Assistant General Counsel

Please note, this is an 'Until Filled' position. The application cut-off dates are September 8, 2025 and September 29, 2025 by 11:59 PM (PST). Interested individuals must submit their application packages by the cut-off dates to be considered.

By law, the California Department of Education (CDE) is responsible for the administration of the State K-12 public education system. Its chief administrative officer is the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI), a statewide elected constitutional officer (California Constitution, Article IX, Section 2). Its policy board is the constitutionally established State Board of Education (California Constitution, Article IX, Section 7). The subject position is a chief legal officer of the California Department of Education. Under general direction of the General Counsel, the Assistant Chief Counsel manages and administers the Legal Affairs I unit in the Legal Division of the Legal, Audits and Charters Branch.

The Legal Division is responsible for the Department’s legal program, including its litigation. The Assistant Chief Counsel is responsible for the coordination, direction, and priority setting of litigation and legal workload; directing the application of departmental policy to litigation and administrative hearings; independently determining tactical approaches to such hearings and litigation; directing the preparation of legislation, regulations, legal advisories and opinions; and analyzing federal and state legislation and appellate court decisions for their impact on educational programs throughout California.

The mission of the Legal Division is to provide timely, thorough legal advice and representation to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education, and State Board of Education, in furtherance of their official duties and public policy goals.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Salary

• $14,513 - $17,742/month

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT CHIEF COUNSEL

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

1. Direct management experience, supervisory experience, or experience in lead capacity planning, organizing, and directing the work of legal and administrative staff, including responsibility for budget, contracts, and personnel matters.
2. Direct experience advising high-level State officers or leadership of State boards or commissions. Provide any experience related to advise regarding Bagley-Keene, the Public Records Act, and conflict of interest provisions.
3. Experience in handling complex litigation matters before all courts and administrative tribunals, including legal research methods, court procedures, rules of evidence and procedures, and administrative law.
4. Experience in handling complex transactional matters including compliance with State contracting and procurement processes, technology development projects, and data privacy requirements.
5. Experience in staff development, team building and providing technical assistance to a diverse and complex constituency.
6. Experience with statutory provisions related to K-12 education in California, such as the education code, the Information Practices Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act.

Other Information

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Department Information

The California Department of Education (CDE) oversees the state's diverse and dynamic public school system, which is responsible for the education of more than six million children and young adults in more than 10,000 schools with 295,000 teachers. The CDE and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction are responsible for enforcing education law and regulations; and for continuing to reform and improve public elementary school programs, secondary school programs, adult education, some preschool programs, and child care programs. The CDE's mission is to provide a world-class education for all students, from early childhood to adulthood. The CDE serves our state by innovating and collaborating with educators, schools, parents, and community partners, preparing students to live, work, and thrive in a highly connected world.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

To be considered for this job opportunity, applicants must be reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility, or have reinstatement eligibility. If you are new to California State service and you do not have list eligibility, you must take the exam for this classification.

The examination bulletin(s) may be viewed on the California Department of Education Web page at: Open Examinations - Jobs at CDE (CA Dept of Education)

or at the link below:

Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel:
https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1587

Application Instructions

Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: Until Filled

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process.Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How to Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Education
Human Resources Division
Attn: C&P PC-3190/JC-489001
1430 N Street, Suite 1802
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Education
Human Resources Division
C&P PC-3190/JC-489001
1430 N Street, Suite 1802
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Interested individuals MUST submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) with their application. Resumes, letters, and other materials do not take the place of the SOQ. The SOQ should have a title of “Statement of Qualifications, Your Name,” be no more than 3 pages and no smaller than 12-point Arial font.

  • Submit a Statement of Qualifications that addresses each area listed on the Desirable Qualifications.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Working Conditions

TELEWORK OPTION

HYBRID

This position is headquartered in Sacramento and may be eligible for a hybrid telework schedule for eligible applicants residing in California. A hybrid telework schedule includes working remotely and working a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Hiring Unit Contact:
Lorie Adame
(916) 319-0860
ladame@cde.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Randi Thompson, EEO Officer
(916) 445-9174
oeoinfo@cde.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device. Benefits

The State of California provides comprehensive benefits packages determined by the employee’s bargaining unit. Some of these benefits include:

·Medical benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance

·Paid holidays: 11 paid State holidays, 1 personal paid holiday, and 2 professional development days

·401(k) and 457(b) Plans (Savings Plus)

·Employee Assistance Program

·Commute Program

More benefit information can be found on CalHR’s website: Benefits Summary