Salary: $106,327.25 – $139,510.76 Annually
Location : Woodland, CA
Job Type: Full -Time
Job Number: 23-09
Department: Legal Research
Opening Date: 09/15/2023
Closing Date: 10/4/2023 12:00 PM Pacific
Position Information
POSITION SUMMARY
Under the direction of the Supervising Legal Research Attorney and Assistant CEO of the Superior Court, the incumbent provides legal analysis and advice to judicial officers. These positions are characterized by the responsibility of participating in and overseeing the performance of legal research assistance to the court in pre-trial and trial matters including: Civil Law and Motion, Criminal, Probate, Juvenile, Family Law, Appellate and other research duties as required. These positions are at-will appointments and incumbents serve at the pleasure of the court.
These positions are at-will appointments and incumbents serve at the pleasure of the Court.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Incumbents receive work assignments and report directly to the Supervising Legal Research Attorney (Manager).
GENERAL PURPOSE
The Legal Research Attorney is a multi-level series distinguished primarily by the complexity of work, level of independent judgment and action. Incumbents integrate experience, legal principles and research skills to evaluate a variety of legal issues and to prepare a tentative ruling or court opinion. Incumbents may do additional types of research for a variety of judicial officers.
Legal Research Attorney I is the entry level of the Legal Research Attorney series. Persons appointed to this position work under close supervision. Work is routinely reviewed by the Supervising Legal Research Attorney (Manager), research methods are discussed and rationale for opinions is analyzed.
Legal Research Attorney II is the journey level of the Legal Research Attorney series. Incumbents work under limited supervision and are assigned cases of medium complexity. Work is periodically reviewed by the Supervising Legal Research Attorney (Manager).
Essential Duties include but are not necessarily limited to:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Research and analysis of pleadings, memoranda of points and authorities as it applies to specific issues before the court
- Prepare summaries and make recommendations to the court on issues as assigned
- Prepare and maintain the Court’s tentative rulings, published on telephonic and automated system for Civil Law and Motion
- Write reports, collect, and analyze data needed for related matters
- Maintain current in civil law and procedure, and other bodies of law required to perform duties
- Confer with judges on legal issues
- May direct law students in the Internship program and appear in court to supervise same
- Perform other related duties as required by business needs. (Reasonable accommodation will be made when requested and determined by the Court to be appropriate under applicable law.)
Employment Standards
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Education: Requires achievement of Juris Doctor Degree and active membership in the State Bar of California.
Experience:
Legal Research Attorney I: Requires zero to three (0-3) years of professional experience.
Legal Research Attorney II: Requires three to six (3-6) years of professional experience.
Computer Literacy: Experience with WestLaw and Microsoft Suite
Driver’s License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license may be required
Required KSAs, Physical Requirements, Work Environment, Recruitment Process
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY
Incumbents in all classifications must possess the following:
Knowledge of:
- Legal principles and their application
- Civil, criminal, constitutional, and administrative law and procedure
- Trial procedure
- Research methods
Ability to:
- Accept guidance by technical standards and policies
- Analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form
- Pay close attention to detail
- Communicate clearly, orally and in writing
- Deal effectively and tactfully with the general public and others contacted in the course of work
- Function effectively in a challenging and fast-paced environment
- Confer with judges on legal issues
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use dexterity and coordination utilizing hands to finger, handle or feel objects, use a computer keyboard, view a computer monitor, handle files, single pieces of paper, stacks of papers, and reference and other materials; reach with hands and arms; and stoop and kneel. Hearing and speaking are needed to listen effectively and to talk with individuals in person and by phone. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability of adjust focus.
The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, and move from place to place within the office. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move objects weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds and reach for items above and below desk level. Lifting of objects weighing in excess of twenty-five (25) pounds will require team lifting. The noise and traffic level in the work environment are similar to a busy business office.
Normal business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. These positions are FLSA exempt.
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
To be considered for this position, job applicants are required to submit:
- A cover letter and resume (applications will not be considered without a cover letter and resume)
- A completed Yolo Superior Court Application Form
- Responses to the Required Supplemental Questions
- A Writing sample (ideally an objective legal memorandum) – Requirement is outlined in Required Supplemental Questions
Human Resources will review completed applications and responses to supplemental questions. Applicants who are successful in the application-screening phase may be contacted for an examination and/or structured oral interview.
An eligibility list may be developed and referred to for an undesignated period of time. The Court reserves the right to re-recruit rather than select individuals from the eligibility list.
- Reference checks are required.
- Successful completion of a background check and drug screen are required after a job offer has been extended.
- At the time of appointment to a position candidate are required to execute an oath of allegiance to the United States and the State of California.
Closing Date is Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 12:00 pm (noon)
For more information contact a Human Resources representative at 530-406-6881.
Summary of Benefits – Professional Unit
Yolo Superior Court offers an excellent benefit package, described as follows:
CalPERs retirement plan: Specific benefit formula determined per California Public Employees Retirement System regulations.
Benefit Package: A bi-weekly benefit package, paid 24 times per year, is provided to purchase coverage for health, dental and vision with minimal or no cost (depending on the plans and level of coverage chosen). Any unused portion of the benefit package will be paid to the employee as taxable earnings.
Retirement Health Benefit: The Court offers a retirement health package for eligible Professional Unit staff with 7 years of continuous employment at the time of retirement from Yolo Superior Court.
Health Insurance: The Court offers multiple HMO and PPO health plans through CalPERS.
Dental and Vision: All employees participate in Dental and Vision insurance plans.
Deferred compensation plans: Court employees have access to deferred compensation plans.
Life and AD&D Insurance: The Court provides a $10,000 life insurance policy and a $10,000 accidental death and dismemberment policy for employees at no cost. Employees may purchase additional coverage for themselves and dependents.
Flexible Spending Account: Employees may establish a flexible spending account for qualifying medical or dependent care expenses.
Sick Leave: 96 hours per year (up to 8 hours per month) There is no cap on sick leave accrual. Unused sick leave may be converted to CalPERS service credit upon retirement.
Vacation Leave: New employees are granted 40 hours of vacation after 6 months of continuous employment, thereafter, the rate of accrual is up to 80 hours of vacation per year. The accrual increases to 120 hours after 3 years of employment. Vacation accrual rates increase with years of service. The vacation cap is 320 hours.
Vacation Buy Back: Employees in the Professional Unit may cash out up to 80 hours of vacation leave each fiscal year.
Floating Holidays/Admin. Leave: Additional leave benefits include up to 32 hours of floating holiday and 40 hours of admin leave per fiscal year.
Holidays: Fourteen paid Court Holidays per calendar year
Social Security, Medicare, and State Disability: All employees participate in Social Security, Medicare and State Disability Insurance.
Employee Assistance Program: Among many benefits, the EAP provides up to 6 confidential counseling sessions per incident per calendar year. It covers any member of your household and is paid for by the Court.
Parking: Employees have access to an on-site, gated employee-only parking lot, provided at no cost to employees.
01
Instructions for completion:Carefully read and complete the supplemental questions below. Referrals to a resume or the employment history section of your application will be considered a non-response and your application will be subject to rejection.Do you understand these instructions?
- Yes
- No
02
Certification Statement: By completing the following questionnaire, I hereby attest that all information I have provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I acknowledge that Human Resources staff may contact my current or former employers to verify the information that I have provided. I understand that any misrepresentations, falsifications, or omissions of material facts may subject me to actions including removal from this recruitment and/or dismissal from Yolo Superior Court. Do you agree to this certification statement?
- Yes
- No
03
Have you ever applied for this or any other position with Yolo Superior Court?
- Yes
- No
04
I have attached a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. I understand that applications submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.
- Yes
- No
05
Using specific example, please describe in detail your work accomplishments, experience, education and training in the following areas (you may attach a separate page if needed):1. Civil law and motion2. Civil trials3. Probate law (including conservatorships and guardianships)
06
Please attach a 3-8 page written brief or legal memoranda (partial or complete) that you have personally and solely written. (ideally an objective legal memorandum)
Required Question