Assistant Attorney General - Forestry, Fire, and State Lands
State of Utah See More Job Openings by This Employer
Job Description
Salary
- Job Description
- Assistant Attorney General - Natural Resources
The Office of the Attorney General, Natural Resources Division, has an immediate opening for an attorney to represent the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands within the Department of Natural Resources. The position involves advising the Division on a wide variety of state and federal legal issues related to management of sovereign lands, division responsibilities related to wildland fire, the administration and enforcement of conservation easements, and any other issues affecting the sovereign lands, fire, and forestry programs.
This position requires membership in the Utah State Bar and qualification for admission to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. The applicant should have excellent written and oral advocacy skills, the ability to communicate ideas and information clearly and concisely, and the ability to work with others as part of a team. The applicant is required to have at least three years of legal experience related to natural resources.
Preference will be given to candidates who have experience with litigation, sovereign lands, the public trust doctrine, wildland fire, and conservation easements. The position is located in Salt Lake City.
The Office of the Attorney General is an equal opportunity employer. Security background checks are completed as a condition of employment. - Responsibilities
- Prepares cases by conducting legal research and gathering evidence.
- Provides consultation, makes recommendations, gives appropriate advice, and/or facilitates decisions.
- Determines needs in discovery and/or completes discovery, as well as participates in decision making and strategy sessions in preparing cases for court and determining evidence to be used.
- Writes or drafts correspondence, reports, documents and/or other written materials.
- Receives, researches and responds to incoming questions or complaints, as well as provides information, explains policy and procedures, and/or facilitates a resolution.
- Represents the state or the employing agency in lawsuits, grievances, and complaints.
- Drafts litigation working documents.
- Prepares documents consisting of concise decisions based upon facts of case, interpretations of law, and compliance with relevant state and federal standards.
- Conducts conferences with defendants and/or attorneys, negotiates settlements, and testifies in court.
- Conducts, or represents agency at formal or informal hearings.
- 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
- Strong written analysis and communication skills
- Strong reading comprehension skills
- Strong oral communication skills, as well as strong ability to effectively listen, understand, and respond to information presented verbally
- Ability to read, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies and/or procedures
- Ability to effectively work with people from a variety of backgrounds
- Knowledge of both civil and criminal law
- Ability to understand, analyze, and apply case and statutory law
- Ability to evaluate information against a set of standards
- Ability to use logic to analyze or identify underlying principles, reasons, or facts associated with information or data to draw conclusions
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, the democratic political process, and legislative history
- Ability to perform legal research using case law and appropriate techniques
- Familiarity with laws governing access to public and private records (Government Records Access and Management Act)
- Ability to make a decision or solve a problem by using logic to identify key facts, explore alternatives, and propose quality solutions
- Ability to deal with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism
- Ability to provide consultation and/or expert advice or testimony
- Knowledge of rules of evidence
- Ability to interpret and apply legal decisions and identify current and emerging trends in interpretation
- Familiarity with principles, theories, and practices of judicial or administrative law
- Supplemental Information
- A Juris Doctorate is required.
- 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's license required to drive a motor vehicle on a highway in this state per UCA 53-3-202(1)(a).
- Active membership in the Utah State Bar is required within the probationary period.
- Salary is calculated based on initial Bar admittance year, less any years not practicing law, as outlined below.
Bar Year Base Rate Annual (Rounded) 2022-2024 $55.62 $115,690 2019-2021 $58.62 $121,930 2012-2018 $61.71 $128,357 2007-2011 $64.89 $134,971 2002-2006 $67.98 $141,398 1997-2001 $71.07 $147,826 1992-1996 $74.16 $154,253 1987-1991 $77.25 $160,680 1982-1986 $80.34 $167,107 1977-1981 $83.43 $173,534 1976-Prior $86.43 $179,774
- $55.62 - $86.43/hour
