Advisory Attorney

Job Description and Duties

The Attorney is a member of the Legal Office whose primary duty is to engage in legal analysis and render legal advice and opinion on complex and sensitive legal issues.

Under the supervision of the General Counsel/Assistant Chief Counsel, conducts legal research and provides both oral and written legal opinions for the General Counsel/Assistant Chief Counsel, members of the Executive Office, managerial staff, and others on a variety of legal work of moderate to average difficulty, including, but not limited to, employment law and discrimination, education and licensing of teachers, governmental contracts, conflicts of interest, the California Public Records Act and Information Practices Act. Drafts memoranda and other papers for the Commission; interprets and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities; prepares and assists in preparing legal documents, including Commission decisions, reviews contracts, and other documents for legal sufficiency.

This advertisement will run until filled with the following cutoff dates for review of applications:

• July 20, 2026
• July 30, 2026
• August 10, 2026 
• August 20, 2026
• August 31, 2026
• September 10, 2026
• September 21, 2026
• October 1, 2026

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a(n) Membership in California State Bar License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Active member, in good standing, of the State Bar of California.
• Knowledge and experience in education and educator licensing disciplinary process in the State of California.
• Ability to complete a high volume of complex legal analysis under short deadline, with accuracy and clarity.
• Knowledge and experience related to the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, and Administrative Procedures Act.
• Experience with the following entities in California: State Courts, Department of Human Resources, Civil Rights Department, and the Office of Administrative Law.
• Knowledge and experience applying the following laws: discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, worker’s compensation, equal opportunity employment, governmental conflicts of interest.
• Knowledge and experience advising governmental bodies.
• Knowledge and experience reviewing and analyzing hearing records and drafting well-written, persuasive briefs.

Benefits

Benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays and other types of leave, comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits with a variety of choices, and CalPERS retirement options (the nation’s largest public pension plan). For more details about employee benefits, visit the California Department of Human Resources website.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other -

  Writing Sample – Advisory Attorney I

  Include a writing sample that demonstrates original legal analysis of not more than 5 pages. Personally identifiable information must be redacted, and if applicable, a privilege waiver must also be included.

  The application will be considered incomplete, and the applicant will not be considered for an interview if a writing sample is not submitted.