What are the responsibilities and job description for the ATTORNEY IV position at Department of Industrial Relations?
Under supervision of the Attorney Supervisor or Assistant Chief Counsel to the Labor Commissioner’s Office, the successful candidate will represent the LCO and act as counsel, advising the Labor Commissioner and other public agencies, on California employment law. California often leads the way with First-in-the-Nation measures to protect workers and employers. In this dynamic arena, LCO team personnel are assigned a variety of tasks such as litigation, negotiation, legislative and community liaison work, hearings, legal research, legal opinion writing on policy, precedents and appeals. The ideal candidate possesses a strong motivation to work on and contribute to labor, employment rights-related matters. The ability to travel is required for this position.
***Please ensure application is complete with detailed job descriptions/tasks performed, employment beginning and ending date information, and hours worked per week. Failure to provide this information may disqualify your application.
This position is in the following program areas: Legal Unit, supporting Wage Claim Adjudication
This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR §249.3
To be considered for this Attorney IV job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1581
Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please click here to visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
This position is located at: 455 Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102-7002
• May work in high-rise building in downtown locations.
• Must work in office. Workspace is a standard office in a smoke-free environment.
• Incumbent must be able to remain in a stationary position for long periods of time;
Incumbent must occasionally move boxes, files and office equipment.
• As needed, an Attorney will also have contact with the general public, California State and outside legal, program, court and agency staff via phone, email, in person, via presentation, video and mail. Such contact may include general, confidential, sensitive, technical and informative materials.
• The Attorney is expected to travel via land and air (including overnight travel out of town) and arrange schedules to perform duties and meet the objectives of the program.
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
ATTORNEY IV
Job Application Package Checklist
Duty Statement
Job Code #:
JC-517190
Position #(s):
400-503-5780-XXX
Working Title:
Staff Attorney for the State Labor Commissioner
Classification:
ATTORNEY IV
$11,993.00 - $16,096.00
A
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
San Francisco County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) was established in 1927. Its mission is to improve working conditions for California's wage earners and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR administers and enforces laws governing wages, workplace safety and health, apprenticeship training programs, and medical care and other benefits for injured workers.
Electronic Submission of Applications preferred. Application Packages maybe submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at https://jobs.ca.gov/ Applications must be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on or before the above final filing date.
Please only submit ONE application. Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended and will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing.
If you are unable to apply electronically through your CalCareer account, please mail a completed and signed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 and application package to the mailing address provided in the “Application Instructions” section below and ensure the following:
• Clearly indicate the Job Code #, Position Number and the Title of this position in the “Examination or Job Title(s) For Which You Are Applying” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.
• Clearly indicate the basis of your eligibility (cert, transfer, reinstatement, etc.) in the “Explanations” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.
• Remove and do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678. This page is for examination use only.
• Do not include your full Social Security Number on your documents and/or do not provide any LEAP information.
The mission of the Labor Commissioner’s Office is to ensure a just day’s pay in every workplace in the State and to promote economic justice through robust enforcement of labor laws.
Must have active membership to the California State Bar
Statement of Qualifications:
Type answers to the following inquiries in 12 point type, Times New Roman font. Each answer should be on a separate page and have your name and position number at the top left corner. If your answer to an inquiry is “none,” please so indicate. Your Statement of Qualifications should be five (5) pages (1 page for each inquiry) and should be submitted with your application and resume. Applications received without the SOQ will not be considered.
1. Identify up to five (5) matters in which you have served as lead trial counsel in a court trial (civil or criminal) or administrative hearing which lasted more than one day (morning and afternoon sessions). Please format your response as follows:
Case Name/No. Court name/location/dept. Judge/Hearing Officer Dates Issues
2. Identify up to five (5) matters in which you have served as lead trial counsel in a court trial or administrative hearing which lasted more than one day (morning and afternoon sessions) in which alleged violations of the California Labor Code, Orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Fair Employment and Housing Act, or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were some or all of the claims tried. Your response may contain trials/hearings listed in response to inquiry 1 above, if applicable. Please format your response as follows:
Case Name/No. Court name/location/dept. Judge/Hearing Officer Dates Issues
3. Identify up to five (5) matters in which you have served as lead appellate counsel in the California Court of Appeal or in a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Please format your response as follows:
Case Name/No. Court name Date of decision Cite (if any) Issues
4. Describe how your experience prepares you for this position as a trial attorney doing labor law enforcement for the Labor Commissioner’s Office. (Limit answer to 2 pages with line spacing of 1.5.)
5. Describe your personal mission and how it relates to the LCO’s mission and vision. (Limit answer to 1 page with line spacing of 1.5.)
In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
Candidates with significant trial experience such as prosecutors and public defenders, and candidates with experience representing employees in Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA )and Labor Code enforcement actions are especially encouraged to apply.
Knowledge of how to conduct legal analysis (e.g., issue-spotting, rule analysis, applying law to facts) to ensure relevant issues and information are identified and correlated with applicable law, and to aid in predicting the legal outcome.
Knowledge of proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to ensure that written materials prepared and reviewed are complete, and free of errors.
Knowledge of the rules of evidence and their application in depositions, court trials, and administrative hearings.
Knowledge of pretrial and trial procedures in state and federal courts.
Skilled at listening to others to facilitate an open exchange of ideas and provide for effective communication.
Skilled at effectively organizing and conducting cross examination of witnesses at trial or hearing.
Skilled at negotiating case resolutions that maximize results for the client.
Skilled at formulating persuasive legal arguments and presentation of evidence to the bench, juries, arbitrators, mediators, and opposing counsel.
Ability to apply professional ethical rules as they relate to the practice of law and particularly the role of public attorneys.
Ability to examine witnesses at deposition and at trial on direct examination and cross examination.
Ability to review and/or finalize work products produced by clients, para- professionals, and/or other attorneys.
Ability to lay the foundation for documentary evidence and expert witness opinion testimony.
Ability to prepare and deliver closing arguments which synthesize evidence and applicable law in a compelling narrative.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in the dissemination of information.
Ability to plan the development of a project, case or matter.
Ability to present cases before State and Federal Courts, and administrative agencies or forums.
Ability to remain calm under stressful circumstances.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in decision making.
Salary : $143,916 - $193,152
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