Assistant County Attorney

About the role

Spotsylvania County is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. Employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, or using controlled substances such as marijuana. A positive drug test result, confirmed use or impairment, can be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination in accordance with personnel policies. A positive pre-employment drug test will also disqualify a candidate for hire.

Responsibilities

• Prepares cases for trial, interviewing witnesses, negotiating with attorneys, conferring with County and judicial personnel, locating witnesses and defendants, performing legal research, and performing legal investigations.
• Presents cases in court and makes motions and recommendations to the court; questions witnesses and defendants.
• Performs legal research using computer databases and/or manually and prepares memoranda of law pertaining to assigned cases.
• Provides legal advice and counsel to the Board of Supervisors, public officials, and County agencies, boards, and commissions.
• Drafts ordinances and resolutions.
• Reviews deeds, contracts, and other legal documents.
• Attends Board of Supervisors meetings and any other meetings related to the current workload.
• Attends bi-annual Local Government Attorney training.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate Degree and at least two (2) years of experience in the practice of law; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the requisite skill, knowledge, and ability.
• Licenses to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Qualifications

All positions allocated to the County Attorney are limited to full-time employment and preclude the private practice of law, with the exception of limited pro bono work approved by the County Attorney.

Skills

• Knowledge of the proceedings, practices, policies, rules, and regulations of the practice of law and trial preparation.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and ordinances pertaining to the specific duties and responsibilities of the position.
• Knowledge of legal research and investigation methodology, and is able to perform comprehensive legal research.
• Knowledge of the structure and operation of the judicial system.
• Knowledge of statutory provisions applying to rules of order.
• Knowledge of judicial procedure and rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of the current literature, trends, and developments in the field of criminal law, including court decisions and pertinent legislation.
• Knowledge of popular computer-driven word processing.
• Skilled in legal writing.
• Skilled in oratory.

Special Requirements

• Knowledge of the proceedings, practices, policies, rules, and regulations of the practice of law and trial preparation.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and ordinances pertaining to the specific duties and responsibilities of the position.
• Knowledge of legal research and investigation methodology, and is able to perform comprehensive legal research.
• Knowledge of the structure and operation of the judicial system.
• Knowledge of statutory provisions applying to rules of order.
• Knowledge of judicial procedure and rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of the current literature, trends, and developments in the field of criminal law, including court decisions and pertinent legislation.
• Knowledge of popular computer-driven word processing.
• Skilled in legal writing.
• Skilled in oratory.

Special Requirements

• Ability to effectively interview criminal suspects, crime victims, witnesses, and law enforcement officials.
• Ability to use common office machinery.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws and court decisions, and to use legal source material in technical research.
• Ability to prepare and maintain complex legal records.
• Ability to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in all phases of work.
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy, firmness, and discretion in frequent contact with criminal suspects, crime victims, court and law enforcement officials, and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things.
• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information.
• Ability to read a variety of informational documents, appellate reports, periodicals, codes, manuals, reports, and various court reports and records.
• Ability to prepare legal briefs, memoranda, exhibits, guidelines, notes, correspondence, plea agreements, jury instructions, etc., using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
• Must be able to speak before an audience with poise, voice control, and confidence.
• Ability to understand the meaning, relationships, and principles of symbols, formulas, and concepts; to develop methods and procedures for problem solving; to present solutions in logical and systematic forms and sequences.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow oral and written instructions.
• Must be able to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; and to determine percentages and decimals.
• Must be able to understand and apply the theories of geometry, descriptive statistics, and statistical theory.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.
• Must be adaptable to performing under varied levels of stress.

Physical Requirements

• Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines, which include a dictaphone, computer, facsimile, copier, etc.
• Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
• Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for periods of time.
• Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.
• Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately when using automated office equipment.
• Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc.
• Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
• Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving the nature of sounds by ear).

Benefits

The County's variety of comprehensive and competitive benefit programs* include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life Insurance Opt-Out Program
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Bank Supplemental Insurance Plans
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Retail Plan
• Deferred Compensation - 457 Plans

Some benefits are exclusive to full-time employees. To learn more, please contact the Department of Human Resources.