Legal Unit Supervisor

California Department of Industrial Relations; Santa Barbara (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Industrial Relations seeks an Attorney Supervisor under the Assistant Chief Counsel to lead a team of attorneys and legal staff in interpreting and enforcing employment and labor law across the state, supporting Wage Claims Adjudication and policy initiatives. The role requires coordinating with the Chief Counsel, directing daily operations, and ensuring efficient workflows.

A hybrid work environment is expected, with travel to district offices as needed.

Qualifications

• Active membership to the California State Bar is required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and supervise a team of attorneys and legal staff interpreting and enforcing employment and labor law provisions across the state.
• Coordinate with the Chief Counsel and ACCs to plan, direct, and review work in the Legal Office.
• Ensure efficient workflow, accuracy, and responsiveness to special requests and high-visibility matters.
• Support the Wage Claims Adjudication Unit and related policy initiatives and strategic priorities.

Education

Active California State Bar membership

Job description

Job Description And Duties

Under the general direction of the Assistant Chief Counsel (ACC), the Attorney Supervisor is responsible for the management and oversight of a team of Attorneys responsible for interpreting and enforcing provisions of employment and labor law compliance and enforcement across the state and in support of the Wage Claims Adjudication Unit and related policy initiatives and strategic priorities of the Labor Commissioner’s Office. The attorney supervisor, in coordination with the Chief Counsel and other ACC’s, plans, directs, coordinates, and reviews the work of the Labor Commissioner Office’s legal staff, including attorneys, legal analysts, and other legal support staff, and helps oversee the day-to-day operations of the Legal Office. The Attorney Supervisor will assist the ACC and ensure direct managerial support and oversight is in place to improve the coordination and efficiency of the workflow, mitigate errors or oversights of pertinent information, and allow the completion and attention to special requests or escalated requests that may receive media attention. Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please.

Working Conditions

The recruitment is being conducted to fill 1 vacancy, which may be filled at any of the following locations listed below:

• Santa Barbara
• Los Angeles JC-517921
• Bakersfield JC-517928

The incumbent will have responsibilities across program offices and may be redirected to oversee other offices. Extensive travel will be required. The incumbent will work in an office setting. Travel as required to assigned district offices. Travel may be via land or air and may require overnight stay. This position may require working irregular hours. The incumbent will have a hybrid work environment including in-person and remote work consistent with operational needs and may work in a high-rise office building. The incumbent will be required to sit for long periods of time while in the office and/or while driving to and from field activities. Travel may be via land or air and may require overnight stay. The incumbent will have access to a state vehicle, laptop computer, printer, cellular phone, and other equipment necessary to stay in touch with the assigned field offices and their staff. The assigned state vehicle will be parked at a departmental-designated location. The incumbent will also traverse various ground surfaces and/or buildings while managing between 2- 5 lbs of equipment (laptop or tablet, and chargers) while out in the field training field staff.

Special Requirements

Active membership to the California State Bar

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation. It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.