Assistant County Counselor I - COUNTY COUNSELOR

Department:  Cnty Counselor 

Job ID: 12987

Pay:  $89,645.00 - $134,314.00 Annually  

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm  

Sedgwick County offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes health coverages, paid leave, regular compensation reviews, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities.  For more detailed information, please visit our benefits page at SCBenefits.

This attorney position assists the County Counselor with protecting the County’s legal interests in all matters in which the County is involved, including the advising of the Board of County Commissioners, department heads and other county officials as assigned. Ensures that the County is properly represented in legal proceedings as assigned, and that contracts, deeds, bonds, and other official documents are approved for form and legality (as assigned). 

Advise the County Commissioners, elected officials, county manager and division/department heads (as assigned) on questions of law pertaining to County business.

• Act as the primary point of contact, provide legal representation, and provide legal advice for County entities and functions such as Human Resources, claims and litigation alleging violations of employment laws, legislative services, health and human services functions (COMCARE, Health Department, and Department of Aging and Disabilities Services), and other departments (as assigned).
• Attend meetings of the Board of County Commissioners as required.
• Staff other public hearings and boards as required.
• Respond to inquiries made by commissioners and other county officials.
• Prepare resolutions, briefs, opinions, pleadings and other legal papers; conducts necessary legal research; maintain case records and prepares reports.
• Review case law and legislation for impact on County business.
• Examine and advise on deeds, bonds, contracts and other documents and approves as to form.
• Provide trainings to stakeholders on topics within areas of responsibility as needed or by request.

Represent and coordinate the representation of County’s interests in all matters related to Contracts, Employment Law and County Resolutions.

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts.
• Give guidance re: FMLA, ADA, FLSA, and other Human Resource issues
• Prepare resolutions, briefs, opinions, pleadings and other legal papers; conducts necessary legal research; maintain case records in the areas relating to department subpoenas, orders for records, employer reference/records requests and other records issues as well as routine destruction of records.

Examine claims, lawsuits, and demands against the County to determine their legality.

• Prosecute interests of or defend interests of County in demands, claims and litigation involving the County.

Minimum Qualifications: Doctorate of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school. Two years of experience in the practice of law. Admitted to the Bar of the State of Kansas.  Eligible to practice law before the courts of the State of Kansas and the Federal District Court for the District of Kansas. Knowledge of the methods and practices of legal research.  Proficiency in performing legal research electronically, accessing court documents, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, PowerPoint and Outlook. Knowledge of the methods and practices of civil prosecution and civil defense, effective trial techniques and the presentation of evidence.  Knowledge of the common law, State and Federal laws and regulations, state and local court rules. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.  Ability to analyze and organize facts in complex cases, to apply the law to them, and to present arguments thereon in clear and concise fashion, both orally and in writing. Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with elected and appointed officials, County management and employees, the courts and the public.

Preferred Qualifications: Three years of experience in the practice of local government law.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws. Please find more information under the following link.  Apply for a Job | Sedgwick County, Kansas