Description:
Office of General Counsel
Annual Salary, Attorney III: $133,371 - $199,901
Annual Salary, Attorney IV: $146,708 - $219,891
Exempt/Non-Union Represented
About the Office
The Office of General Counsel is in-house counsel to the State Bar, providing a full range of services, including representation of the Bar in all state and federal courts and before administrative agencies; advocacy of Bar discipline and admission cases in the California Supreme Court; and, providing legal advice to the State Bar Board of Trustees, and all State Bar entities, executives, and programmatic clients.?
OGC provides legal advice and representation in the following areas: admissions and discipline, antitrust, Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, bankruptcy, California Public Records Act, collections, contracts, copyright, governance, labor and employment, legislation, regulations and rules, real estate, regulatory work, and general corporate matters.?
The Ideal Candidate
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) seeks an attorney with a minimum of four (4) years of progressively more responsible experience in litigation, legal advice work, and/or in a specialized area of law. This role will deal with an array of complex matters with multiple stakeholders with the expectation of producing favorable results. This role will also review closures of disciplinary complaints filed against attorneys but does not handle attorney discipline proceedings in State Bar Court. The ideal candidate will be ready to work in a fast-paced, public environment with cross-functional teams that advises the State Bar Board of Trustees, committees, and staff in administrative and civil trial and appellate litigation, and transactional work in substantive areas.
Definition
Under direction, the Attorney III/IV performs legal work, including the identification of legal issues; recommendations of appropriate action; resolution of legal problems; interpretation and application of laws, rules, regulations, and other legal authorities. The Attorney III/IV also performs legal research; analyzes and prepares opinions, legal documents, memoranda, handles assigned litigation and takes lead responsibility in case/project management presentations. The Attorney III/IV analyzes and prepares opinions, legal documents, and memoranda; and may participate in the formulation, determination, and effectuation of management policies of the State Bar.
Examples of Essential Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Maintains close working relationships with Management, subject matter supervisors, and members of the team to which they are assigned in performing the duties and responsibilities of the position.
- Coordinates the work of other staff necessary to perform assigned responsibilities and may participate in the training of other personnel.
- Handles complex matters, with the expectation of producing favorable results.
- Handles litigation matters, including responding to complaints, propounding and responding to discovery, substantive motions, and hearings, up to and including trial.
- Conducts “second look” reviews of complaints filed against attorneys that have been closed by the Office of Chief Trial Counsel without taking any action, and determining whether to recommend further actions with respect to such complaints.
- Studies, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities that are more complex than those handled by Attorney IIs and is responsible for the preparation of legal documents, pleadings, memoranda, reports, opinions, and other materials.
- Prepares for and completes cases, projects, presentations, and other assignments of a more complex nature.
- Coordinates with other attorneys, volunteers, and other constituencies as assigned.
- Ensures the adequate, effective, and timely preparation, presentation, and completion of investigations, cases, and/or legal projects assigned.
- Keeps informed and assures that subordinate staff is informed concerning the applicable law, rules, procedures, policies, and practices relating to their function.
- May participate in the effectuation and/or formulation of management policy and represents and counsels’ management with respect to human resources issues.
- Evaluates administrative problems and procedures and recommends solutions and or alternative methods or procedures.
- Assumes a senior-level role in advising management in the effectuation and/or formulation of management policy.
- Provides substantive and procedural guidance to lower-level Attorneys.
- Provides direction to, and reviews the work of, non-attorney staff.
- May perform a number of other similar or related duties which may not be specifically included within this position description, but which are consistent with the general level of the job and the responsibilities described.
Employment Standards
Knowledge of:
- Substantive knowledge of law, rules, decisions, practices, and procedures of the State Bar, California Supreme Court, State Bar Court, and California Legislature.
- Substantive knowledge of effective investigation techniques, case management, and presentation of matters to administrative bodies.
- Scope and character of federal and California statutory law and provisions of the federal and California constitutions.
- Rules of evidence and conduct of proceedings in trial and appellate courts in California.
- Rules and procedures related to public hearings.
- Principles of effective work coordination and strong case/project management.
- Advanced analytical skills.
- Principles of effective time management.
- Principles of oral advocacy.
- Strong writing and oral communication skills.
- Advanced legal research and preparation of reports, briefs opinions, and pleadings.
- Principles of conflict resolution.
- Knowledge of the rules and regulations governing the practice of law in the State of California.
Ability to:
- Receive and relay detailed information through verbal and written communications.
- Conduct legal research using computer technology and traditional library resources.
- Work under the pressure of short deadlines.
- Effectively address conflict.
- Review and analyze complex written documents.
- Obtain and present material in oral and/or written form.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education:
Successful completion of a Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited law school.
Experience:
- Minimum of four (4) years of progressively more responsible experience in litigation and/or legal advice work demonstrating the knowledge and skills necessary for this position.
- Demonstrated verifiable reputation for integrity and no history of disciplinary offenses as an attorney or in any other capacity.
- Applicants who meet the Minimum Qualifications will be required to successfully complete the State Bar’s selection process for this classification.
License, Certificate, Registration Requirements:
Must be an active member, in good standing, in the State Bar of California.
Condition of Employment:
Employment with the State Bar of California requires full vaccination and proof of full vaccination for COVID-19 before starting work. Exemptions to the mandatory vaccination policy may be available for a medical condition, disability, or sincerely held religious belief and must be approved before starting work
