in
State of Utah

Assistant Attorney General - Felony Review

State of Utah See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $58.44 - $87.04/hour
  • Salt Lake County, UT
November 14, 2025 Attorney

Job Description

Job Description



Assistant Attorney General - First Degree Felony Review Prosecutor
 
The Justice Division of the Utah Attorney General's Office has an immediate opening for an experienced prosecuting attorney to conduct first-degree felony de novo reviews pursuant to 2019’s general legislative session bill HB 281, Utah Code Ann. § 67-6-1(2)(b).  

HB 281 grants the Attorney General the authority to conduct a de novo review in any case involving a 1st degree felony if the county or district attorney declines to file criminal charges or fails to timely screen a case for criminal charges after a request for a screening from a law enforcement agency.  

Applicants must work well as a member of a team.  Successful applicant will work closely with AG investigators and, when appropriate, subject matter experts in what is commonly referred to as a Multidisciplinary Team or MDT.  Applicants should clearly describe their criminal law and jury trial experience in their cover letter. This position requires excellent written and oral advocacy skills and the ability to try both jury and bench trials. Prosecution experience, including sex crimes prosecutions, preferred.  Strong preference for applicants with a minimum of 3 years of sex crimes prosecution experience.  

Salary is dependent on the applicant's Utah State Bar admission date. The successful applicant must be a member of the Utah State Bar prior to beginning employment.  Travel is required as incumbents will need to represent the State of Utah in criminal and other legal proceedings throughout the State.


Responsibilities

  • Prepares cases by conducting legal research and gathering evidence.
  • Provides consultation, makes recommendations, gives appropriate advice, and/or facilitates decisions.
  • Determine needs in discovery, and/or completes discovery; participates in decision making and strategy sessions in preparing cases for court and determining evidence to be used.
  • Writes or drafts correspondence, reports, discovery, motions, documents and/or other written materials.
  • Receives, researches and responds to incoming questions; provides information, explains considerations, and/or facilitates a resolution.
  • Drafts litigation working documents; prepares documents consisting of concise decisions based upon facts of case interpretations of law and compliance with state and federal standards.
  • Conducts conferences with defendants and/or attorneys, negotiate settlements, and with court.
  • Conducts, or represents agency at, formal or informal hearings and trials.
  • May be required to travel to various court locations and stay overnight.

Qualifications

(includes knowledge, skills, and abilities required upon entry into position and trainable after entry into position)

  • agency and/or organizational program(s)
  • communicate information and ideas clearly, and concisely, in writing; read and understand information presented in writing
  • read, interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies and/or procedures
  • speak clearly, concisely and effectively; listen to, and understand, information and ideas as presented verbally
  • legal processes and procedures
  • applicable laws, rules, regulations and/or policies and procedures
  • criminal justice laws
  • rules of ethics and civility
  • understand and apply case and statutory law
  • evaluate information against a set of standards
  • use logic to analyze or identify underlying principles, reasons, or facts associated with information or data to draw conclusions
  • laws, legal codes, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, the democratic political process, and legislative history
  • perform legal research using case law and appropriate techniques
  • laws governing access to public and private records (Government Records Access and Management Act)
  • make a decision or solve a problem by using logic to identify key facts, explore alternatives, and propose quality solutions
  • deal with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism
  • provide consultation and/or expert advice or testimony
  • rules of evidence
  • interpret and apply legal decisions and identify current and emerging trends in interpretation
  • principles, theories, and practices of judicial or administrative law

Supplemental Information

  • A Juris Doctorate is required.
  • Salary is dependent on the applicant's Utah State Bar admission date.
  • Risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.
  • Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.
  • A conditional offer of employment will be made pending a satisfactory completion of a background investigation.
  • Active membership in the Utah State Bar.
  • Must be able to travel as required.
  • Valid driver license required to drive a motor vehicle on a highway in this state per UCA 53-3-202(1)(a). 
  • Attorneys are hired at a salary consistent with their experience-level-peers in non-supervisory positions. For the purpose of starting salary calculation, experience level is based on initial Bar admittance year, less any years not practicing law. Annual salary ranges for each grade level are outlined below:
    Grade LevelBar YearApproximate Salary
    I2023-2025$121,500
    II2020-2022$127,700
    III2016-2019$134,300
    IV2015-Prior$140,900 - $180,000 
     (Depending on Experience)

Salary
  • $58.44 - $87.04/hour


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