Assistant County Counsel

Assistant County Counsel

Salary

$267,827.76 - $295,264.08 Annually

Location

Sacramento, CA

Job Type

Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

27673-A

Department

County Counsel

Opening Date

09/10/2026

Closing Date

9/24/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The Position

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:

9/17/2026, 9/24/2026

Under general direction, manages, supervises and coordinates the activities and operations of the Office of the County Counsel including providing high-level professional legal advice and services for the County of Sacramento; and coordinates assigned activities with other divisions, departments, outside agencies, and the general public.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge Of

• Principles and practices of management and organizational theory, including planning, organizational design, business finance, business development, project management and organizational effectiveness
• Principles and practices of supervision, discipline, leadership, mentoring, and training
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations
• Operational characteristics, services and activities of assigned programs and functions
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Pertinent local, State, and Federal laws, rules and regulations
• Principles, methods, materials and practices of legal research
• Advanced legal writing, research and drafting of legal documents
• Strong communication and negotiation skills

Ability To

• Select, supervise, train, and evaluate staff
• Plan, coordinate, assign, and review the work of subordinate staff
• Investigate and resolve disciplinary issues
• Develop, monitor and interpret budgets and other financial documents
• Develop and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with others
• Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations
• Influence and persuade others to take a desired action and/or direction
• Interpret and summarize a variety of data and information
• Exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of information
• Identify and interpret technical information; research and analyze case law, regulations, policies and procedures
• Manage complex assignments of a sensitive nature that require strict deadlines and multiple personnel
• Research, analyze, and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to complex legal problems
• Draft legal documents such as ordinances, resolutions, contracts and pleadings
• Prepare and present concise and logical statements of fact, law, argument, and technical and administrative reports
• Interpret, analyze, explain and apply complex laws, legal documents, rules and regulations

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Five (5) years of experience as a civil attorney for a public agency, including at

least one (1) year of supervisory or management experience in a public agency.

AND

Active membership in the State Bar of California.

Note: Failure to maintain such license and certification may be cause for disciplinary action in accordance with Civil Service Commission Rules.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks:

The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies and Procedures B-5, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidates ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.

County of Sacramento

Department of Personnel Services

Employment Services Division

700 H Street, Room 4667

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service

Email EmployOffice@Saccounty.net

Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sacramento

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicants computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicants computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidates experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidates application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidates responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidates education, training and experience. The candidates application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidates responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For information regarding County jobs:

www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sacramento

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at dco@saccounty.gov or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit: Job Applicant Accommodations

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

At Sacramento County, we strive to provide benefit programs designed to meet our employees' current and future needs and help them as they balance their careers and personal life. County of Sacramento employees have a variety of benefits available. These benefits include:

• Dental Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness
• Retiree Health Savings Plan (RHSP)
• Deferred Compensation

More information can be found on the Benefits website

TEMPORARY POSITIONS:

Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions.

VACATION:

Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.

HOLIDAYS:

14.5 holidays per year as recognized by the Board of Supervisors.

SICK LEAVE:

Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:

Regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies may be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.

RETIREMENT:

The County's defined-benefit pension plan is provided by the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 and is managed by the Sacramento County Employees Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Retirement. For more information, visit the SCERS website, http://www.scers.org

DENTAL INSURANCE:

For more information, visit the Benefits website

LIFE INSURANCE:

The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.

For more information, visit the Benefits website

DEFERRED COMPENSATION:

A deferred compensation program is available through the County 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information, visit the Benefits website

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

The County of Sacramento provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their eligible dependents. The EAP offers confidential, professional counseling services in areas such as:

• Legal Advice/Difficult Decisions
• Marriage or Family Relationships
• Financial or Credit Worries/Elder Care
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse

More information can be found on the Benefits website

WELLNESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM:

The County will recognize and award time off to eligible employees who maintain an excellent attendance record.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT:

The County offers regular employees two separate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). These accounts allow employees to set money aside, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deduction, to pay for medical, dental or dependent care expenses.

DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:

Employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:

The Medical Reimbursement Account allows pre-tax dollars to be set aside to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.

WORKERS COMPENSATION:

In case of injury while on the job, each employee is protected under the Workers Compensation laws of California.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: FAQs

VETERANS PREFERENCE:

Military veterans who have served during wartime shall be given preference in initial appointment to County service. Such preference shall apply, provided the veteran has first achieved a minimum passing score in the examination. The passing score of a veteran shall be annotated to indicate the veterans score shall be regarded as 5 points or higher, OR 10 points higher for disabled veterans, only for the purpose of determining the three ranks along with which the veterans name shall be certified. No score shall actually be changed and no new rank shall be created as a result of application of veterans preference for certification purposes.

"Disabled Veteran" means any veteran who has served during wartime and, who, as of the final filing date for an examination is declared by the United States Veterans Administration or military service department to be 10% or more disabled as a result of his/her military service. Persons claiming eligibility for disabled veterans preference must submit to the employment office, on or before the application deadline date, a certification from the United States Veterans Administration or a military service department, dated within 1 year, which certifies the present existence of a service related disability of 10% or more, or other acceptable proof of such disability as a result of his/her military service.

Persons claiming eligibility for veterans preference must submit a copy of Form DD 214 or other acceptable proof of veterans status on or before the final filing date for the examination. For purpose of this rule "reserve" status does not constitute active duty.

SPECIAL SKILL QUALIFICATIONS (WHEN SPECIFIED ON THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT):

Persons who have special skills required by some (but not all) positions in a class may be certified ahead of others provided that:

Such special skills are based on the duties and requirements of the positions and are in conformance with merit system and equal opportunity principles, and

The certification of eligibles who possess special skills have been approved by the Civil Service Commission.

01

The following Supplemental Questionnaire is the Civil Service Exam for this position and will be used to determine your exam score. All experience, education, and/or training used to answer the supplemental questions must be included on your application.

In order to receive every consideration in the selection process, you must complete all questions with concise but detailed answers and provide all requested information. Each answer will be scored separately. References such as See Resume as a response will not be scored.

By continuing in the exam process, you are certifying that all information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge.

• I have read and understood the above instructions.

02

Select the one box that best describes how you meet the minimum qualifications for the Assistant County Counsel position.

• Five (5) years of experience as a civil attorney for a public agency, including at least one (1) year of supervisory or management experience in a public agency.
• I do not meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

03

Select the one box that best describes your current membership with the California State Bar Association.

• Active membership status
• No, inactive, or pending membership status; I do not meet the minimum qualifications for the position

04

Please list your California State Bar license number and the date of issuance. If you do not have a California State Bar license, write, "none".

05

Select the one box that best describes your years of experience working as a Civil Attorney. If you have no experience working as a Civil Attorney, select none.

• None
• Less than four (4) years of experience
• Four (4) or more but less than ten (10) years of experience
• Ten (10) or more but less than 15 years of experience
• 15 or more but less than 20 years of experience
• 20 or more years of experience

06

Select the one box that best describes your years of experience practicing law in California. If you have no experience practicing law in California, select, "None."

• None
• Less than four (4) years of experience
• Four (4) or more but less than ten (10) years of experience
• Ten (10) or more but less than 15 years of experience
• 15 or more but less than 20 years of experience
• 20 or more years of experience

07

Select all the boxes for which your experience includes independent responsibility for the listed duties. If your experience does not include having independent responsibility for any of the listings, select, "None."

• None
• Training department and/or staff on legal matters
• Mentoring, coaching, and developing staff
• Providing guidance and counsel to upper management and/or the County's Board of Supervisors
• Establishing, drafting, and assisting with the implementation of department policies, procedures, and/or directives
• Writs and appeals
• Litigation matters
• Drafting law and motion pleadings
• High profile projects and/or cases
• Trials

08

For each of the selections made in the previous question, provide the following: • Employer • Dates of employment • Position title • Position level (e.g. supervisory, lead worker, etc.) • Primary duties and responsibilities If you have no experience with any of the selections, write, "None."

09

I have read the General Qualifications as stated on the job announcement.

• Yes

10

The County of Sacramento is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace. All persons selected for appointment must pass a drug test administered by the County and at no cost to the applicant.

I understand, if offered conditional employment, I will be subject to a drug test administered by the County as described in Sacramento County Personnel Ordinance Section 2.78.030.

• Yes.
• No.

11

Select the one box that best describes whether you have attended a career fair and/or job event where you have interacted with representatives from Sacramento County.

• Attended in the last one (1) - three (3) months.
• Attended in the last four (4) - six (6) months.
• Attended in the last seven (7) months - one (1) year.
• Attended an event more than one (1) year ago.
• Have attended a career fair and/or job event but did not interact with Sacramento County representatives.
• Have not attended a career fair and/or job event.

12

List the following for the career fair and/or job event you attended:

• Name of event
• Location of event
• Month and year of event

If you have not attended an event where you interacted with representatives from Sacramento County, please type "None".

Required Question

Employer County of Sacramento

Address 700 H Street, Room 4667

Sacramento, California, 95814

Phone (916) 874-5593

Website http://www.saccountyjobs.net