Closing Date: 19th December, 2025

Description:

Job Description and Duties:
Do you love litigation and want more trial experience? Are you committed to serving the people of the State of California? Are you interested in defending the operations of over 100 critical state agencies?

As part of our Employment Law Section practice group of the California Department of Justice, you will handle challenges involving the Fair Employment and Housing Act, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, California Family Rights Act, and the Whistleblower Protection Act, among others.

ELS deputy duties include:

Independently handling all aspects of complex civil employment cases, including drafting and arguing motions, interviewing witnesses, conducting and defending depositions and other discovery, preparing and arguing summary judgment motions, expert discovery, and preparing for trial
Handling jury and bench trials
Handling contested administrative evidentiary hearings before the State Personnel Board
Defending agency administrative actions against petitions for writs of mandamus
Drafting appellate briefs and arguing before the Courts of Appeal and Ninth Circuit
Obtaining work safety and gun violence restraining orders
Communicating with clients, including providing detailed case analyses and recommendations
Providing training, guidance, and advice to state agencies on a variety of employment and personnel matters
Communicating with judges, court staff, juries, and witnesses
Working cooperatively, professionally, and effectively with colleagues, opposing counsel, and clients

All applicants must reside in California and be active members in good standing of the California State Bar.

Candidates can choose to delay their start date to after the beginning of the year, if desired.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions:
ELS deputies may largely choose to telework or come into the office, at their option. We are a litigation section so there are some times when in-office attendance will be required for meetings, court appearances, or other operational reasons. Otherwise, deputies may freely telework if that is their preference. Deputies are expected to be able to report to the office if an urgent need arises, and are expected to be available for meetings and to respond to emails and phone calls during regular business hours.

Minimum Requirements:

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Deputy Attorney General IV
Deputy Attorney General III
Deputy Attorney General V

Additional Documents

Job Application Package Checklist
Duty Statement

Department Information:

These positions are located in the Division of Civil Law, Employment Law Section, and may be filled in Sacramento (JC-496744), Oakland (JC-496745), Los Angeles, or San Diego (JC-496748).
The Deputy Attorney General classifications qualify for a “Hire Above Minimum" (HAM) salary (Hiring Above Minimum Policy).
The starting salary for each classification will be:

Deputy Attorney General III (5 years): $12,046
Deputy Attorney General IV (6+ years): $13,313
Deputy Attorney General V (lateral): 14,051

New to State candidates in the DAG series will be hired at the starting HAM salary of the classifications.
DAG V consideration - lateral transfers only.
Please disregard the SROA/Surplus language below, as the Department of Justice requires applicants to submit their SROA/Surplus letter, if that is the basis of their eligibility.
For more information about the Department please visit the Attorney General's website at www.oag.ca.gov.
If you would like to speak with a recruiter prior to submitting your application, please email Recruiters@doj.ca.gov
Please visit our webpage Become a DOJ Deputy Attorney General | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General
Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary wage reductions in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific rate and hours earned were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit. The actual monetary impact of these temporary reductions can vary based on your bargaining unit and/or federal and state tax withholdings. For additional information please visit Human Resources Manual - CalHR.

Special Requirements:

A LiveScan check will be required.
Deputies must be active members of the California State Bar.
If you submit your application by mail, please contact the HR consultants to confirm it has been received.
Clearly indicate the Job Control Code (JC-496746) and the title of this position in the “Examination or Job Title(s) For Which You Are Applying” section located on the first page of your STD 678 State Application.
Individuals who are new to State service must have list eligibility in order to gain employment with the Office of the Attorney General. The process is described at:
https://oag.ca.gov/careers/how-to-apply
Please note that appointment to the DAG classifications will be made using the following examinations:
DAG III exam– at least 5 years of legal experience: DAG III Examination
DAG IV exam– at least 6 years of legal experience: DAG IV Examination

Application Instructions:
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 12/19/2025

Who May Apply:
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How to Apply:
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Justice
OHR-Heather Nguyen
Attn: Heather Nguyen (JC-496746)
1300 I Street Suite 720
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Justice
OHR-Heather Nguyen
Heather Nguyen (JC-496746)
1300 I Street Suite 720
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
Resume is required and must be included.
Other - Cover letter.
Other - Writing sample reflecting analytical abilities and effective writing style, such as an appellate brief, a memorandum in support of a motion for summary judgment, a trial brief, a mediation brief, or a motion to dismiss or closing argument before an administrative body.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Desirable Qualifications:
In addition to evalua