Closing Date: 12th May, 2026
Description:
Position Information:Are you an attorney with an interest in public pension law?
Advance your legal career and serve your community as a Retirement Staff Attorney with the Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA)!
A close-up of a legal setting featuring a scale of justice and a gavel, with hands engaged in discussion and note-taking.
Starting salary up to $88.45/hourly ($184,605/annually) and a competitive total compensation package!*
Join our team:
The Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association (SCERA) is a small office that values customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
The Retirement Staff Attorney provides legal advice and counsel to SCERA staff regarding the administration of retirement benefits and the interpretation of retirement laws. They are a key member of SCERA's management team, supporting disability retirement and benefit appeal cases. This position collaborates closely with Member Services and works directly with the Board of Retirement and external partners. While not a supervisory role, it offers significant influence in case strategy and organizational planning. Additional responsibilities include:
As the ideal candidate to join the SCERA team, you will demonstrate strong strategic and creative thinking abilities. While not mandatory, experience practicing law within a public agency, administrative, or governmental environment is highly desirable. Additionally, you will possess many of the following:
What we offer:
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:
This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Retirement Staff Attorney position in SCERA. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.
Minimum Qualifications:
Experience and Education: Any combination of experience, training, and education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of: principles, methods, and practices of legal research and discovery; legal principles governing the administration of a benefit program like worker's compensation, disability benefits, or pension benefits; rules of evidence, civil procedure, and the conduct of administrative hearings and state court writ proceedings; legal principles governing family law, wills, trusts, and probate matters; legal principles governing contracts; California statutory and constitutional laws; provisions of laws and rules of procedures governing the conduct of hearings before administrative bodies; provision of the Ralph M. Brown Act, CERL of 1937, PEPRA, and other laws governing public agency administration and/or a public employee retirement system; office procedures, equipment, technology, and related software applications; English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; techniques for communicating effectively with culturally diverse stakeholders; techniques of preparing business correspondence and reports.
Ability to: research, analyze, and apply legal principles and practices; prepare, present, and conduct administrative benefit hearings and state court writ proceedings; prepare legal documents, including pre-hearing statements, briefs, motions, and legal opinions; present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; conduct comprehensive and analytical reviews of medical records and communicate complex medical and legal concepts; represent SCERA on various committees, with employee and community organizations, and in meetings; communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and effective manner for audiences with varied backgrounds; understand and accept differences in human behavior; effectively interact with all populations, such as individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, generational, and/or socio-economic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective working relationships with SCERA staff, external partners, and stakeholders; work independently and as a member of a team with minimal supervision; demonstrate strict confidentiality, integrity, professionalism, and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; effectively use computer systems, applications, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
Advance your legal career and serve your community as a Retirement Staff Attorney with the Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA)!
A close-up of a legal setting featuring a scale of justice and a gavel, with hands engaged in discussion and note-taking.
Starting salary up to $88.45/hourly ($184,605/annually) and a competitive total compensation package!*
Join our team:
The Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association (SCERA) is a small office that values customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
The Retirement Staff Attorney provides legal advice and counsel to SCERA staff regarding the administration of retirement benefits and the interpretation of retirement laws. They are a key member of SCERA's management team, supporting disability retirement and benefit appeal cases. This position collaborates closely with Member Services and works directly with the Board of Retirement and external partners. While not a supervisory role, it offers significant influence in case strategy and organizational planning. Additional responsibilities include:
- Providing legal advice on retirement benefit administration and interpretation of applicable laws
- Researching and applying federal and state laws impacting public pension systems, including County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL), Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), and disability retirement law
- Preparing legal documents and representing SCERA in administrative hearings and related court proceedings
- Analyzing medical, employment, and system records to support disability retirement and benefit appeal determinations
- Advising the Board of Retirement, collaborating with Member Services on case strategy, and supporting organizational planning
- Consulting with the Assistant Chief Executive Officer/Chief Legal Counsel on complex matters to ensure alignment with organizational policies and legal strategy
As the ideal candidate to join the SCERA team, you will demonstrate strong strategic and creative thinking abilities. While not mandatory, experience practicing law within a public agency, administrative, or governmental environment is highly desirable. Additionally, you will possess many of the following:
- The ability to interpret and apply public pension and retirement law, including CERL, PEPRA, and other public agency statutes, such as relevant provisions of the Labor Code or the Brown Act
- Experience preparing and presenting cases in administrative hearings, mediations, or litigation, including analysis of medical and employment records for disability-related matters
- The ability to advise government agencies or boards and communicate complex information in a clear, compelling manner
- Strong legal research and writing abilities, including using major research tools and producing well-crafted memoranda, briefs, motions, and hearing documents
- Analytical skills to interpret complex statutes, case law, medical evidence, and large volumes of documentation
What we offer:
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:
- Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
- Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
- Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in a 401(a), based upon employee contribution
- Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
- Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
- Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
- Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education
- Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory
This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Retirement Staff Attorney position in SCERA. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.
Minimum Qualifications:
Experience and Education: Any combination of experience, training, and education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:
- One (1) year of legal experience as a licensed attorney practicing law.
- Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California.
- The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of: principles, methods, and practices of legal research and discovery; legal principles governing the administration of a benefit program like worker's compensation, disability benefits, or pension benefits; rules of evidence, civil procedure, and the conduct of administrative hearings and state court writ proceedings; legal principles governing family law, wills, trusts, and probate matters; legal principles governing contracts; California statutory and constitutional laws; provisions of laws and rules of procedures governing the conduct of hearings before administrative bodies; provision of the Ralph M. Brown Act, CERL of 1937, PEPRA, and other laws governing public agency administration and/or a public employee retirement system; office procedures, equipment, technology, and related software applications; English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; techniques for communicating effectively with culturally diverse stakeholders; techniques of preparing business correspondence and reports.
Ability to: research, analyze, and apply legal principles and practices; prepare, present, and conduct administrative benefit hearings and state court writ proceedings; prepare legal documents, including pre-hearing statements, briefs, motions, and legal opinions; present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; conduct comprehensive and analytical reviews of medical records and communicate complex medical and legal concepts; represent SCERA on various committees, with employee and community organizations, and in meetings; communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and effective manner for audiences with varied backgrounds; understand and accept differences in human behavior; effectively interact with all populations, such as individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, generational, and/or socio-economic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective working relationships with SCERA staff, external partners, and stakeholders; work independently and as a member of a team with minimal supervision; demonstrate strict confidentiality, integrity, professionalism, and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; effectively use computer systems, applications, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
- You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
- You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each
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