aspects of District Attorney legal services and possesses the knowledge and skills to work independently and collaboratively on all assignments, including litigation matters. The ideal candidate has previous prosecutorial experience handling both misdemeanor and felony Driving‑Under‑the‑Influence cases. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of excellent legal service, works respectfully and collaboratively, and develops positive working relationships with colleagues, clients, staff, and court personnel. In addition, the highly qualified candidate has a full range of experience prosecuting criminal cases and has taken jury trials to verdict.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Criminal law and civil law.
• Rules of evidence.
• Trial and court procedures.
• Legal principles and research methods commensurate with the level of experience of the class.
• State and local laws and ordinances.
• Legal research methods.
• Preparation of briefs.
• Standard legal office practices and procedures.
• The duties, powers, and limitations of the District Attorney's office.
• Prosecutorial ethics.
• Discovery obligations.

Ability to:

• Interview a variety of individuals and acquire needed information to determine facts and circumstances.
• Develop effective prosecution strategies.
• Analyze cases and apply legal principles.
• Present statements of law clearly and logically in written and verbal form.
• Present an effective prosecution case in court.
• Employ clear, concise, accurate, effective, sound, independent judgment within established legal, policy, and procedural guidelines.
• Communicate logically and effectively with a diverse group of clients, witnesses, judges, law enforcement officials, other attorneys, and employees of various agencies and departments.
• Demonstrate patience, tact, courtesy, and compassion.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work cooperatively with colleagues to observe the policies and accomplish the goals of the office.
• Recognize and evaluate approaches to situations of a potentially sensitive nature.
• Analyze legal principles and precedents and apply them to complex factual legal problems.
• Draft opinions, pleadings, and briefs.
• Exercise independent judgment, discretion, and initiative, especially in the areas of charging and plea negotiation of criminal violations, and regarding the application of limited law enforcement resources.
• Comply with laws, regulations, and professional practices governing prosecution programs and services.
• Work accurately and swiftly under pressure.
• Travel to locations within and outside of the County to interview individuals, gather information, attend training sessions, and participate in other job related meetings.
• Use standard office equipment, including computers and information systems utilized in the performance of the work.
• Work in a standard office environment.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Honor and respect the rights of victims, witnesses, and defendants alike.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Possession of Juris Doctor Degree.
• Current active membership in the State Bar of California.
• One (1) year of progressively responsible experience as a Deputy District Attorney or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Special Requirements

The selected candidate must pass a background investigation as required for employment in a law enforcement agency.

For any questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Colleen Beck at [e-mail].

All applicants will receive email notifications regarding their status in the recruitment process. Please be sure to check your spam settings to allow our emails to reach you. You may also log into your governmentjobs.com account to view these emails.

Testing and Eligible List

Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination may consist of a highly qualified review, application screening, online assessment, written examination, oral examination, performance examination, or any combination to determine which candidates' names will be placed on the eligible list. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill the current vacancy and any future vacancies for open, fixed‑term, full‑time, or part‑time positions which may occur while the list remains active.

Interview Schedule

First Round Selection Interviews will be held via Zoom the week of August 17th, 2026.

Second Round Selection Interviews will be held in‑person the week of August 24th, 2026.

Disaster Service Workers

All County of Marin employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker‑related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

If you have questions regarding equal employment opportunities, please contact Roger Crawford, Equal Employment Opportunity Director, at 415-473-2095. If you have questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Colleen Beck at [e-mail].