Closing Date: 12th August, 2026
Description:
Job Description and Duties:The Attorney General is the State's top lawyer and law enforcement official, protecting and serving the people and interests of California through a broad range of duties. The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice, which is one of the largest state agencies, as well as one of the largest law offices in California. The Department has numerous constituent bureaus and programs, and the Department performs a variety of important law enforcement and criminal justice information functions.
The Office of General Counsel is a division within the Department of Justice that oversees or supports many Department-wide functions, including risk management, compliance, legal advice, and the development of policies and procedures.
Attorneys in the Office of General Counsel have significant Department-wide responsibilities and are expected to provide legal advice on a wide variety of difficult, complex, sensitive, and consequential matters to public officials, external clients, and senior staff throughout the Department. Subject matters within the Office of General Counsel's purview include but are not limited to information security and data storage and disclosure; law-enforcement operations; contracting, agreements, and grants; professional ethics; financial conflicts and other government ethics requirements; regulations; the Public Records Act; the Administrative Procedure Act; the Bagley-Keene Act's open meeting requirements; and public finance.
Attorneys are also expected to lead or support internal investigations, operational projects that further the Office's risk-management and compliance missions, and the development and implementation of policies and procedures within the Department. These assignments are highly variable in nature and require flexibility, an ability to quickly become familiar with a new program area or area of law, an ability to gather facts and assess legal risks, an ability to quickly establish effective working relationships with employees throughout the Department, including senior executives, and an ability to manage investigations and projects over a long period of time. Attorneys generally will not function as lead attorneys in litigation matters, but they may have opportunities to volunteer to participate in litigation matters.
Attorneys with a track record of accomplishments in complex or high-stakes litigation, policy, or advice matters, or attorneys who demonstrate the potential to successfully handle a wide range of legal and operational challenges are encouraged to apply for this position.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=32730496&name=OGCDutyStatement-General.pdf)
Working Conditions:
This position is eligible for telework. Travel and additional in-person attendance may be required for meetings and other occasional operational needs.
Minimum Requirements:
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
Additional Documents
Department Information:
Special Requirements:
You do not have to take an exam before you apply for a job. However, you must complete and pass the exam to be eligible for hire.
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: 8/12/2026
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:
- Deputy Attorney General IV (https://hrnet.calhr.ca.gov/CalHRNet/SpecCrossReference.aspx?ClassID=5705)
- Deputy Attorney General III (https://hrnet.calhr.ca.gov/CalHRNet/SpecCrossReference.aspx?ClassID=5706)
- Deputy Attorney General V (https://hrnet.calhr.ca.gov/CalHRNet/SpecCrossReference.aspx?ClassID=5701)
Additional Documents
- Job Application Package Checklist (http://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobApplicationPackageChecklist.aspx?JobControlId=524722)
- Duty Statement (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=32730496&name=OGCDutyStatement-General.pdf)
Department Information:
- These positions are located in the Office of General Counsel and will be filled in either Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego or San Francisco. Please clearly indicate which city you prefer in your cover letter.
- The Deputy Attorney General classifications qualify for a “Hire Above Minimum" (HAM) salary (Hiring Above Minimum Policy) (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=32730496&name=OGCDutyStatement-General.pdf). 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 are interested in speaking with a Recruiter before submitting your application, please email Recruiters@doj.ca.gov.
- Please visit our "Become a DOJ Deputy Attorney General" (https://oag.ca.gov/dag-recruitment) webpage for more information on the classification and the Department.
- 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. (https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2113)
Special Requirements:
- A fingerprint check will be required.
- JC-524722 must be clearly stated in the "Examination or Job Title for which you are Appying" section located on page one of your state application.
- 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.
- 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 (https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1683)
- DAG IV exam - at least 6 years of legal experience: DAG IV Examination (https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=4914)
You do not have to take an exam before you apply for a job. However, you must complete and pass the exam to be eligible for hire.
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: 8/12/2026
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:
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Justice
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attn: Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attn: Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Justice
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
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:
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
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