1 Assistant County Attorney I - Juvenile Job in Center, MN
Chisago County is Hiring an Assistant County Attorney I - Juvenile Near Center, MN
Job Summary
The attorney in this position will be responsible for representing the interests of Chisago County in a wide variety of matters in which the county may be involved, with a focus on child protection (CHIPS, Permanency, and Truancy), as well as licensing and maltreatment determination appeals. On occasion and as needed, the Assistant County Attorney I may be assigned other civil matters which may include civil forfeiture, child support enforcement, adult protection matters, appeals, and contracts. The successful applicant will have strong writing and oral communication skills.
The attorney is expected to manage a full case load by reviewing and analyzing reports and other information; 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 personnel, and other stakeholders.
Upon completion of necessary training, the Assistant County Attorney will be eligible for partial remote work.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The following is a list of tasks and responsibilities, but may not be exhaustive of all the duties:
1. 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.
2. Research legal issues; prepare memoranda and legal briefs or opinions. Analyze and interpret statutes/legislation, case law and other relevant literature 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Provide direction to support staff to assist attorney in carrying out responsibilities of the position.
7. Develop and implement training sessions for various departments and agencies which rely on the County Attorney’s Office for legal direction.
8. 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.
9. Review and/or draft various legal forms for bids, contracts, and bonds for county work.
10. Present and argue cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court when called upon.
11. Draft proposed legislation and respond to inquiries in relation to proposed legislation.
12. Perform related duties as required or assigned.
Desired Minimum Qualifications
a. Graduation from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree and admission to the Bar of the State of Minnesota
b. One to three years’ experience as a practicing attorney, preferably in civil practice or in the public sector.
Special Requirements:
a. A license to practice law in the State of Minnesota
b. Member in good standing of the State Bar Association
c. Admission to practice in federal bar, desirable
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
b. Working knowledge of principles of civil law, particularly as they relate to the ownership, acquisition, and conveyance of real property.
c. Knowledge of principles of criminal law and the problems of criminal law enforcement, procedure, and evidence.
d. 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.
e. Ability to determine the limits of action available to opponents and the probable courses of action of opponents in court cases.
f. Ability to present and argue cases in court, having the ability to address situations as they arise.
g. Ability to appear in front of the public.
Physical Demands
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.
Additional Information
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Work is primarily performed in an office setting with moderate amounts of noise and activity. Other work is performed in the Courtroom and other settings where hearings may be scheduled. Occasional trips to view county property or crime scenes expose the employee to physical hazards such as unsafe buildings, dump sites, rough terrain, dangerous dogs, or angry people. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
There is a great deal of stress involved in this position which comes from working with a large and varied group of people, a large variety of responsibilities, to include little or no control over events, constant interruptions, and limited time. The manner in which an assistant county attorney performs his or her job effects people’s lives directly in terms of jail time, fines, financial obligations, children’s safety, victim’s concerns for” justice” and criminal records. Depending on the results of any given case, a child may be placed in danger, a sex abuser may go free, a drug dealer may go free, a family may not get child support, etc. The stress level is compounded by the fact that some of the decisions you must make are split second or the result of a midnight phone call. The mental and emotional stress of this position does not end at 4:30 p.m. The Assistant County Attorney is on-call all day, every day.
Trial practice requires unique expenditures of mental and physical effort. The Assistant County Attorney becomes immersed in preparing and presenting witnesses and physical evidence in court before a jury trial of citizens, or a court trial before the judge. Extended trials require long days of public performance and long nights of preparation for the next day. Mental and physical strain combined with an emotionally charged atmosphere, creating very unpleasant working conditions at times.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:
Requires use of telephone, copy machine, facsimile machine, calculator, and proficient use of personal computer, including research, word processing and audio-visual aids (for trial preparation and trainings).
Disclaimer
GENERAL STATEMENT:
Applicants for appointment to this position will be required to submit a formal application and may be subject to rating of education and experience, oral interview and/or reference check, background check and psychological testing. Job related tested may be required of any applicant.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
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 requirements of the job change.
Job Summary
Full Time
$92k-124k (estimate)
05/10/2024
07/08/2024
chisagocounty.us
SAINT CROIX FALLS, WI
100 - 200
1862
$50M - $200M
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