Description:

Duty Station and Hours: This position will be located in Las Vegas or Carson City. The hours will generally be Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., although early morning, evening, and weekend hours may be required. There may be travel and overnight stay required for conferences, working groups, discovery, hearings, trial preparation, and trials outside the Carson/Reno area.

Position Status: Exempt (FLSA); serves at the will of the Attorney General; employment is contingent upon completion of NCIC/NCJIS, and a fingerprint criminal history check.
Primary responsibilities include providing legal services, day-to-day advice, and representation to a wide variety of executive branch agencies of State government primarily focused on representation of the Division of Water Resources, and the Division of Environmental Protection but also may include other clients, such as the Petroleum Fund Board to Review Claims and Executive Branch Audit Committee in addition to other clients as assigned.

Position Characteristics: This position involves a combination of transactional, regulatory and litigation-related tasks with an emphasis on litigation. Applicants with excellent litigation skills are preferred. This position requires an ability to interpret and analyze a variety of statues and regulations, and apply those statues in both regulatory and litigation settings. Litigation tasks will require providing defense representation to various state agencies, departments, boards, commissions, officials, and employees in civil actions commenced in the federal and state courts of Nevada. Some clients may request representation in an offensive capacity, pursuing individuals and entities throughout the State for civil and administrative violations of Nevada statutes and regulations. Candidates are expected to perform with a high degree of skill, responsibility, and self-motivation; possess superior legal research, writing, and advocacy skills, and have knowledge of State and federal court procedures.

Examples of Duties: This position will be responsible for maintaining an active caseload and client assignment. Duties will include drafting pleadings and papers, conducting legal research, drafting and responding to discovery requests, taking and defending depositions, making court appearances, preparing trial materials, preparing trial witnesses, and trying cases in federal and state courts. Duties will also include some appellate work, such as responding to writs and briefing cases on appeal from the trial courts, and providing legal advice to state clients. Additional duties include drafting and reviewing opinions, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Minimum Education and Background: Candidates must have graduated from an accredited law school and be admitted to a State Bar in the United States. Candidates who are not admitted to the State Bar of Nevada must take the Nevada Bar Exam within two years of joining the Office. Candidates should have a minimum of three years as a licensed and practicing attorney with two years of litigation experience. Candidates should have a working knowledge of Nevada statues, rules of evidence, local court rules, and appellate procedure.

Knowledge Required: Applicants must have or develop knowledge of administrative law and practice. It is of particular importance for applicants to have or develop a working knowledge of Nevada and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

This position also requires knowledge and experience sufficient to be able to acquire a working knowledge of federal and state statutes and the common law relation to claims that be asserted against clients in state government and how to defend against claims asserted. This position also desires a knowledge of natural resource law. This position also requires knowledge of computer work processing applications, particularly as related to the performance of legal research and writing and use of Westlaw and Word applications. This position further requires knowledge of the rules and canons of ethics to the practice of law.

Skills Required: Superior litigation skills are important. Candidates must possess skill in effective legal writing and oral communication, effective trial and appellate advocacy, and presentation of legal and evidentiary matters, superior analytical ability regarding complex legal issues relating to Nevada water rights, administrative law, constitutional law, federal and state statutory law, and federal and state common law, and skill in the analysis of these laws in establishing strategies in litigating disputes arising under them. Candidates must be highly professional, well-organized, self-motivated, and punctual.

Physical Demands: This position requires the requisite mobility to work in a typical office setting and to use standard office equipment. This position requires a working knowledge of Westlaw and Word, and typing skills sufficient for independent document production. This position requires travel to client offices, facilities, institutions, and the federal and state courts in various parts of Nevada and the nation. This position also requires vision capable of reading extensive printed materials and material on a standard size computer screen, and unimpaired hearing and speech sufficient to clearly and effectively communicate in person and telephonically from various venues and locations. Candidates must be able to speak in a clear and understandable manner, and to hear and respond to questions posed.