Benefits Staff Counsel

Company: The Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) administers and manages the $67 billion retirement fund for the County of Los Angeles. They provide retirement, disability, and death benefits to eligible County employees and their beneficiaries, and collect, deposit, invest, and manage retirement funds collected from the County, outside districts, and County employees. LACERA is the largest county retirement association in the United States with over 188,000 members. The membership is comprised of individuals from a diverse range of careers, age groups, and ethnicities. Description: This vacancy is in the Benefits Section, which is responsible for providing legal advice and representation to LACERA and its Boards of Retirement and Investments. The Legal Division is comprised of a Chief Counsel, a Legislative Affairs Officer, Senior Staff Counsels, Staff Counsels, Legal Analysts, Legal Secretaries, and will soon add a Director of Compliance. Legal staff work in one of four sections: Litigation, Investments, Benefits, and Disability. The Staff Counsel (Benefits) position reports to LACERA’s Senior Staff Counsel for Benefits and Chief Counsel. The position will provide Staff, Management and the Board of Retirement and Investments advice concerning 1937 California Employees Retirement Law (CERL) and Public Employee Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) benefit eligibility other than disability. Basic Qualifications 5 - 7 years’ experience practicing law. Four years’ experience in the practice of benefits law. Excellent drafting, negotiating, and written and oral communication skills. Possess great attention to detail. Ability to work well both in a team environment, and independently with limited supervision. Excellent problem-solving capabilities and judgement. Demonstrated ability to do the following: Research and analyze legal issues, assess risks, and distill into succinct business advice. Set priorities effectively and oversee multiple projects in a fast-paced environment. Work well under time constraints and meet deadlines. Work effectively with other in-house attorneys, outside counsel, and with business executives. Manage multiple assignments simultaneously and have strong organizational skills. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, orally and in writing. Conduct research using computerized legal research tools such as Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw. Understand and follow oral and written directions. Provide leadership. Plan and organize their work and the work of others. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff internally and externally. Operate a personal computer utilizing Microsoft applications such as Word and Excel. Preferred Qualifications Demonstrated experience reviewing court orders regarding dissolution, guardianship, and conservatorship. Experience drafting opinions, pleadings, rulings, regulations, and legislation. Demonstrated experience reviewing Power of Attorney documents to determine compliance. Provide advice regarding legal issues associated with the provision of benefits. Knowledge of legal principles and precedents, as it relates to guardianship, dissolution, conservatorship, power of attorney, constitutional, civil, administrative laws and procedures; laws affecting public pension plans; retirement, retiree health care, and/or disability benefits; probate law; family law, and the provision of legal advice to government officials; principles and practices of correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary; interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy; customer service skills; principals and applications of the Microsoft Office Applications including Word and Excel. Travel: Within Los Angeles County. Relos: Local candidates preferred. Compensation: $131,750.00 - $199,400.00 #J-18808-Ljbffr