Deputy General Counsel - Agriculture & Conservation

State-of-West-Virgini; West Virginia; On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Deputy General Counsel at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture provides legal services across agency matters, focusing on real property, contracts, and regulatory compliance. You will draft and negotiate agreements, supervise legal instruments, and advise leadership on complex matters.

This role requires at least three years of licensed attorney experience, WV Bar admission within 24 months, and strong writing, research, and litigation skills.

Qualifications

• Graduation from a regionally accredited or ABA-accredited law school.
• At least three years of experience as a licensed attorney.
• Admission to the West Virginia State Bar within 24 months of employment.
• Valid driver’s license and satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts.
• Ensure contracts comply with legal requirements and policies.
• Manage agreement databases, templates, and tracking systems.
• Prepare deeds, easements, deeds of trust, and other legal instruments.
• Conduct real estate closings for land transfers.
• Conduct or assist with administrative hearings.
• Respond to inquiries concerning laws the department enforces.
• Perform legal research on diverse issues including real property, contract, employment, constitutional, administrative, and environmental law.
• Present legal recommendations to boards under the department.
• Coordinate with the WV Attorney General’s Office in litigation matters.
• Perform due diligence on real estate transactions.
• Assist with legislative rulemaking and code changes.
• Provide training and educational seminars on agriculture and conservation matters.

Skills

Real property law

Contract law

Constitutional law

Administrative law

Environmental law

Litigation

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral communication

Confidential information handling

Education

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

Tools

Microsoft Office

Westlaw

Lexis

Job description

The Deputy General Counsel at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture provides legal services across agency matters, focusing on real property, contracts, and regulatory compliance. You will draft and negotiate agreements, supervise legal instruments, and advise leadership on complex matters.

This role requires at least three years of licensed attorney experience, WV Bar admission within 24 months, and strong writing, research, and litigation skills.