Assistant County Attorney I or II - CRIMINAL

EXCITING NEW CAREER OPPORTUNITY!

Join Our Skilled Team of Attorneys Today!

Serve Justice. Protect the Public. Shape the Future of Benton County.

The Benton County Attorney’s Office is seeking a dedicated Assistant County Attorney I or Assistant County Attorney II to join our team of legal professionals committed to upholding justice and serving the people of Benton County. This position offers the opportunity to work on diverse, complex legal matters in both criminal and civil law. Its primary responsibility is criminal prosecution, with a strong focus on the prosecution of felony-level crimes. The role provides a meaningful opportunity to directly impact public safety, local governance, and promote community well-being.

Schedule: Full-Time | Rotating On-Call Responsibilities | Other hours as needed, with the ability to earn comp time.

Compensation

• Assistant County Attorney I (Grade 15): The hiring pay range is $41.35 to $49.04 per hour (Steps 1–6), depending on qualifications and experience, with potential for career advancement to earn up to $56.72 per hour (Step 11). Click here to view the Assistant County Attorney I job description.
• Assistant County Attorney II (Grade 17): Starting pay is determined by preferred qualifications and experience, with career advancement potential up to $61.94 per hour (Step 11). Click here to view the Assistant County Attorney II job description.
  
  

Who We’re Looking For

• Licensed to practice law in Minnesota (in good standing)
• Skilled in oral and written advocacy
• Able to manage a diverse caseload with professionalism and accuracy
• Experienced or motivated to grow in areas of criminal law, civil litigation, and juvenile matters
• Committed to public service, collaboration, and justice
  
  

Interview Process:

Initial interviews may be conducted by phone or in person (TBD). Please monitor your email for updates and scheduling information.

Location:

Benton County Attorney's Office

To learn more about the Benton County Attorney’s Office (Minnesota), you can visit their official page here: Visit the Benton County Attorney’s Office webpage.

Application Deadline

Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

View Full Job Description and Apply: Benton County Career Opportunities

Position Summary

Performs professional legal work assisting the County Attorney in performing duties as legal counsel and criminal prosecutor for Benton County.The job description below outlines the essential functions of the Assistant County Attorney I or Assistant County Attorney II – Criminal Attorney positions. The full job description is available on our website and can be accessed using the link provided above.

Duties And Responsibilities

Essential Functions - CRIMINAL ATTORNEY

• Represents Benton County and the State of Minnesota by prosecuting petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies.
• Appears at all criminal hearings, including first appearances, bail hearings, pretrials, contested evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, trials, sentencings, restitution hearings, probation violations, post-conviction relief hearings, grand jury proceedings, and oral arguments at the appellate courts.
• Drafts criminal complaints by reviewing and analyzing police reports, video, and other evidence.
• Performs file review, including review of criminal histories, sentencing guidelines, legal research, rules of criminal procedure, case law, and Minnesota statutes.
• Communicates and coordinates with witnesses, victims, pro se defendants, and other attorneys.
• Completes legal research and prepares motions and briefs to submit to the district court.
• Advises the Victim Services Coordinator position and manages relationships with victims of crimes and analyzes restitution claims.
• Negotiates with defense counsel or pro se defendants.
• Advises and trains law enforcement on legal issues and assist with drafting and approving search warrants.
• Prepares for and attends hearings related to extradition/fugitive from justice, expungement, and the restoration of firearms rights.
• Prepares documents involving appeals to the Minnesota appellate courts.
  
  

Additional Functions

• Attend trainings as needed.
• Rotates on-call responsibilities.
• Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.Assistant County Attorney I
  
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school; and
• Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota; and
• One year of relevant work experience.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota.
• Must successfully complete a background check.
• Obtain and maintain certifications and licensures.
  
  

Assistant County Attorney II

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school; and
• Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota; and
• Eight years of relevant work experience; and
• Ability to work well with others and maintain an excellent reputation with colleagues and other professionals; and
• Strong skill set in criminal law, civil, or appellate work, and has handled significant and complex cases; and
• Proven leadership qualities; and
• Ability to train on various programs/roles within the department; and
• Ability to mentor Assistant County Attorneys I’s; and
• Regular attendance according to the department’s work schedule; and
• Maintain good standing performance; and
• Maintain safety, data privacy, and data security training; OR
• Equivalent combination of education/training/experience.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota.
• Must successfully complete a background check.
• Obtain and maintain certifications and licensures.Assistant County Attorney I and II
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local criminal and civil law.
• Knowledge of rules of evidence and skill in analyzing evidence.
• Knowledge of court rules, including civil procedure, criminal procedures, juvenile procedure, family court procedure, and civil appellate procedure.
• Knowledge of sentencing guidelines.
• Skill in prosecuting criminal, civil, and other cases.
• Skill in evaluating, preparing, and managing cases.
• Skill in performing legal research.
• Significant skill in presenting written and oral arguments.
• Ability to train and work with law enforcement and human services personnel.
• Ability to work under limited supervision with general autonomy in determining how objectives are achieved; supervisors set operating benchmarks, goals, and objectives.
• Ability to perform widely varied work involving many complex and significant variables, requiring analytical ability and inductive thinking in adapting policies, procedures, and methods to fit unusual and complex situations.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with frequent interaction to negotiate critical agreements or motivate behavior that requires a well-developed sense of strategy and timing.
• Ability to travel within your daily work assignment.
• Ability to travel within Minnesota, including extended overnight stays.
• Ability to work extended, evening, and weekend hours as needed.
• Must comply with organizational and departmental policies.
• Performs the physical/mental demands of the work environment requirements for this position.
• Attendance during regularly scheduled work hours, and outside regular hours, as necessary.
• Effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from different organizations, and citizen customers.
• Must comply with data practices policies and standards related to private data. Access to private data is limited strictly to what is necessary to perform assigned job duties. While accessing such data, the employee must take reasonable measures to prevent unauthorized access by individuals without a work-related need. Once the work-related purpose has been met, private data must be properly secured and stored in accordance with county policies and Minnesota Statutes.
  
  

Assistant County Attorney II

Additional Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to apply professional principles and judgement within goals/direction established by County Attorney and senior management.
  
  

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• Light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects and materials up to 20 pounds.
• Work is performed in an office or court setting.
• Headaches, eyestrain, and other related occupational hazards reflect the most common potential for injury.
• Some exposure to verbal abuse from hostile, angry, or frustrated persons.
• This position frequently performs work under high attention to detail and deadlines.
  
  

Hours of Work

• Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  
  

Equipment Utilized

• Office equipment, computer hardware and software, vehicle, and phones.
  
  

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship. The County Board, County Administrator, or appropriate Elected Official retains the discretion to add duties or change the duties of this position at any time.

Benton County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.