Senior Deputy District Counsel

South Coast Air Quality Management District; Diamond Bar (CA); On-site; USD 139,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading environmental regulatory agency in Southern California as a Senior Deputy District Counsel. This role involves tackling significant legal issues within environmental law, providing legal counsel to the agency, and participating in essential litigation processes. Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package and a supportive work environment dedicated to maintaining air quality and community health.

Benefits

Health insurance benefits allowance

Telework Program participation

Comprehensive retirement benefits

Wellness Reimbursement Program

Tuition reimbursement

457 Deferred Compensation Program

Paid sick leave and holidays

Professional licenses reimbursement

Qualifications

• Minimum two years experience as Deputy District Counsel or comparable attorney experience.
• Knowledge or experience in environmental law and administrative hearings is essential.

Responsibilities

• Represents South Coast AQMD in complex administrative and civil proceedings.
• Draft legal documents and provide counsel on legal matters.

Skills

Leadership

Oral presentation

Negotiation

Written communication

Education

Active membership in the State Bar Association of California

Job description

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Senior Deputy District Counsel

• $30,144 annual health insurance benefits allowance
  
  

South Coast Aqmd And Job Overview

EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS!

Senior Deputy District Counsel

Annual Base Salary: $139,014 to $188,422

• $30,144 annual health insurance benefits allowance
  
  

= Annual Base Salary Plus Health Insurance Benefits Allowance: $169,158 to $218,566

(see below for details on Health Insurance Benefits Allowance)

In addition to the excellent annual base salaries, these positions come with a valuable, comprehensive benefits package, including:

Work Schedule

• Four 10-hour days, Tuesday through Friday
  
  

Telework Program

• Eligible to participate in the District's Telework Program
  
  

Insurance Program Cafeteria Plan (medical, dental, vision)

• $2,512 per month in health insurance benefits allowance
• Plus, South Coast AQMD pays an additional fixed monthly amount directly to the insurance companies on your behalf to further buy down the cost of premiums
• Selection of medical, dental, and Basic life insurance coverage for an individual is required
• Cash back paid to the employee for any amount of the monthly allowance not spent on insurance
  
  

Retirement Program with San Bernardino County Employees Retirement Association (SBCERA)

• Defined Benefit Plan
• Lifetime retirement benefit based on a formula, and not how much you have contributed to the plan
• Formula is based on years of service, age, and earnable compensation
• Example formula: 2.5% of earnable compensation at age 67 multiplied by years of service = pension amount

457 Deferred Compensation Program

• South Coast AQMD matches, dollar for dollar, 100% of the employee's contribution, up to $8,800
  
  

Life Insurance

• $5,000 Term Life Insurance (optional additional life insurance, paid by employee, at 1X, 2X or 3X employee's salary)
• $50,000 Term Life/ADD Insurance (Optional coverage paid by employee)
  
  

Wellness Reimbursement Program

• Reimbursement of $300 per calendar year towards the cost of wellness initiatives
  
  

Professional Licenses and Memberships

• Up to $478 for attorney bar dues, and up to $300 per year for other professional membership fees
  
  

South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) is one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated environmental regulatory agencies in the Nation. We serve a four-county region that includes large areas of Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley, which is home to more than 17 million people. South Coast AQMD's headquarters is located in Diamond Bar, 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, at the junction of the 57 and 60 freeways. With a highly diverse "Clean Air Team" of over 850 employees, an annual budget of $211.4 million, and a state-of-the art air quality laboratory, our mission is to ensure clean air and a healthy environment. South Coast AQMD is an organization you can be proud to work for -- we make a difference in the quality of life in Southern California!

South Coast AQMD’s mission requires diverse perspectives, talents, and life experiences to solve some of the most complex technical air quality issues. We are committed to creating and maintaining a work environment that appreciates the unique contributions of our employees and fosters professional development and growth. South Coast AQMD respects the distinct ideas and perspectives of our stakeholders and works to bring them together toward the common goal of clean air.

About The Legal Office And Our Attorneys

Attorneys in the Legal Office prepare and litigate cases against violators of South Coast AQMD regulations; negotiate settlement agreements; represent the agency on matters involving enforcement governing bodies; and provide advice to South Coast AQMD staff on a wide range of enforcement issues and policies. Attorneys review and assist in drafting regulations, environmental documents, and proposed legislation; provide advice on interpretation of South Coast AQMD rules and State and federal laws governing our authority and procedures; represent the agency in defense of major litigation challenging rules, policies, and permits; and initiate litigation challenging other agency action that is adverse to the air quality interest of the agency. Our Legal Office advises South Coast AQMD Governing Board members and staff on civil legal matters pertaining to environmental law, government law, and administrative hearings.

About This Position

Our attorneys face some of the most challenging, cutting-edge legal issues in the environmental field. As such, we are seeking exceptional, motivated candidates to fill multiple vacancies in our Legal office. The vacancies may be filled at either level listed below, depending on the qualifications of the selected candidates.

A Senior Deputy District Counsel performs challenging and complex legal work representing South Coast AQMD in cases involving civil law, administrative law, government law, and environmental regulation; drafts rules and legal documents; evaluates enforcement cases and negotiates civil penalties, advises District staff on legal matters, prepares formal opinions; and does other work as required.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

The general Example of Duties for this classification are highlighted below, for full description of duties please refer to this link here.

• Represents South Coast AQMD in difficult and complex administrative proceedings, both quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative, including background investigation matters and interviewing witnesses.
• Represents South Coast AQMD before the Superior Court, and State and federal agencies.
• Supervises Deputy District Counsels and support personnel; directs investigative personnel in developing and preparing civil and criminal cases for prosecution.
• Interprets South Coast AQMD rules and regulations and prepares both oral and written advisory material for South Coast AQMD management and staff.
• Drafts and reviews, for form and content, South Coast AQMD rules, permits, contracts, leases and other legal documents.
• Confers with and counsels all South Coast AQMD management and staff on legal matters pertaining to the South Coast AQMD operations and obligations.
• Prepares formal opinions, pleadings and other papers in connection with South Coast AQMD litigation.
• Conducts legal research, prepares and litigates cases on South Coast AQMD's behalf, before South Coast AQMD Hearing Board, State and federal courts, and State and federal administrative boards and commissions.
• Assists in the drafting of leases, contracts and other legal instruments.
• When designated, may act for the Principal Deputy District Counsel in the absence of the incumbent.
  
  

Desirable Qualifications

MINIMUM AND DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to the Minimum Qualifications which follow, the most competitively qualified candidates will possess:

• Knowledge and/or experience that is directly transferable to South Coast AQMD’s operations.
• Exceptional leadership, supervisory, oral presentation, negotiation, and written communication skills.
• Significant civil or criminal trial experience, particularly involving prosecution or defense of environmental matters, administrative hearings, and/or handling other environmental litigation.
• Experience working effectively across office or departmental lines to elicit cooperation and accomplish program goals.
• Ability to interact with a wide variety of stakeholders and establish a credible presence when representing agency programs and policies.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Active membership in the State Bar Association of California and admission to practice law in all courts of California is REQUIRED.

Note: If you have recently taken the CA Bar exam and are awaiting results, you may be conditionally qualified pending results. If this applies to you, please indicate so on the supplemental questionnaire.

Experience

Two years of experience in the class of Deputy District Counsel II. -OR- Two years as an attorney representing individuals, organizations, or government in hearings and court proceedings involving governmental regulations, environmental or administrative law.

Knowledge Of

Legal principles; the rules of evidence; the conduct of court proceedings; duties, powers and limitations of governmental agencies; principles of civil and criminal law and their application to governmental agencies in general and South Coast AQMD in particular; methods, procedures and practices used in the conduct of civil and criminal litigation, the preparation of legal instruments; supervisory principles and practices; environmental law, administrative agency practice, and writ practice is highly desirable.

Ability To

Represent South Coast AQMD in hearings and civil cases and before administrative agencies of government; draw up legal documents; advise legal and non-legal staff on legal issues, opinions and practices pertaining to hearings, civil and criminal cases; gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal action; correlate findings and prepare cases; examine and cross-examine witnesses; plan, organize, coordinate and supervise the work of assigned personnel.

Other Important Information

APPLICATION PACKETS MUST INCLUDE:

• A completed employment application covering at least the past 10 years of employment history (or longer if you have other relevant experience), and your entire South Coast AQMD employment history if you are a South Coast AQMD employee.
• Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ). The SQ is a form of written test, and will be evaluated as such. Your responses should be well written, clear, concise, and directly responsive to the question.
• Up to four references which include the names and phone numbers of your present and past supervisors or managers, and/or college professors or persons for whom you have directly provided services, not peers.
• An unofficial copy of your transcripts (or equivalency evaluation if your education was obtained outside the U.S.), documenting all qualifying education claimed, submitted as an attachment to your online application*.
• You MUST submit acceptable documentation for all education claimed on your application. Acceptable documentation consists of an unofficial copy of your transcripts/equivalency evaluation attached to your application. At a later date, candidates under final consideration will be required to arrange for original, official transcripts (or equivalency evaluation, if applicable) to be mailed directly from their college/university to South Coast AQMD, documenting all education claimed on their application.
  
  

Job applications must be completely filled out. A resume cannot be substituted for the required information. Be sure to detail any education, training or other relevant coursework that would make you a particularly strong candidate.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Application packages, including responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire, will first be screened, and the most competitively qualified candidates will be invited to the next step of the process, which may include a writing exercise, oral assessment and/or panel interview. (Please note that exams/interviews may be conducted remotely).

Those who advance to the oral assessment and/or panel interviews will be required to submit verification of current California State Bar membership and writing samples prior to the date of the interview.

Only those who demonstrate they are among the most competitively qualified, at each successive step of the selection process, will be advanced to the next step. (Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to the next step.)

Following the assessment process, an unranked eligible list, in alphabetical order, is expected to be created, from which current and future vacancies may be filled, during the 6-12 month life of the list.

Important note for potential candidates who do not have the continued and unrestricted right to work full time in the United States:If you currently, or will in the future, require sponsorship (i.e., H1-B Visa) in order to maintain your right to work in the United States, you are welcome to participate in this recruitment process, but there is no guarantee that a job offer with the requested sponsorship will be made to you.

South Coast AQMD reserves the right to add, delete, and modify any elements of the selection process as deemed appropriate, based on the number and quality of applicants at each step.

Candidates who may need accommodations during the selection process must call the Human Resources Department at least one week prior to any test dates.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the Human Resources Department at [phone].

Management Employee Benefit Overview

BENEFIT

Description

Monthly Benefit Allotment

$2,060.00 to purchase medical, dental, and life insurance, with unused portion paid to you as cash. Your insurance coverage becomes effective on the first of the month following completion of 30 days of continuous service. Dependent children may be covered to age 26 on medical, dental and vision plans.

Medical Health Plans

Blue Shield PPO

Blue Shield PPO Savings Plus 2250 (High Deductible Plan)

Blue Shield HMO

Kaiser HMO

Kaiser HSA HMO 1500 (High Deductible Plan)

Dental Plans

Delta Dental PPO (without orthodontic benefits)

Delta Dental PPO (with orthodontic benefits for children only)

DeltaCare (PMI) Dental

Vision Plan

EyeMed – Optional

Life Insurance

$5,000 Term Life Insurance

(Optional additional life insurance, paid by you, at 1X, 2X, or 3X your salary)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Claremont EAP, powered by Uprise Health. EAP benefits are available to all employees and their families at no cost. EAP offers confidential advice, support and practical solutions to real-life issues. Services include: confidential therapy, 24-hour crisis help and online peer support groups.

Term Life/Accidental Death & Dismemberment

$50,000 coverage paid by South Coast AQMD

(Additional optional coverage paid by you)

Long-Term Disability Coverage

Paid by South Coast AQMD

Employee-Paid Long-Term Care Plan

Optional

Section 125

Optional Plans (Medical Reimbursement; Dependent Care)

Work Schedule

Four 10-hour days, Tuesday through Friday

Vacation

80 hours per year, increasing to 120 in years two through five

Holidays

13 paid holidays per year

Sick Leave

100 hours per year

Other Leaves

Bereavement; Jury Duty; Military; Witness

Professional Licenses & Memberships

Reimbursed up to $300 per year; $478 for attorney bar dues

Wellness Reimbursement Program

Reimbursed up to $300 per year towards the cost of wellness initiatives

Salary Continuation Plan

Eligible after one year of service

Tuition Reimbursement

Reimbursed up to $5,000 per year

Deferred Compensation (457 Plan)

South Coast AQMD matches, dollar for dollar, 100% of your regular contribution, up to $8,800. South Coast AQMD matching contribution will be paid to your 401(a) plan.

Retirement

2.5% @ 67 defined benefit plan – Applies to employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who, at time of hire, were not members of the San Bernardino County Employees' Retirement Association (SBCERA) or another public employee retirement system through which reciprocity may be established.

2.0% @ 55 defined benefit plan – Applies to employees who, prior to January 1, 2013, were active members of SBCERA or another public employee retirement system through which reciprocity may be established.

Employees pay only the Medicare portion of Social Security.

01/01/2024

01

Are you an active member of the State Bar of California?

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

If you are not an active member of the State Bar of California, indicate how you will meet this requirement on or before your start date, if you were selected.

• I have recently taken the California Bar Examination and I am awaiting the results
• I am an inactive member, not under suspension, and may be enrolled as an active member upon written request to the State Bar of California
• I will not be able to meet this requirement
• Not applicable
  
  

03

Describe your civil or criminal trial experience, highlighting any experience involving prosecution or defense of environmental matters, administrative hearings, and/or other environmental litigation.

04

Describe the most complex case or matter you have experienced in your legal employment history. Include details on what made it complex, your role in the process, and the outcome.

05

Why are you interested in working for the South Coast Air Quality Management District?

• Required Question

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Legal

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