Managing Attorney - Legal Research

Superior Court of California, County of Ventura; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Superior Court of California, County of Ventura seeks a Managing Attorney - Legal Research to lead the Legal Research Department, supervise research attorneys, and ensure timely, well-reasoned research and memos for judicial officers. This role involves planning workload, coordinating with court leadership, and training staff.

The position emphasizes independence, adherence to professional standards, and participation in long-range planning.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of legal principles and precedents
• Proficiency in legal research methods and techniques
• Ability to supervise and train staff
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee the Legal Research Department.
• Plan, organize, assign, monitor, and evaluate work of subordinate attorneys.
• Perform legal research as needed and ensure quality and timeliness of work product.
• Coordinate with judicial officers and executive staff to meet research needs.
• Recruit, train, and evaluate staff; develop cross-training programs.

Skills

Legal research

Supervisory skills

Staff training

Legal writing

Education

Licensed California attorney

Job description

The Legal Research Department of the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura provides quality and timely legal research and services to the judicial officers of the Superior Court. Under the general direction of the General Counsel/PIO of Legal Services, the Managing Attorney - Legal Research is responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the Legal Research Department, including overseeing the performance and training of legal research attorneys and other work as required.

This is a one position classification. The Managing Attorney is responsible for assuring the completeness, quality and timeliness of all legal research and work product prepared by the Legal Research Department for the Superior Court; monitoring the performance of an allocating assignments among the Legal Research Department attorneys to ensure they are efficient, effective and responsive in meeting judicial needs for well-reasoned and timely legal research and work product; coordination with judicial officers and executive staff to ensure that all research needs are met; and directing, training, and evaluating subordinate attorneys. In addition, the Managing Attorney participates administratively in Superior Court short- and long-range planning. The Managing Attorney's work is performed with considerable independence and discretion, subject to professional standards, Rules of Court, the policies of the judicial officers served and direction of the General Counsel/PIO of Legal Services and Court Administration. The Managing Attorney may be called upon to perform other duties as assigned.

Responsibilities:

• Under the direction of the General Counsel/PIO of Legal Services, direct and oversee the Legal Research Department of the Superior Court.
• Plan, organize, assign, monitor, review and evaluate the work of subordinate research attorneys performing legal research assignments to ensure completeness, accuracy, and adherence to professional standards.
• Perform legal research assignments.
• Plan, organize, assign, monitor, and adjust the legal research workload distribution as needed.
• Supervise the training of staff regarding sources and methods of legal research on law and motion and appellate cases, and on policies of the Legal Research Department and individual judicial officers served.
• Maximizing the Court's case management system and data to ensure the unit is working efficiently.
• Confer with judicial officers regarding legal research assignments.
• Receive instructions and makes recommendations regarding unusual factors, problems, research needs, and work priorities related to current and pending cases.
• Answer judicial officers' questions regarding research memos submitted.
• Formulate and recommend to the judicial officers, Court Administration and the General Counsel/PIO of Legal Services policies and procedural changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the Legal Research Department.
• Evaluate the performance of subordinates and provides guidance and counseling on research methods and skill development.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of new research staff.
• Develop and carry out a cross-training program for all staff.
• Assist in reviewing current space needs and participates in short- and long-range space planning for the Court.

• Assist Clerk’s Office with questions related to filing of documents.
• Assist the Court’s General Counsel/Director of Legal Services with administrative legal matters and other related attorney services duties as needed.
• Provide assistance to the judicial officers and Court Administration on administrative legal matters, as needed, when the Court’s General Counsel/PIO of Legal Services is absent.

Knowledge of:

• Legal principles and precedents and their application, especially with regard to law and motion and appellate matters
• Legal research methods and techniques
• The use of legal reference works, including case law and statutory law
• Legal terms and procedures
• Trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence
• Supervisory principles, methods, and practices

Abilities to:

• Meet deadlines and manage competing priorities
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships in a diverse workforce to relate well to people from varied backgrounds
• Maintain flow and quality of work in the department
• Supervise the work of a group of attorneys
• Plan, organize, coordinate, and direct the activities of the legal research staff
• Train, supervise, and evaluate legal research staff
• Formulate and implement project objectives and priorities, consistent with court interests
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, in order to coordinate activities with judicial officers, subordinate staff, and other administrative staff
• Present statements of facts, law, and arguments clearly, concisely, and logically in written and verbal form
• Analyze and interpret legal problems and apply legal principles and precedent to a particular set of facts

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Education, training and experience which clearly demonstrate possession of the knowledge and skills listed above. The minimum education, training and experience which would likely provide the requisite knowledge and skills would be five years of experience as an attorney in the State of California, including at least two years’ experience in performing complex legal research. Prior experience as a court research attorney is preferred.

Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California is always required prior to appointments and thereafter.

Physical Requirements with or without accommodation:

Ability to operate a personal computer and its peripherals

IMPORTANT RECRUITMENT INFORMATION

DEADLINE DATE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2026 . Review Dates: November 6, 13, and 20, 2026.
APPLICATION EVALUATION: All applications received will be evaluated based on the requirements of the position. A comparative screening will be conducted to determine which of the applicants will be selected for invitation to the next step of the screening and selection process. Those individuals who are invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process will be contacted via the email address they provided in their application.
SELECTION INTERVIEW: Following the evaluation of the applications, the most qualified candidates may be invited to a selection interview with the hiring executive and/or members of the court executive management team.TBD
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants must possess the personal qualifications generally recognized as essential to being an outstanding public employee, including integrity, initiative, dependability, courtesy, good judgment, and the ability to work with others as a team and follow instructions.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Working in any of the Ventura Superior Court facilities requires employees to be subject to security screening by security personnel who use a combination of walk-through and handheld screening devices.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Applicants may be subjected to a thorough background investigation, which may include personal and professional character references, inquiry into past employment, education, credit, criminal background and depending on the position, may include driving records. Please note that the pre-employment background process will include any interaction you may have from the application process through the time that you are provided a final offer of employment. Offer of employment may be rescinded at any time during the pre-employment background check process if the process determines that the applicant is not a good fit for the position.