Assistant County Attorney

Assistant County Attorney

The Manatee County Attorney's Office is seeking an Assistant County Attorney to join its team. The County Attorney's Office comprehensively serves the legal needs of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, as the governing body of Manatee County, and renders legal advice to the Board, the County Administrator, and to departments and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Board. Assistant County Attorneys perform a variety of highly responsible and often complex work. Candidates with at least three years of experience in any combination of these practice areas will be considered: administrative hearings, appellate practice, city/county/local government, contracts, eminent domain, labor and employment, land use, litigation, procurement, public finance and bonds, public utilities, transactional, and real estate. Manatee County offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a Telecommuting Program. A cover letter and resume may be submitted to View email address on click.appcast.io. Writing samples and references may be requested. Manatee County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Assistant County Attorneys perform a variety of highly responsible and often complex work involving delivery of legal services to the Board of County Commissioners, and the Board's subordinate boards and commissions. Absent conflict, Assistant County Attorneys will provide legal services to the County Administrator and his/her senior management team, and, where requested and approved, to constitutional officers and other public officials where the exercise of their duties concern or impact Manatee County.

While Assistant County Attorneys will typically be assigned to render legal services in one or more primary and secondary practice areas, all Assistant County Attorneys may be assigned to perform legal services in any practice area, including litigation practice in judicial or quasi-judicial forums, and will be expected to maintain a solid understanding of laws related to Florida government, in addition to any assigned practice areas. Work is performed with significant independent exercise of professional discretion and judgment and is reviewed and evaluated by the appointed County Attorney.

These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position.

Actively practices preventative law by recognizing and addressing possible legal problems before they become problems and designing and conducting training to County staff on legal matters.

Assists the County Administrator and County staff with the development of administrative policies and procedures which are compliant with law, due process, and other relevant legal concerns.

Assists the County Attorney in the hiring of Assistant County Attorneys and other personnel of the office.

Directs and evaluates the work of assigned paralegals and legal assistants and supervises any assigned interns or law clerks.

Drafts and assists in negotiating leases, licenses, contracts, franchise agreements and similar documents.

Drafts and presents ordinances and resolutions for consideration and adoption by the Board of County Commissioners.

Drafts memoranda addressing questions of law or the application of law to facts.

Litigates or supervises the litigation of cases before state or federal judicial and quasi-judicial officers or bodies, including reviewing, evaluating and drafting pleadings, witness interview and preparation, taking and defending depositions, drafting and responding to discovery requests and drafting and arguing appellate briefs.

Provides advice and counsel to the Board of County Commissioners, County Administrator and other officials as assigned.

Reviews proposed state or federal legislation and advises the Board of County Commissioners, County Administrator, or County staff or lobbyists as to the legal effects or import of the legislation and assists in drafting proposed legislative amendments as needed.

Supervises and oversees the work of outside special counsel, including review of work performed and billing statements.

Undertakes and conducts settlement negotiations without direct supervision subject to approval limits established by County ordinance or policy.

Performs such other duties as the County Attorney may assign.

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school.

Florida Bar member in good standing

Ability and willingness to work hard, and to spend such time and effort on an assigned matter so as to produce a timely, successful work product.

Ability to analyze complex factual and legal problems and develop understandable, comprehensive strategies, recommendations or other responses to the client.

Ability to clearly, effectively, succinctly, confidently, professionally and discreetly communicate, verbally and in writing.

Ability to effectively oversee and evaluate the work of assigned paralegals and legal assistants.

Ability to exercise sound independent judgment without the need to consult unnecessarily with the County Attorney on routine matters and discernment regarding his or her duties to keep the County Attorney informed of significant matters.

Ability to honor the duty of client confidentiality, and to exercise mature discretion with respect to all communications both within and outside of the office.

Ability to organize, prioritize and manage a significant workload so as to ensure all matters assigned are performed in a timely and thorough manner.

Ability to remain calm and professional in the face of provocation by opposing counsel, agents of the client, or others.

Ability to sit at a desk for long periods of time, and to type on a keyboard.

Ability to travel to conferences, meetings, depositions, trials and the like, both by car and plane.

Firm working knowledge of the use of online research products such as Westlaw and Lexis, as well as traditional paper case reporters, legal encyclopedias, digests, and the like.

Knowledge of all relevant County policies and procedures, including the meeting procedures of the Board of County Commissioners.

Knowledge of all relevant ethical and legal rules governing the practice of law and the conduct of attorneys, including the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar.

Knowledge of and ability to effectively use modern business and legal software including current Windows operating system, e-mail systems, electronic calendaring and scheduling, word processing programs, and metadata screening software.

Knowledge of the constitutional, common, administrative and statutory law of Florida relevant to Florida local government and to any assigned practice areas, as well as relevant federal constitutional, common, administrative and statutory law.

Knowledge of the methods and techniques relevant to effective legal research, and skill in identifying and analyzing information, and ability to express sound judgments based upon findings.

Working knowledge of rules of evidence, civil procedure and appellate procedures, both in the judicial and quasi-judicial contexts.

This position has been designated by the Board of County Commissioners as serving at the will and pleasure of the County Attorney. Employees so designated may be terminated at any time with or without cause.