Senior Deputy General Counsel (3 positions)

About the role

The Legal Department of the Metropolitan Water District (Metropolitan) seeks to fill three (3) Senior Deputy General Counsel positions with expertise in one or more of the following areas: litigation/administrative hearings/PERB/labor/employment law; litigation/administrative hearings/environmental resources law; and/or, litigation/public agency law.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and representation to Metropolitan’s Board of Directors and senior management on a wide range of legal matters, including but not limited to public agency laws such as the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act.
• Manage and supervise outside counsel and support staff, providing guidance and oversight in the development and implementation of legal strategies and solutions.
• Lead and participate in complex litigation, including administrative hearings, arbitrations, and trials, with a focus on public agency law, environmental resources law, and labor relations/employment law.
• Develop and implement personnel policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Collaborate with human resources and senior management to address sensitive, high-profile, and politically complex matters with sound judgment and discretion.
• Act as lead counsel in defending Metropolitan’s interests in state and federal courts, particularly in Writ of Mandate proceedings (CCP 1085 and 1094.5).
• Provide strategic advocacy in disputes involving Public Finance and debt issuance, as well as high-stakes Public Contract litigation related to capital projects bid protests and vendor contracts.
• Defend Metropolitan’s policies in emerging areas such as public agency social media use and employee First Amendment rights.

Requirements

Knowledge of public agency laws such as the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act and experience working for or representing public agencies, providing legal advice, working with boards, committees or legislative bodies, including serving as counsel during public meetings and hearings, is preferred.

Experience as a first chair litigator of complex matters, experience in negotiation and documentation of complex transactions, and/or experience in representing parties in administrative proceedings at the local, state and/or federal level is highly desirable.

Familiarity with the Metropolitan Water District Act (MWD Act), CalPERS regulations, and the intersection of disability law with the interactive process is also highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor Graduate degree from an accredited law school and seven (7) years of progressively responsible, directly related law practice experience performing complex and varied legal assignments.
• Experience representing public agencies is preferred.
• Directly related law practice experience is labor relations/employment law or litigation/environmental resources law or public agency litigation law.
• Certified California State Bar Member (member in good standing, with either active membership or the ability to activate membership prior to employment).

Skills

• Ability to respond to substantive questions quickly.
• Comfortable working in a collaborative environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Expertise in public agency laws and practices.
• Experience in litigation, administrative hearings, and public agency law.
• Ability to manage and supervise outside counsel and support staff.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Effective negotiation and transactional experience.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Excellent medical, dental, life, vision plans
• Deferred compensation in the form of a 401(k) plan (with matching contribution) and a 457 plan
• Retirement benefits under the California Public Employees' Retirement System
• Tuition reimbursement
• Training and advancement opportunities
• On-site fitness center
• Public transportation reimbursements

Pay

Competitive compensation based on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Hybrid: Two days a week in person and the other days remote. Subject to change dependent on organizational needs. In addition, a telework policy is scheduled for negotiations and once completed and implemented, will provide final direction on the hybrid schedule.