DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL IV

Job Description and Duties

The Environmental Justice and Protection Section of the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, is looking for a purpose-driven, highly experienced civil litigation attorney to work on some of the most challenging and cutting-edge issues in the field of environmental law on behalf of the People of the State of California. We are seeking exceptional and motivated candidates for an opening in our section working primarily on plastic pollution enforcement matters, including representing the Attorney General in complex litigation in state court addressing the pla stic pollution crisis in California.

The section is seeking experienced civil litigators who are familiar with practicing in California state court and federal court through all phases of a case, including trial. Experience investigating claims, propounding and responding to written discovery, taking and defending percipient and expert witness depositions, and responding to dispositive motions is highly desirable. The ideal candidate will have taken cases to a jury verdict and be familiar with the California Code of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

While the focus of this position will primarily be on plastics pollution enforcement, the Environmental Justice and Protection Section handles a broad range of significant environmental matters on behalf of the Attorney General and the State of California. Attorneys in the section practice in an array of state and federal laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act, the Hazardous Waste Control Law, the California Endangered Species Act, Proposition 65, and the Unfair Competition Law, as well as federal laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Federal Power Act, the federal Endangered Species Act, and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. Attorneys in the section use these laws to address existing and future pollution, mitigate the dangers posed by climate change, pursue equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens in communities, provide information on exposures to toxic chemicals, and reduce health impacts from environmental and other exposures.

The Environmental Justice and Protection Section utilizes the Attorney General’s broad statutory and common law enforcement authority to participate in local, state, and federal agency decision making, and to litigate complex environmental matters through all phases of state and federal courts, representing the Attorney General in his independent capacity. Duties include but are not limited to: conducting difficult environmental investigations on behalf of the Attorney General; close coordination with District Attorney Offices, including joint prosecutions of both civil and criminal environmental cases; and providing legal advice on an ongoing basis to the Attorney General and, as needed, to California state agencies.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Special Requirements

• A fingerprint check will be required.

• JC-532199 must be clearly stated in the "Examination or Job Title(s) for which you are Applying" section located on page one of your state application.

• DAG V consideration - lateral transfers only.

• Individuals who are new to state service must have list eligibility in order to gain employment with the California Office of the Attorney General. The process is  described at 

• Please note that appointment to the DAG classifications will be made using the following examinations:
  • DAG III exam - at least 5 years of legal experience:  DAG III Examination
  • DAG IV exam– at least 6 years of legal experience: 

  • You do not have to take an exam before you apply for a job.  However, you must complete and pass the exam to be eligible for hire.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/14/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Justice

OHR-Nicole Farrah

Attn: Nicole Farrah (JC-532199)

1300 I Street, 7th Floor

Sacramento , CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Justice

OHR-Nicole Farrah

Nicole Farrah (JC-532199)

1300 I Street, 7th Floor

Sacramento , CA 95814

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

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 - A cover letter is required. 
• Other - Writing sample consisting of a dispositive motion, pretrial motion or appellate brief is required. 
• Other - A short statement (no longer than two pages) detailing your civil litigation experience in California state and federal courts, including but not limited to investigating claims, written discovery, depositions, expert witnesses, pre-trial motion practice (demurrers, motions for summary judgement, etc.), and trial work.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Human Resources Contact:
Nicole Farrah
View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov
View email address on calcareers.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
EEO Officer
View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov
View email address on calcareers.ca.gov

California Relay Service: View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov (TTY), View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Additional Application Filing Information

Please note, if using the United States Postal Service for delivery, there is no guarantee that your application will be date stamped and will arrive by the final filing date. If your application does not have a postmark or date stamp and arrives after the final filing date, your application will not be accepted. Therefore, to ensure timely delivery of your application, it is recommended that you use either electronic delivery, parcel service, or certified mail. Using one of these options will provide proof of delivery  prior to the final filing date. If you are mailing your application, as a courtesy we ask that you contact the HR Consultant listed to confirm your application has been received. This is not required, but highly encouraged so we can ensure the timely submission of your application.