Closing Date: 30th April, 2024
Description:
Job Summary:The attorney will be responsible for representing the interests of A Government Entity in all matters in which the county may be involved, including child protection (CHIPS and Permanency) but may also include child support enforcement, adult protection matters, licensing appeals, tax appeals, contracts, and condemnation actions. The successful applicant will have strong writing and oral communication skills.
The attorney administers and enforces the laws of the State of Minnesota and A Government Entity by performing legal work involving legal research, proposing solutions to issues or enforcement of applicable statutes, rules or procedure, appear at jury and court trials, appeals, and contested cases.
The attorney is expected to manage a full case load by reviewing reports; drafting pleadings, petitions, and other legal documents; performing legal research; and appearing on behalf of the County/State at preliminary hearings, trials and other contested hearings. Duties may include providing training for law enforcement, county departments, and staff.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
The Assistant County Attorney must know, understand, and apply current laws and regulations to the extremely varied facts and situations presented on a daily basis to direct appropriate legal action or provide advice to staff. This employee routinely analyzes complicated factual situations and directs immediate appropriate responses, which may impact individual rights; property rights; sums of money or contractual obligations. The workload requires knowledge in many areas of practice.
The following is a list of tasks and responsibilities, but may not be exhaustive of all the duties:
- Review and analyze information and data provided by Chisago County staff and/or law enforcement. Determine appropriate course of action including, but not limited to, composing the appropriate complaints, petitions, pleadings, and orders. Provide legal advice and direction to county staff.
- Research legal issues; prepare memoranda and legal briefs or opinions. Analyze and interpret statutes/legislation, case law and other relevant literature in order to maintain accurate, current information on legal developments and changes that may affect current caseload. Analyze information in relation to established office policy, ethical considerations and standards, limited resources, and the social, moral, and legal objectives to be obtained.
- Provide legal Counsel to Chisago County Health and Human Services in juvenile protection proceedings and related subject areas: Review, interpret and analyze data, as well as medical, social, and psychological reports to determine if the subject meets the statutory criteria necessary for guardianship or commitment; consider less costly alternatives. Ensure that all statutory duties are performed within required time limits. Prepare and present cases including child protection; guardianships, conservatorships, welfare fraud, settling estate claims; child support and enforcement, and paternity actions. Answer legal questions and provide legal advice and direction to employees of Chisago County Human Services regarding Child Protection, Paternity, and/or Child Support issues. Appear at and represent Chisago County Human Services at appeal hearings, both at the administrative level and at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
- Provide legal counsel and furnish written legal opinion to county boards, county administrator, elected officials, other county officials, department heads, law enforcement officers and/or and other county personnel.
- Provide for the defense of the county and its agencies as counsel or co-counsel in lawsuits brought against the county, its agents, officials, and employees. Apply legal principles combined with a working knowledge of all functions of the various county departments to identify, define, and evaluate problems facing county officials, agencies, department heads and employees. Monitor the operations of county officers, agencies, department heads, and employees to ensure compliance with law and to aid in the county's overall risk management regime.
- Provide direction to support staff to assist attorney in carrying out responsibilities of the position.
- Develop and implement training sessions for various departments and agencies which rely on the County Attorney's Office for legal direction.
- Review and, if requested, draft proposed changes to ordinances, administrative procedures, and county policies to comply with state or federal law, regulations and/or upon request of county staff.
- Review and/or draft various legal forms for bids, contracts, and bonds for county work.
- Present and argue cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court when called upon.
- Draft proposed legislation and respond to inquiries in relation to proposed legislation.
- Perform related duties as required or assigned.
Desired Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience:
- Graduation from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree and admission to the Bar of the State of Minnesota
- One to three years' experience as a practicing attorney, preferably in civil practice or in the public sector.
Special Requirements:
- A license to practice law in the State of Minnesota
- Member in good standing of the State Bar
- Admission to practice in federal bar, desirable
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Considerable knowledge of County ordinances and State and Federal laws including accepted legal or court interpretations and Minnesota Court decisions.
- Working knowledge of principles of civil law, particularly as they relate to the ownership, acquisition, and conveyance of real property.
- Knowledge of principles of criminal law and the problems of criminal law enforcement, procedure, and evidence.
- Knowledge of what can be accomplished by legal approaches, what must be done by administrative approaches, and how the two must be balanced to achieve the intent of county departments/to protect the public interest.
- Ability to determine the limits of action available to opponents and the probable courses of action of opponents in court cases.
- Ability to present and argue cases in court, having the ability to address situations as they arise.
- Ability to appear in front of the public.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Assigned tasks are generally carried out while seated at a desk or counsel table. May be occasional periods of prolonged standing at public hearings and meetings and during speaking engagements.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
The employee is frequently working under pressure caused by time limitations imposed.
