Assistant County Attorney

*Accepting applications to fill 2 Positions! This recruitment will remain open until filled. Weekly review of applications.  

JOB TITLE: Assistant County Attorney
DEPARTMENT: County Attorney
STATUS: Full Time; Exempt
STARTING SALARY:  "Salary will be based on experience."

JOB OBJECTIVES: 

The Assistant County Attorney represents the State of Minnesota and Douglas County in the enforcement of law in District Court and other court settings.   

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of those specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

• Manage the following cases from start to finish:  Truancy and Runaway Petitions, Civil Commitment Petitions (mental health and/or chemical dependency, Guardianship/Conservatorship cases, juvenile diversion cases, dangerous dog appeals, prosecute all juvenile cases (petty, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felonies), Ordinance Enforcement, License Enforcement, assist County Assessor with tax appeals including litigation in Tax Court, and conduct trust reviews for Social Services.  
• Manage child protection cases from start to finish including Termination of Parental Rights and permanency cases.  Collect reports.  Analyze evidence.  Organize the CHIPS case. Inspect all pleadings and motions.  Prepare for contested hearings. Estimate time needed for court hearings.  Select witnesses.  Examine witnesses in court.  Argue motions.  Devise and execute a trial plan.  
• Manage the following cases from start to finish:  Truancy and Runaway Petitions, Civil Commitment Petitions (mental health and/or chemical dependency, Guardianship/Conservatorship cases, juvenile diversion cases, dangerous dog appeals, prosecute all juvenile cases (petty, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felonies), Ordinance Enforcement, License Enforcement, assist County Assessor with tax appeals including litigation in Tax Court, and conduct trust reviews for Social Services.  
• Manage child support cases from start to finish including contempt cases.  Collect and evaluate social services reports and data.   Collaborate with the child support officer. Present the case in court.  Propose appropriate child support amount.  Justify the same.  
• Interpret Minnesota law.  Appraise the relative strength of a criminal case.  Choose appropriate criminal charges.  Estimate the likelihood of a successful prosecution. 
• Argue for appropriate bail in court.  Justify said amount based on public safety concerns and flight risk.
• Create advisory opinions for all county departments as necessary. 
• Provide legal advice to law enforcement on a 24/7 basis including weekends.
• Review and approve 48-hour probable cause holds for weekend arrests. 
• Reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality.
• Other duties, as assigned or apparent.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide information to law enforcement outside of normal office hours as needed. 
• Answers phone and takes messages.
• Prepares subpoenas and miscellaneous documents.
• Copies video and audio recordings as needed.
• Directs and screens inquiries from the general public.
• Attends continuing legal education courses to keep the license to practice law current.

Accountabilities Shared By All Employees

• Performs job responsibilities in a manner consistent with the County's vision, mission, and values.
• Implicit in the employer-employee relationship is the right of Douglas County to rely upon the presence of the employee during assigned hours of work and the obligation of the employee for timely and regular attendance.
• Develops and maintains a thorough working knowledge of all department and County-wide policies, protocols, and procedures that apply to the performance of this position.
• Develops respectful and cooperative working relationships with co-workers.
• Informs immediate supervisor of all important matters pertaining to assigned job responsibilities.
• Seeks opportunities for further personal growth and development.
• Represents the County in a professional manner to all internal and external contacts when doing the County's business.
• Complies with all rules and policies in order to maintain a safe work environment.

Access to Not Public Data

The incumbent may encounter not public data in the course of these duties. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished, incumbent must properly store the not public data according to the provisions Ch. 13.
If a new work assignment requires access to not public data, the incumbent is permitted to access not public data for the work assignment purposes only. Any access to not public data must be strictly limited to the data necessary to complete the work assignment and after the assignment is completed, the employee's work assignment no longer requires access.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT HIRE:

Education

• Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited law school.
• Requires research of new legislation every year in all aspects of the County Attorney's responsibilities including criminal, juvenile, family, and extradition law, and all other areas of practice.

Experience
None.

Licenses and Other Requirements: 

A background check is required.
A valid Mn driver's license is required.
Must have passed the Minnesota State Bar Exam and remain certified throughout employment.

REQUIRED MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES AT HIRE:

Core Competencies outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job are:  

Promote a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful workplace.
Demonstrates knowledge of legal principles and practices.
Demonstrates skills in a group presentation.
Demonstrates skills in writing clearly and informatively.
Demonstrates ability to work well under pressure.
Demonstrates ability to share knowledge of and experience with the justice system.
Demonstrates ability to allocate time for professional development.
Demonstrates ability to remain current on legislative changes.
Demonstrates ability to plan and present court cases effectively.
Demonstrates ability to conduct legal research.
Demonstrates ability to speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations.
Demonstrates ability to read and interpret written information.
Demonstrates ability to accept responsibility for own actions.
Demonstrates ability to follow through on commitments.
Demonstrates ability to effectively perform under high-stress situations. 

Numerical Aptitude:
Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; add and subtract; multiply and divide totals; determine percentages, compute discount, interest, profit, loss, ratio and proportion; and interpret same as may be appropriate. 

Language Ability:
Requires the ability to read a variety of professional, technical, and administrative documentation, directions, regulations, instructions, methods, and procedures.  Requires the ability to communicate with people to convey or exchange professional information. 

PREFERRED / DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

See required minimum qualifications at hire.

Experience

A minimum of five years of experience as an attorney preferred.

Previous experience in a county attorney's office is preferred. 

PREFERRED / DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & QUALITIES:
See required minimum knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualities at hire.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Public building.  Work is normally performed in an office environment.  

HOURS
A minimum of a 40-hour work week.  As an exempt position, it may require more than 8 hours of work on any day or more than forty hours of work on any week to perform duties and meet expectations.   

Physical Demands can involve, but are not limited to: 

Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines and equipment, including but not limited to computers, copier, fax machine, DVD player, and telephone. 

Must be able to move or carry job-related objects or materials.  Must be physically capable of reaching to obtain various books, printouts, file boxes, computer paper, etc.

Amount Lifted:
Amount Lifted Up to 10 lbs.: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Amount Lifted 11 to 101 lbs.: Not Present
Amount Pushed or Pulled:
Amount Pushed or Pulled Up to 10 lbs. to 101 lbs.: Not Present
Vision:
Near & Far Vision: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to  8 hours or 174 days
Depth: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Field of Vision: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Color: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Contact With Others:
Works Alone: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Works with and around Others: Constant: = Range: 5 hrs., 18 min to  8 hours or 174 days
Customer/Public Contact: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Clients with Behavior Challenges: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Communications:
Talking & Hearing & Reading: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Basic Body Positions:
Sitting: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Standing: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Walking/Moving About: Occasional: = Range: 49 min to 2 hrs., 39 min or 29 to 86 days
Climbing & Balancing: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Crouching & Kneeling: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Crawling: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Motor Skills:
Handling & Grasping: Rare: Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Using Fingers: Rare: Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Reaching & Feeling: Rare: Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Driving: Not Present
Exposures To:
Mechanical Equipment: Not Present
Electrical Equipment: Frequent: = Range: 2 hrs., 40 min to 5 hrs., 17 min or 88 to 172 days
Pressurized Equipment: Not Present
Burning Material/Equip: Not Present
Explosive: Not Present
Radiant Energy: Not Present
Moving Equipment: Not Present
Heights: Not Present
Fumes/Odors: Not Present
Dirt/Dust: Rare: = Range: 5 min to 48 min or 2.6 to 26 days
Gases: Not Present

See also Physical and Environmental Factors Form. 

EXAMPLES OF EQUIPMENT USED
Office equipment. Case Management software. 

OTHER
All listed above are essential functions of the job.

Supervision Received: Supervised by County Attorney.
Supervision Exercised: 
Labor Group: Non-Union
FLSA Status: Exempt
Grade: 15
EEO Job Category: Professionals
Work Comp Code: 8820

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

Revised: 2023/2024
 

Salary : $85,592 - $110,344