Attorney II - Labor & Employment Unit JO#6773

Job Description and Duties

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide in-house counsel and labor and employment law advice to the trial and appellate courts and the Judicial Council.

• Provide legal advice on labor matters, including interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, employer-employee relations rules and procedures, grievances, and unfair labor practice charges.

• Provide legal advice on a diverse range of employment issues, including employee discipline and termination, disability accommodations, leaves of absence, FMLA/CFRA leave entitlements, grievances, employee benefits, and wage and hour issues.

• Manage investigations of complaints as to employment issues.

• Evaluate and manage employment litigation and labor arbitrations.

• Retain and actively manage outside counsel in all stages of litigation.

• Assist and advise trials courts and work with outside counsel in proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board.

• Evaluate, review, and develop personnel policies and related materials.

• Present labor and employment-related trainings for judicial branch clients and the Judicial Council.

• Consult with or advise committees, advisory bodies, and work groups on labor and employment-related issues.

• Depending upon background and experience that may be of direct service to the courts and the Judicial Council, the attorney may be called upon to perform additional duties or assist other Legal Services units in areas of labor and employment law, litigation management, ethics, and real estate transactions and advice, as well as draft rules of court and legislation, prepare written legal opinions, and support Judicial Council advisory bodies focused on civil law and procedure and court operations.

Working Conditions

The Judicial Council strives for work-life balance, including 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, student loan forgiveness as part of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and retirement savings plans. The San Francisco office is only a 7-minute walk from the downtown Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is located minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader’s direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations. To be eligible for Judicial Council employment and participation in the Judicial Council’s Hybrid Work Program, a prospective or current employee’s primary residence/remote work location must be in the State of California and within a 150-mile driving radius of their assigned reporting location.

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:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

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

• Substantial experience in labor law with experience advising public entities on a wide variety of labor law matters and/or employment law;

• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, negotiating, and public speaking skills;

• Exceptional legal research, writing, and analysis abilities; and

• Experience in or with the public sector.

SKILLS

• Excellent critical thinking, problem solving capabilities, and judgment;

• Superior communication, interpersonal, diplomacy, and public speaking skills; 
• Ability to present issues and advocate positions clearly, concisely, and logically;

• Ability to manage workloads, coordinate deadlines, and prioritize competing demands;

• Ability to work autonomously while being a team player with a positive and enthusiastic attitude;

• Ability to listen to and consider different points of view;

• Ability to build consensus and resolve conflicts; and

• Ability to maintain effective working relationships.

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and/or ordinances, particularly in labor and employment law;

• Principles and practices of California and federal labor and employment law;

• Principles and methods of legal research (including electronic research) and analysis;

• Principles and methods of legal writing and editing;

• Principles and methods of litigation management; and

• Principles and practices of civil procedure, constitutional law, and administrative law.

Benefits

HOW TO APPLY

This position is Open Until Filled and requires the submission of our official application, resume, cover letter, writing sample, and responses to the supplemental questions. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by Monday, October 12, 2026, 2026.

To complete an online application, go to job opening #6773 at

The Judicial Council provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation. Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at View phone number on us.fitly.work. Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is available by dialing 711. Once connected, provide the relay operator with the number for Human Resources: View phone number on us.fitly.work.

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 & BENEFITS

Monthly Salary Range:

$13,383 - $16,058 per month

Please note due to statewide fiscal conditions, the posted salary range is subject to a temporary 3% reduction. In exchange for this reduction, judicial branch employees accrue an additional 5 hours of paid personal leave per month through June 30, 2027.

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

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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

Supplemental Questionnaire

Supplemental Questionnaire

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, we will review your responses to the following questions. Please indicate for which employer you performed these functions. Your answers should not exceed a total of three pages.

1. Please explain why you are interested in this position, and describe the skills you would bring to the position.

2. Please describe your substantive legal experience and background in employment law, employment litigation, and/or labor law. Please include any experience that involved work in a unionized environment.

3. Please describe any work you have performed with public sector employers or public sector employees.

4. Are you an active member of the California State Bar?

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. 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 optional. It may be included, but is not required.