Research Attorney

Legal Research Position

Review Dates: July 3, 2026, July 24, 2026, and August 17, 2026 Ventura Superior Court is accepting applications to fill a vacancy and establish a list for future vacancies. Under general supervision, this professional level represented position performs legal research activities on behalf of the Court by examining, analyzing, and interpreting available information and submitting recommendations for resolving issues before the Court.

Typical Duties

May include, but are not limited to the following:

• Reviews and summarizes in writing arguments, evidence, and procedural history on matters submitted to the Court;
• Identifies and analyzes legal authorities relevant to the disposition of matters;
• Briefs judicial officers on research and analysis pertaining to matters before the Court, identifies and discusses unresolved issues necessary for the disposition of matters, and formulates dispositions;
• Responds to judicial officers inquiries on procedural and substantive issues, attends and assists at hearings, as necessary; reviews documents at the requests of judicial officers, as necessary;
• Serves as legal adviser to the judicial officers, staff, or judicial committees on specific matters before the Court, as necessary;
• Assists with the drafting of legal documents and memoranda required by the Court, as necessary.

Judgment and Responsibility: Incumbents perform their work under general direction. Court Research Attorneys conduct extensive legal research using independent judgment, discretion, and initiative. Erroneous recommendations or failure to achieve objectives may result in substantial delays and considerable expenditure of resources.

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

Education: Completion of a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university. Experience: Performing legal research and developing legal opinions with a trial or appellate court OR A minimum of two (2) years' experience as a civil litigation attorney with expertise in discovery and law and motion practice. License Requirement: Current active membership and good standing with the State Bar of California. California Driver's License: Because the Court operates in multiple branches, the employee may be required to travel to other court locations, and possession of a valid California driver's licenses is therefore required. To be considered you must possess a valid California driver's license. Knowledge and Abilities: Knowledge of legal principles within area of assignment; relevant statutory; constitutional and case law; online legal research methods (i.e. Westlaw); rules of evidence and conduct of proceedings in trial, appellate and/or United States courts; legal ethics; word processing and other office automation software. Ability to listen to and interact with judicial officers and others involved in the assigned caseload; identify legal issues and research statutes, rules and case law; apply legal principles to case facts and make decisions; prepare and present verbal and written legal analyses and recommendations; coordinate work with others; work in an environment with conflicting priorities; recognize and respect limits of authority and responsibility; uphold legal ethics; and work independently and as part of a team. Physical Requirements: Independent body mobility to access a standard office environment with shelves and drawers of varying heights. Vision sufficient to read a computer screen, manual dexterity, coordination and ability to use a computer keyboard on a daily basis. Occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds may be required and the need to sit and work at a computer for extended periods of time. Some bending, stooping and/or squatting may be required. Transport, lift or carry trial materials to and from court (up to approximately 10 pounds). Speak and hear sufficiently to communicate clearly in person and over the telephone, in court, and in small groups Work Environment: Shared office environment with varying degrees of hot and cold air. Requires occasional exposure to dust. Requires travel to other court locations, department, other agencies, or counties. Must be able to traverse indoors and outdoors, over uneven ground and pavement in all types of weather. Frequent interruptions, with high volume of telephone and personal interaction. Ability to drive or utilize an alternate mode of transportation to perform the essential functions of the job.

Important Recruitment Information

Deadline Date: Open Until Filled. Application Evaluation: All applications received will be evaluated based on the requirements of the position. A comparative screening will be conducted to determine which of the applicants will be selected for invitation to the next step of the screening and selection process. Those individuals who are invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process will be contacted via the email address they provided in their application. Written Assessment: A job-related practical assessment will be administered. TBD Selection Interview: The interviews may be consolidated into one process or expanded into multiple interviews contingent upon the size and quantity of the candidate pool. Following the evaluation of the applications, the most qualified candidates may be invited to an oral board panel interview or directly to the selection interview. If an oral board panel interview is conducted, top candidates from the oral board panel interview will be invited to the selection interview with the hiring executive and/or members of the court executive management team. TBD Personal Qualifications: All applicants must possess the personal qualifications generally recognized as essential to being an outstanding public employee, including integrity, initiative, dependability, courtesy, good judgment, and the ability to work with others as a team and follow instructions. Conditions of Employment: Working in any of the Ventura Superior Court facilities requires employees to be subject to security screening by security personnel who use a combination of walk-through and handheld screening devices. Background Investigation:

Your Benefits as a Ventura Superior Court Employee

Based upon the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Ventura Superior Court and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) LOCAL 721 In addition to your annual salary, Ventura Superior Court offers you an extensive benefits package, including: Flexible Cash Allowance for Benefits: Employees can allocate the Court's biweekly flexible credit contribution among several benefit options. Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans: These plans are available for you and your eligible and applicable dependents to enroll. Flexible Spending Accounts: Allows you to set aside a portion of your earnings up to certain IRS allowable amount to be deducted from your paycheck before taxes. This in return increase your spending power by reimbursing you for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses. Pre-tax Salary Reduction: Portion of the flexible benefit allowance used to pay for medical, dental or vision is excluded from your taxable earnings. Cash Back: Unused portion of the flexible benefit allowance will be added to your biweekly taxable pay, depending on the selection you have made. Refer to Benefits Handbook for More Information: 2026 Benefits Guide (Download PDF reader) 2026 Flex Cash Summary (Download PDF reader) Employee Benefits Summary (Download PDF reader) 14 Paid Holidays Paid Vacation Textbook and Tuition Educational Incentive: Ventura Superior Court may provide up to a 5% incentive pay for educational attainment if not specifically required by your job. You may only receive one form of incentive pay or premium pay and will receive that which provides the greatest incentive. Deferred Compensation Program: You may choose to contribute to one or both of the County's deferred compensation plans (established under Internal Revenue Code Sections 401(k) and 457). If you participate in the Ventura County sponsored 401(k) plan, the court will match a part of your contribution, on a pay period basis. You must be regularly scheduled to work at least 40 hours each pay period to be eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan. These plans enable you to build long-term savings while deferring current federal and state income taxes. In addition to pre-tax contributions, you are also able to make after-tax contributions through the Roth option available in the 457 plan. Retirement/Social Security: Eligible employees of Ventura Superior Court participate in both Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association (VCERA) and Social Security. VCERA is a defined-benefit pension plan that provides a lifetime retirement benefit after being vested and meeting eligibility requirements. Benefits vest after 5 years of service. Employees hired to work less than 64 hours biweekly participate in another retirement plan in lieu of VCERA and Social Security. For information on VCERA membership/retirement, go to: Member Resources - Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association (vcera.org) State Disability Insurance (SDI): This program provides weekly benefits in the event of short-term disability. Premiums are automatically deducted from your pay. Optional Group Life Insurance This summary is informational only, and cannot modify or affect your benefits in any way, nor shall you accrue any rights because of a statement or omission from this summary. Please refer to Plan Brochures and Memorandum of Agreement or Resolution for details that cover the Research Attorney position.