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Description

Job posted until February 28th, 2024.

Entry $150,000 / DOQ.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

The purpose of this position is to represent Oconee County, Oconee County Council, the County Administrator, elected officials, all County departments, boards, and commissions as general legal counsel. The County Attorney provides legal advice and opinions; develops and implements County legal policies; prepares, reviews and drafts all legal documents for Oconee County; provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the County Administrator and County Council; and performs related professional, administrative and supervisory work as required. This class plans, organizes, and implements programs within major organizational policies, reporting program progress to executive-level administration through reports and conferences. Reports to the County Administrator and County Council. 

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES: 

1. Directs all administrative and legal activities of the County Attorney's Office, ensuring compliance with applicable policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
2. Provides legal representation and advice to the Oconee County Council, the County Administrator, elected officials, and all County departments, boards and commissions.
3. Represents Oconee County and elected officials in all litigation either directly or by supervising appointed attorneys; drafts pleadings, briefs, attends depositions, makes court appearances, files appeals, etc.; makes decisions concerning the      advisability to prosecute, compromise, or dismiss civil litigation.
4. Assist in the development and implementation of County policies and goals in accordance with current laws and court opinions; drafts ordinances and resolutions based on current laws, codes, and ordinances.
5. Prepares and reviews contracts, leases, deeds, bonds, financing instruments, and all legal documents for Oconee County.
6. Attends Council meetings, committee meetings and staff meetings as needed to provide legal advice on proposed courses of action and procedures.
7. Coordinates and reviews investigations of claims for property damage, discrimination, etc., prior to litigation.
8. Prepares, develops, monitors, and controls the departmental budget; approves and authorizes expenditures within budgetary limitations and established County policies.
9. Supervises the legal staff by planning, assigning and reviewing work; performs administrative duties such as budgeting, conducting performance appraisals, etc.; counsels and coaches subordinates as required to improve job performance.
10. Prosecutes for civil remedies to enforce County ordinances; recovers damages to County property, and condemn      property for public purpose and other matters.
11. Coordinates department activities and functions with those of other County departments, municipalities and      outside agencies as appropriate.

Essential Job Duties are intended to be examples of duties and are not intended to be all inclusive. There will be other duties as assigned.

Additional duties include: 

• Appears before courts and at administrative proceedings to represent the County's interests as required.
• Responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Attends legal education seminars and conferences and reads case reports and law journals to stay current on legal issues; studies, interprets and applies statutes, ordinances, court decisions and legal opinions in the preparation of opinions, pleadings and briefs.
• Performs general administrative/clerical work as required, including but not limited to copying and filing documents, entering and retrieving computer data, assembling materials, answering the telephone, responding to correspondence, reviewing mail, etc.
• Attends professional conferences, training, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary to maintain job knowledge and skills.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: 

• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles, practices, goals, and programs of governmental law. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of laws and ordinances affecting the planning, development, and implementation of legal department.
• Requires negotiating, exchanging ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policy and programs or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions or solutions.
• Thorough knowledge of judicial and quasi-judicial procedures.
• Good knowledge of supervisory methods and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of general case, statutory, common law, and other related subjects as applied to County legal operations. 
• Requires synthesizing or integrating data or information to discover facts or develop knowledge or interpretations: changes policies, procedures or methodologies based on new facts, knowledge or interpretations.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws and to express conclusions and arguments clearly and logically in oral and written form.
• Verbal ability to make effective presentations and prepare effective reports, and the mathematical ability to carry out needed calculations accurately and quickly.
• Decision-making is a major part of the job, affecting a major segment of the organization and the general public; works in a dynamic environment; responsible to develop policy and practices.
• Requires reading and interpreting professional materials involving advanced bodies of knowledge related to law and other complex disciplines; writing extremely complex papers and reports, speaking to high-level political, legal, or other such groups.
• Requires performing work involving the application of principles of logical thinking or legal practice to diagnose or define problems.
• Requires sustained, intense concentration for accurate results and continuous exposure to sustained, unusual pressure.
• Ability to work in a team environment. 
• Knowledge of Roberts Rules of Order and/or model rules of parliamentary procedures.
• Requires handling or using machines, tools, or equipment requiring brief Instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Doctor of Law Degree from an accredited school and at least 4 years of professional legal experience in government, administrative, property, contract, environment and labor law, litigation, or management of a law office; or any equivalent combination of education and experience. 

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS: 

Certifications, licenses, professional designations, or other qualifications required for this position include:  Valid state driver's license. Must be a member in good standing of the South Carolina Bar Association, licensed to practice in South Carolina, including federal and state courts.

Certifications, licenses, professional designations, or other qualifications preferred for this position include: Rule 403 Certificate.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

Physical Requirements:

The physical activities required for this position: 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, and hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; reach with arms and hands; use hands or fingers to operate, handle or feel objects, tools or controls.

This position requires lifting:

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. 

Vision Requirements:

This position has the following special vision requirements:

• Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)
• Distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more)
• Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)
• Peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up or down or to the left and right when vision is fixed on a given point)
• Depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships)
• Ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS: 

The following physical conditions and hazards may be encountered while working in this position:

• Indoor environment
• Humidity
• Dust
• Exposure to violence

Oconee County is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to achieving excellence and strength through diversity. The County seeks a wide range of applicants for its positions so that one of our core values, a qualified and diverse workforce, will be affirmed.