Attorney II - Rules and Projects Unit

Overview

The Legal Services office of the Judicial Council of California provides quality, timely, and ethical legal advice and services to the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, trial courts, Judicial Council, and its advisory bodies and staff in a consistently collegial and collaborative environment. Legal Services is currently searching for an Attorney II to join its dynamic and highly skilled law office that provides effective legal support to judicial branch clients on challenging, varied, and significant legal issues.

Attorneys in the Rules and Projects Unit (RPU): (1) provide legal subject matter expertise on civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure, and on the development and drafting of rules, forms, standards, and jury instructions in these areas; (2) provide legal counsel to Judicial Council advisory bodies; (3) analyze pending legislation for Judicial Council advisory bodies and other Judicial Council offices; (4) assist in developing and implementing judicial branch policies and procedures; and (5) support Judicial Council dialogue with the legislative and executive branches, justice partners, and stakeholders regarding the work of Judicial Council and advisory bodies. Attorneys in RPU often work closely with attorneys in the Legal Opinion Unit and may be asked to provide written and oral legal advice on a broad range of legal issues related to court and judicial branch administration and governance. Attorneys in RPU also work on other legal projects as assigned. 

The Judicial Council

The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.

By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council’s staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work life balance and includes substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package including pension, medical, dental and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, and retirement savings plans. The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person on Wednesdays at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office and reside in the areas surrounding these locations. Beginning January 2025, employees will work in the office at least two days per week.

Responsibilities

• Serve as legal counsel to Judicial Council advisory bodies, analyze legal issues, and develop for these bodies proposals for rules, standards, forms, jury instructions, and Judicial Council-sponsored legislation on issues relating to civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure.
• Serve as a legal subject matter expert on civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure, including on the development and drafting of rules, forms, standards, and jury instructions.  
• Conduct legal research and analysis and provide legal advice in response to questions from courts and other Judicial Council offices regarding civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure, within attorney’s areas of expertise.
• Analyze for Judicial Council advisory bodies and other Judicial Council offices, pending legislation related to civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure, within advisory bodies’ respective areas of focus.
• Provide legal support for Judicial Council communications with the legislative and executive branches, justice partners, and stakeholders regarding the work of Judicial Council advisory bodies on civil and appellate court administration, practice, and procedure.
• Conduct legal research and analysis and assist in developing judicial branch policies and procedures.
• Assist the Legal Services’ Legal Opinion Unit with providing written and oral legal advice to the Supreme Court and Chief Justice, the Courts of Appeal, the superior courts, the Judicial Council, its advisory bodies, and staff, on issues related to court and judicial branch administration and governance.
• Perform other legal duties and responsibilities of the Legal Services office as needed.
• Assist with projects or matters for the office or other units in areas of experience or expertise, including litigation, employment, transactions, legal opinions, public access, data governance, or real estate. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains proficiency through continuing education in specified areas of procedural and substantive law.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings, including making presentations as appropriate. 
• Attends training as required and as deemed appropriate for the work assigned. 
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

Juris doctor, and three (3) years of relevant post-bar legal experience as a practicing attorney.

After passing a state bar, work experience as a law clerk to a federal or state judge prior to formal bar admission will be considered qualifying experience.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Current active membership with the State Bar of California prior to hire.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Excellent legal research and analytical skills. 
• Excellent critical thinking, problem solving capabilities, and judgment.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands, manage workload, coordinate complex schedules and deadlines, produce high quality work product under pressure, and respond with flexibility to changing demands.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, clients, and the public.
• Ability to listen to and consider different points of view and to build consensus and resolve conflicts.
• Ability to work efficiently and independently but with supervision of final work product.
• Experience in the public sector.
• Experience providing staff support for a committee or governmental body.
• Experience drafting rules, legal forms, standards, jury instructions, or legislation. 
• Experience drafting neutral legal advice for clients, in particular governmental entity clients.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, appellate or civil court administration, practice, and procedure.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, protective orders.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, jury instructions.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, court technology.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, unlawful detainers.
• Knowledge of, or experience with, water, environmental, and climate change law.  

Note: Work experience as a law clerk to a federal or state judge after passing the state bar exam but before formal bar admission will be considered qualifying experience, as stated in the Minimum Qualifications section.

How To Apply

This position is Open Until Filled and requires the submission of our official application, a response to the supplemental question, and a resume. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by December 9, 2024.

To complete an online application, please click on the Apply for Job button.

The Judicial Council provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodations.  Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at (415) 865-4260. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (415) 865-4272.

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment eligibility or authorization to work in the United States will be required.

Pay and Benefits

$12,993–$15,590 per month

Some highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• Pre-Tax Parking Savings Program
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• FlexElect Program
• Long Term Care Disability (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Supplemental Questions

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, we will review your responses to the following questions. Your answer should not exceed one page.

1. Please explain why you are interested in this position and describe the skills that you believe would qualify you to perform the responsibilities of the position successfully.   
2. Please state your date of admission to the State Bar of California.