Description:

About the Position:
The expected salary ranges for this role on hire are:
Assistant County Attorney I: $77,738 - $104,639

Assistant County Attorney II: $88,406 - $129,827

Assistant County Attorney III: $108,687 - $164,999

Who We Are:
The Office of the County Attorney provides legal advice and representation to all County departments, agencies, instrumentalities, boards, and commissions, including the County Council, and all their employees. A full description of the Office's work is available here (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cat/index.html). The Office also provides legal defense for cases involving Montgomery County and other governmental entities which participate in the Montgomery County Self-Insurance Program (including the Board of Education for Montgomery County, Montgomery College, and the Housing Opportunities Commission) and all their employees.

Who we are looking for:
The Office of the County Attorney seeks an attorney for its Division of Health & Human Services, which provides legal advice and representation to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

What You'll Be Doing:
The attorney will provide general counsel and litigation support to DHHS. The attorney will represent DHHS before administrative judges, state trial and juvenile courts in Family Law and related cases, including Child In Need of Assistance (CINA), Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), and Adult Guardianship matters. General counsel practice areas include Public Health; HIPAA compliance and privacy; Services to End & Prevent Homelessness; Aging & Disability Services; Children, Youth & Family Services; Behavioral Health & Crisis Services.

Duties include:
  • Performing legal review and research, trying cases, performing legal office and court work.
  • Determining alternative courses of legal action and the impact and recommending choices.
  • Effectively presenting and arguing cases in court, before administrative agencies, and in public hearings and forums.
  • Dealing tactfully, courteously, and effectively with people.

Minimum Qualifications:
Education - Graduation from an accredited university school of law

Membership in the Maryland State Bar, or, membership in the bar of any other state in the U.S. in which case Maryland State Bar Membership must be obtained during the probationary period

Experience:
  • At the Assistant County Attorney I level, Grade 24: One (1) year of post degree experience as a law clerk or in a similar capacity.
  • At the Assistant County Attorney II level, Grade 27: Two (2) years of professional experience as an attorney, including trial experience.

At the Assistant County Attorney III level, Grade 32: Thorough (four (4) years) experience as an attorney, including some specialized (one (1) year) experience involving either local government law or civil litigation in juvenile courts.

Equivalency - None

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Referred List, and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade or higher will be placed on the Referred List as a “Transfer” candidate and may be considered for an interview.

Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
Trial skills and experience
  • Knowledge of juvenile and/or local government law
  • Organization skills
  • Ability to cope with exposure to difficult subject matter, including child abuse and elder abuse.
  • Ability to deal with people effectively in difficult circumstances.