Closing Date: 30th October, 2025

Description:

Job Description and Duties:
Do you love litigation and want more experience? Are you committed to serving the people of the State of California? Are you interested in joining a high-profile civil litigation practice?

As part of our mass tort team in the Tort and Condemnation Section of the California Attorney General's Office, you will handle a variety of cases involving government tort liability, with a focus on difficult and complex cases, including class actions, mass tort matters, and related and/or consolidated tort and/or eminent domain matters. You may also work on civil rights, personal injury, premises liability, excessive force, medical malpractice, due process, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and other torts cases. Our section seeks motivated attorneys with a background in civil litigation looking to apply and hone their litigation skills.

Tort and Condemnation Section Deputy Duties include:

Engaging in all aspects of civil litigation, from inception through trial, settlement, or appeal
Handling complex discovery including mass document productions and preparation of privilege logs
Researching and drafting dispositive motions
Appearing in state and federal court at all levels
Handling an extensive variety of tort matters that are often high profile and involve issues of first impression
Investigating facts and analyzing documentary evidence
Communicating and coordinating directly with clients about case status and strategy
Working collaboratively with team members
Representing the Attorney General's Office with the highest ethical and professional standards
First- and second-chairing jury trials
Handling all aspects of appeals, including drafting opening and responding briefs and oral arguments

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

Working Conditions:
All applicants must reside in California and be members in good standing of the California State Bar. Deputies may telework or work in-office at their option but are required to attend regularly scheduled in-person meetings at their local office. Travel and in-person attendance may be required for trials, court appearances, witness interviews, depositions, and operationally as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

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

Additional Documents

Job Application Package Checklist
Duty Statement

Department Information:

These positions are located in the Division of Civil Law, Tort & Condemnation Section and may be filled in Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles or San Diego. Please clearly indicate which city you would prefer to work in your cover letter.
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.
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 Range A (0-24 months): $8,846 and Range B (2-5 years): $9,956
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.
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 fingerprint check will be required.
May be required to travel to remote locations within the State, sometimes with little notice.
Individuals who are new to State service must have list eligibility in order to gain employment with the California Office of the Attorney General. The process is described at: http://oag.ca.gov/careers/how-to-apply.
Clearly indicate the Job Control Code (JC-494071) 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.
Please note that appointment to the DAG classifications will be made using the following examinations:

Attorney exam – less than 5 years of experience: Attorney Examination
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: 10/30/2025

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-494071)
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-494071)
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 (20 pages maximum) reflecting legal analysis, analytical abilities, and effective writing style, such as a memorandum in support of a motion, an appellate brief, or a litigation strategy or settlement evaluation letter, preferably written within the last year.

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 evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated