Deputy County Counsel II/III/IV

Job Description:

Deputy County Counsel II/III/IV

Description

The Napa Valley

Internationally known for its fine wines exciting restaurants and world-class resorts, is home to 140,000 residents who share a strong sense of community and a legacy of preserving and protecting our rich agricultural heritage. Located in the heart of California's preeminent wine region, the Napa Valley is also part of the dynamic San Francisco Bay Metropolitan Area. With its sunny Mediterranean climate and proximity to the mountains and ocean, the Valley offers residents easy access to virtually unlimited shopping, dining, cultural and recreational opportunities. The Napa Valley's strategic location, natural and cultural resources, history of responsible land use planning and attractive quality of life provide the ideal mix of small town living and big city amenities.

Napa County as an Employer

As an organization, the County is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and reflecting the best of the community's values: Respect, Accountability, Dedication, Integrity and Innovation. LEARN MORE HERE or by viewing the video below!

The Position

This recruitment is being conducted to fill two (2) full-time vacancies for the position of Deputy County Counsel II, Deputy County Counsel III, or Deputy County Counsel IV, which may be filled at any of these levels depending on the qualifications, for Office of the County Counsel at Napa County. The eligibility list established by this recruitment may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, limited term, and extra help vacancies for up to one year.

Note: All Deputy County Counsels are at-will classifications.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

Primary responsibilities all attorneys in the County Counsel office are expected to handle multiple areas of the law and various departments in order to meet operational needs. Successful candidates should have a broad range of legal skills, with significant experience in representing public entities in transactions and/or litigation matters involving significant and sensitive issues of public policy and regulation.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE:

It is anticipated that one attorney will be assigned to the litigation team, and the other attorney will be assigned to the transactional/advice team.

• Substantial experience representing or advising a county, state, or local government agency in California.
• Significant experience in either civil litigation or public entity transactional matters.
• Strong ethical and moral compass, including a commitment to the principles of good government and desire to serve the public good.
• Familiarity with multiple government law practice areas - the transactional/advice position may potentially represent the Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Airport, Parks and client departments involving public contracting and real property.
• Familiarity with public entity litigation - the litigation position will be assigned to general litigation matters which include tort defense, risk management, overseeing outside counsel, code enforcement, juvenile dependency. The litigation position may also be assigned to represent the Environmental Health division, the Local Enforcement Agency and one or two special districts.
• Intellectual curiosity, acumen, and confidence when addressing new issues or learning unfamiliar subject matters.
• Strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and superior oral and written communication skills.
• Dedication to providing timely, high-quality legal services and earning client confidence.
• Proven ability to negotiate competing interests in sensitive or challenging matters.
• Emotional intelligence and ability to create strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

Salary & Benefits:

• Deputy County Counsel II: $67.63 (Step 1) - $82.01 (Step 5)
• Deputy County Counsel III: $78.16 (Step 1) - $94.82 (Step 5)
• Deputy County Counsel IV: $90.36 (Step 1) - $109.62 (Step 5)
• View Summary of Benefits HERE.

3.5% COLA increase effective 7/01/20253.5% COLA increase effective 7/01/2026

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel’s mission is dedicated to providing the highest-quality legal service to the County and other public agencies in a manner that promotes Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Stewardship. We are responsible for providing civil legal services to the Board of Supervisors, County Executive Office and departments, commissions, special districts, and various joint powers authorities. The core tenets of the Office are to provide accessible and timely services, accurate, objective and direct legal advice, thoughtful and practical solutions, zealous and effective advocacy and collaborative working relationships. The Office also defends and prosecutes civil actions on behalf of the County and its officers, acts as the attorney for the Public Administrator, represents the Public Guardian in conservatorship matters, and represents the County in mental health, human services, and child welfare cases, as well as other duties as assigned. The Office has a budget of approximately $5 million and a staff of 22 (16 attorneys, 4 paralegals, an office manager, and a legal secretary).
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

• Education: Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a Juris Doctor degree.
• License or Certificate:* Possession of a valid California driver’s license. Active membership in the California State Bar.

*Any license, certification, or registration required for this position shall be maintained (i.e. active and in good standing) at all times during employment with Napa County. For continued employment with Napa County, you must maintain such license, certification, or registration to meet the minimum qualifications of this position.
Experience: Deputy County Counsel II: Two years of experience in the practice of law equivalent to that of a Deputy County Counsel I in the Napa County Counsel's Office. Deputy County Counsel III: Three years of experience in the practice of law, or two years of experience equivalent to that of a Deputy County Counsel II in the Napa County Counsel's Office.Deputy County Counsel IV: Four years of experience in the practice of law, including three years of experience equivalent to that of a Deputy County Counsel III in the Napa County Counsel’s Office.

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

Online Application Deadline

By Friday, March 28, 2025 at 5:00 pm Pacific Standard Time

Application Screening

Tentatively the week of March 31, 2025

Supplemental Question Scoring

Tentatively the week of March 31, 2025

Supplemental questions will be scored by Subject Matter Experts. Only the most qualified applicants from the scoring of the supplemental questions will be invited for an Oral Panel Interview.

Oral Panel Exam

Tentatively the week of April 14, 2025

Establish Eligibility List

Tentatively the week of April 14, 2025

Only the most qualified candidates from the oral panel exam will be placed on the eligibility list and may be considered to fill positions for up to one year.

The Human Resources Department reserves the right to change the recruitment process at any time.


Example of Duties

View the full job description including the example of duties for these classifications below. Note: Deputy County Counsel IV is a single classification and not a part of a the flexibly staffed Deputy County Counsel series (I, II, III). Deputy County Counsel II Job Description HERE.
Deputy County Counsel III Job Description HERE.
Deputy County Counsel IV Job Description HERE.

Disaster Service Workers

Napa County employees automatically become Disaster Service Workers. This means that when Napa County experiences emergencies (earthquake, wildfire, power outage, flood, etc.) you may be asked to pivot from your regular duties to provide critical services to those affected by the emergency. (Cal. Gov. Code § 3102.)

ADA Accommodation

Applicants requiring accommodation during the application and/or selection process pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act should contact County of Napa Human Resources at (707) 253-4303.

Napa County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Non-Classified - Other

Closing Date/Time: 3/28/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$140,670.40 - $228,009.60 Annually