Salary: $73,080.76 – $107,067.20 Annually
Location : 401 Grindstaff Cove Road — Sylva, NC
Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Job Number: 202300087
Department: Legal
Opening Date: 05/19/2023
Closing Date: 6/30/2023 5:00 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
Position Overview
Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute §153A-114, the purpose of this position is to serve at the pleasure of the board of Commissioners and to be its legal advisor. This position also serves as chief legal counsel for the County providing legal advice to the Board of Commissioners, County Manager, department heads, County departments, and by local legislation and Resolution to serve as counsel to the Jackson County Airport Authority and the Jackson County Tourism and Development Authority.
Grade 34
Duties and Responsibilities
- Serves as legal counsel for the Board of Commissioners, County Manager, all Boards and County departments.
- Attends meetings of County boards and commissions and renders immediate legal advice when necessary.
- Prepares contracts for a wide range of services, ensuring legal compliance and elimination of risk for the County; also prepares leases, deeds, agreements and other legal documents.
- Interprets and drafts ordinances, policies, proclamations and resolutions and makes appropriate recommendations.
- Researches, analyzes, and interprets legal issues and prepares necessary documentation and recommendations for action; prepares legal opinions and memorandums.
- Conducts legal research on a variety of issues relating to any County service programs and/or administrative business areas; may include research of constitutional law.
- Consults with Human Resources Director, department heads, the County Manager, and officials on all disciplinary suspensions and termination decisions ensuring compliance with local, State and Federal laws, ordinances, and policies.
- Prepares documents for or supervises outside counsel for real estate closings and acquisitions.
- Prepares and reviews County policies to for adoption by the Board of Commissioners.
- Prepares and responds to legal claims against the County; researches case law and court rulings; determines merits of a case and points of law; analyzes pertinent statutory and case law, administrative and procedural rules; develops case strategy and legal arguments; conducts or manages/supervises civil and administrative litigation.
- Represents the County or Supervises the representation of the County by outside counsel in court proceedings at any State and/or Federal level; prepares or helps prepare documents such as discovery, interrogatories, and depositions; prepares witnesses; participates in jury selection; prepares and presents opening and closing arguments before juries; prepares and argues various appropriate legal motions; and cross examines witnesses.
- Prepares and manages departmental budget.
- Performs other related job duties as assigned.
Education and Experience
Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law; five (5) years desired of direct related experience that includes performing professional legal work and serving as legal counsel in a North Carolina local government organization, preferably county government; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Licenses or Certifications: Possession of a valid, State of North Carolina driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment. Licensed to practice law in the state of North Carolina. Successful completion of State Bar required twelve (12) hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits annually.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of or demonstrated ability to learn County and departmental policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of computers and job-related software programs.
- Knowledge of or demonstrated ability to learn case, statutory, regulatory and common law including but not limited to GS 153A: Counties, GS 40A: Eminent Domain, GS 108A: Social Services, GS 159: Local Government Finance, GS 160A: Cities and Towns, GS 105: Taxation and the Machinery Act of NC, GS 126 North Carolina Human Resources Act, and Environmental and Natural Resources laws, and State and Federal Constitutional law.
- Knowledge of judicial and quasi-judicial procedures and the rules of evidence.
- Skill in the use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
- Skill in using computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.
- Skill in prioritizing and organizing work.
- Skill in oral and written communication.
- Ability to conduct or supervise civil or criminal litigation.
- Ability to interpret and apply constitutional provisions, statutes, administrative regulations, court decisions and other precedents.
- Ability to research and analyze facts, evidence, and legal instruments.
- Ability to express conclusion and arguments clearly and logically in oral and written forms.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with Board officials, County Manager and department heads, judges, other attorneys, and other employees.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment.
- Ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice such in public speaking situations before legislative bodies, jurisdictional entities, civic agencies, and the general public.
- Ability to record and deliver information, such as in public speaking situations, to explain procedures, and to follow verbal and written instructions.
- Ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide, calculate decimals and percentages, computer descriptive statistics and statistical inference.
- Ability to adapt to and perform under moderate stress when confronted with an emergency.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to effectively communicate and interact with management, employees, members of the general public and other groups involved in the activities of the County as they relate to the department.
Jackson County provides a robust offering of employee benefits including: employer paid medical and dental benefits, participation in the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, paid leave (vacation, sick, and holiday), Employee Clinic, Wellness program, and supplemental benefit offerings. A full overview of benefits is available at
01
Do you possess a Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law?
- Yes
- No
02
How many years of directly related experience do you possess (experience that includes performing professional legal work and serving as legal counsel in a North Carolina local government organization, preferably county government)?
- Less than 5 years
- 5 years
- 5 – 10 years
- 11 – 14 years
- 15 – 19 years
- 20 – 24 years
- 25 or more years
Required Question