Staff Counsel, LACERA (Benefits)

About the role

The Legal Division is comprised of a Chief Counsel, Senior Staff Counsels, Staff Counsels, Legal Analysts, and Legal Secretaries. The current vacancy is in the Benefits Section of the Legal Division.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support to the Board of Retirement, the Executive Office, the Member Operations Group, and other LACERA Divisions as needed on a wide range of benefits matters, including benefits eligibility (other than disability), the interpretation and application of CERL, PEPRA, the Internal Revenue Code, and other relevant state and federal laws and regulations and LACERA policies and procedures.
• Work closely with Senior Benefits Staff Counsel, other attorneys (including outside counsel), and staff, providing legal advice on complex benefits issues, benefits-related tax questions, fiduciary matters, and ethics and compliance matters.
• Prepare legal memos and present them to the Board of Retirement for action or counseling on benefits issues and topics in open and closed session, including advising on the development and refinement of LACERA’s policies, procedures, and practices.
• Advising staff and the Board of Retirement in connection with administrative appeals filed by members on benefits issues.
• Processing domestic relations orders submitted by members in connection with the split of pension rights and related issues, including guardianship, and conservatorship, and reviewing Powers of Attorney.
• Supervising the activities of legal staff and outside counsel on benefits issues.
• Providing legal support to the Boards, Committees, and staff at meetings in the absence of Senior Benefits Staff Counsel and Chief Counsel.

Requirements

• Four years' experience in the practice of employee benefits law, tax law related to employee benefit plans, public agency law or a comparable legal specialty.
• License Admission to practice law in all courts of California.
• Demonstrated experience providing legal advice with regards to the administration of retirement, health, and other employee benefits.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing court orders regarding dissolution, guardianship, and conservatorship.
• Demonstrated experience making presentations on benefit issues.
• Demonstrated experience advising a board of trustees or directors, or a board level committee, preferably on benefits issues.

Qualifications

Desired Qualifications include:

• Demonstrated experience providing legal advice with regards to the administration of retirement, health, and other employee benefits.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing court orders regarding dissolution, guardianship, and conservatorship.
• Demonstrated experience making presentations on benefit issues.
• Demonstrated experience advising a board of trustees or directors, or a board level committee, preferably on benefits issues.