Assistant County Attorney 1 / 2 - Land Use, Transportation, and General Advisory Specialist

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

Department:

Job Type:

Exemption Status:

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

The Opportunity:

Annual Salary Ranges ~ 

• Assistant County Attorney 1: $95,900 to $143,851

• Assistant County Attorney 2: $111,858 to $167,788

Note ~

• This position will be filled as an Assistant County Attorney 1 or as an  Assistant County Attorney 2 based on the qualifications of the selected candidate. Please click the links to see each of the job classifications for additional information.

• This recruitment is Open Until Filled. Application Packets are reviewed weekly.

Multnomah County’s Office of County Attorney is actively seeking an Assistant County Attorney to undertake a docket of land use, transportation, and general advisory work. Possible opportunities to engage in litigation defense arising from advisory work. If you have a demonstrated interest in defending and advising large government, institutional or corporate clients, and have the flexibility to serve multiple agencies inside a large organization on a variety of topics, we welcome your application!  

As an Assistant County Attorney - Land Use, Transportation and General Advisory Specialist, you will be a part of the County's in-house legal team. 

The land use advisory responsibilities include: interpreting and applying land use statutes, administrative rules, and County code; appearing at public hearings before Hearings Officers, the Planning Commission, and the Board of County Commissioners; writing appellate briefs and appearing before the Land Use Board of Appeals, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court, as needed; defending land use litigation in Circuit Court as needed; advising on land use applications and enforcement actions; drafting ordinances; and other general advisory work including contract review and advising on public records requests. 

Transportation advisory work responsibilities include:  interpreting and applying federal and State statutes, administrative rules, and County code; interpreting and advising on contracts, drafting,  amending, and negotiating contracts and intergovernmental agreements; advising on right of way, acquiring real property for road projects, and construction liability; advising on dispute resolutions, claims, and help mitigate County liability. 

Additional duties include advising County officials and Departments on public records, public meetings, sustainability, environmental regulations, and all other aspects of County governance. 

The successful candidate will be flexible and utilize problem solving and innovation to provide creative options to help clients achieve their goals. Highest quality legal work, strong work ethic, ability to work independently and as an effective member of a legal team, and intellectual curiosity emphasized. 

The Office of Multnomah County Attorney is the County's legal resource center. The lawyers and staff provide legal services to the Chair's Office, the Board of County Commissioners, the Sheriff, the County Auditor and County departments and employees on matters ranging from land use to public meetings and records law, real property taxation to inmates' rights. It represents the County in state and federal courts.  Our mission is to provide high quality and cost effective legal services for all county elected officials, officers and departments.

To Qualify:

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Law degree from an accredited college or university.

• Two (2) to Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible legal experience. 

• Current membership of Oregon State Bar, admitted to practice in Oregon State Court; ability to be certified to practice in U.S. District Courts for the State of Oregon and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills*: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Experience in public sector municipal law

• Demonstrated interest in land use and experience with the Land Use Board of Appeals.

• Experience with acquiring property for public projects.  

*Transferable Skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

Screening and Evaluation:

Application Packet: The application packet consists of the following documents. Please ensure that you upload these documents in your online application. 

• A completed online application.

• An uploaded resume covering relevant experience and education. Please be sure your resume includes the following for each employer: name of employer, location, dates of employment, your title, a brief summary of your responsibilities, the number of employees under your supervision.

• An uploaded cover letter that expands on your resume and details your prior experience and how it may align with the preferred and desired areas.

Note: The application, resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the To Qualify section of the job announcement. Please be thorough, as these materials will be scored and determine your eligibility to advance in this recruitment process. 

Internal Applicants:  After you have submitted your application, please check your Workday inbox and complete the Veterans’ Preference Questionnaire prior to the application deadline. 

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference for this recruitment. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply. The recruiter as listed on the job announcement must receive all required documentation by the closing date of the recruitment.

The Selection Process: For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows: 

• Initial review of minimum qualifications: We may do an additional preferred review, phone screen, and/or send out additional supplemental questions to identify those highest qualified.

• Consideration of top candidates: We will consider qualified candidates in order of rank and score from the list of eligible candidates. This may include panel interview(s), a hiring interview, and/or additional testing to determine the best candidates for a position.

• Professional reference checks.

Note: Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Multnomah County offers an exceptional benefits package, including employer-funded retirement savings; health and dental insurance at very low cost to full-time employees and their dependents; paid parental leave; wellness programs; a focus on work-life balance; and much more. Find more details on our benefits website.

Equal Pay Law: Please be advised that the pay range listed for this position is intended to provide general guidance on the earning potential for the role. However, actual compensation will be determined in accordance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law and will take into account factors such as the candidate's relevant experience, education seniority, training, and/or tenure. Candidates should expect that initial offers will be made within the listed pay range and may not be at or near the top of the range.

Serving the Public, Even During Disasters: Everyday, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page.  

Additional Information: 

• This position is classified as an Unclassified Executive position and serves at the pleasure of the Elected Official and may be subject to discharge at any time. 

• This is a salary, unclassified executive position that is not eligible for overtime.

• This position is approved for a hybrid schedule.  The onsite work location is at the Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214. 

• All employees must reside in Oregon or Washington; the county cannot support ongoing telework from other locations.

• This recruitment may be used to fill full-time, part-time, temporary, limited duration and on-call positions.

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

Questions?

Recruiter:

Email:

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Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

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