CLASS SPECIFICATION

ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY I

DEFINITION OF CLASS:

This is entry level legal counsel work performing duties of an introductory and varied nature in support and representation of the County Government. The majority of contacts are with staff from other County departments and agencies to review and make recommendations on legal issues, policies and procedures; Federal and State Judges to present and defend the County's legal interests; and various members of boards and commissions and private business to explain/defend County policies and procedures. Limited direct service and assistance to the public is required in this class.

An employee in this class is responsible for preparing and rendering legal opinions and advice regarding procurement, contracts and other legal matters; performing legal research, preparing and filing legal briefs; and representing the County in a variety of legal matters. Work is carried out with moderate supervision according to precedents, procedures and accepted practices of the legal field and requires an employee to independently plan the sequence of actions and select appropriate procedures required to complete the work. Work is reviewed by a higher level attorney for soundness, adequacy, and compliance with established policies and procedures set forth by the Office of the County Attorney. Guidelines exist in the form of Federal, State and local laws and are stated in general terms, requiring research and analysis to devise the best possible approaches and methods for presenting cases in court, and for extrapolating trends and patterns in court decisions to devise innovative solutions or new policies to meet assignment requirements. The complexity of this class of work is marked by the varied duties involving a wide range of processes which relate to the specialized practice of the legal field (e.g., claims against the County for monetary damages, enforcement actions, subrogation collections, settlement negotiations, etc.). As the junior member of a team of attorneys, the impact of this class is realized by the completion of conventional and increasingly difficult assignments which involve the legal services provided to various departments/agencies. Work is sedentary, performed in a typical office and courtroom setting, and subject to common everyday risks.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)

Works with higher level attorneys to draft County legislation, regulations, ordinances, and legal documents.
Writes and renders opinions and rulings on legal issues.
Works with higher level attorneys to prepare and try cases and other assignments and independently prepares and tries less complex cases, e.g., District Court cases.
Conducts legal research in a variety of areas.
Provides legal advice in the form of written and oral opinions to representatives of County departments, offices, boards, and commissions.
Reviews, approves, and interprets the legal form of deeds, decrees, leases, contracts and other legal documents.
Compiles data, and establishes and maintains case records.
Serves as legal liaison between County, State and local municipalities.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Graduation from an accredited university school of law.
Experience: One (1) year of post degree experience as a law clerk or in a similar capacity.
Equivalency: None.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of the principles and practices of substantive and procedural law.
Knowledge of the principles, methods, materials, and practices of legal research.
Ability to effectively present and argue cases in court.
Ability to deal tactfully, courteously, and effectively with people.
Ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office if necessary.

LICENSE:

Membership in the Maryland State Bar; or, membership in the bar of any other state in the U.S. in which case Maryland State Bar membership must be obtained during the probationary period.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:

Individuals appointed to a position in this class will be required to serve a probationary period of twelve months and, if promoted to a position in this class, will be required to serve a probationary period of six months. Performance will be carefully evaluated during the probationary period. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period; and, for employees hired without Maryland State Bar membership admittance to the Maryland State Bar.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Medical History Review

Class Established: June, 1969
Revised: July, l988
Dec., 1994(M)
November, 2004