Assistant County Attorney- Gunnison County

POSITION DESCRIPTION 

Position Title: Assistant County Attorney 

Reports To: County Attorney and Deputy County Attorney 

Department: Legal (County Attorney’s Office) 

Date Revised: February 3, 2021 

FLSA Status: Exempt 

GENERAL PURPOSE 

The Assistant County Attorney works under the supervision of the County Attorney and the  Deputy County Attorney, at the direction of the Board of County Commissioners. The Assistant  County Attorney must have the education, experience, and demonstrated ability to  immediately assume primary responsibility for certain litigation, transactional and administrate  matters handled by the Office, particularly in relation to child welfare, child support  enforcement, adult protection, property tax appeals, building code enforcement, administrative  unemployment claims, responses to public records requests, review of contracts and other  legal instruments for legal sufficiency, and to otherwise perform tasks related to providing legal  advice and representation of the County and its elected and appointed officials. 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED 

Works under the direct supervision of the County Attorney and the Deputy County Attorney  with independent judgment commensurate with the position and the attorney’s qualifications  and experience. 

SUPERVISION EXERCISED 

Delegates tasks, instruction and assignments to the Paralegal or to the Administrative Assistant,  as needed and if necessary in consultation with the County Attorney and the Deputy County  Attorney.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Provide counsel and legal representation as the Assistant County Attorney, supported by one Paralegal and an Administrative Assistant, for Gunnison County. 
• Representation of the County and its officers and employees in their official capacities in judicial and administrative proceedings, with a focus on health and human services, tax,  building code enforcement, and review and processing of public records requests under the  Colorado Open Records Act, as well as review of contracts and other legal instruments for legal  sufficiency. 
• Participating as a colleague in a highly valued, well trained, respected, agile, and responsive  law office.  

PERIPHERAL DUTIES 

♦ Managing for Results: The County Manager has created an efficient business model  approach to managing the County. The Assistant County Attorney will need to learn,  understand, adopt, and promote this philosophy.  

♦ Supporting a Culture of Professionalism and Performance: The Assistant County Attorney  will play an integral role in continuing to shape a culture of professionalism and performance at  the highest levels within the organization  

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

A Juris Doctor from an accredited law school, with a record of strong academic performance.  Three to five years of practice experience is preferred, with county, municipal or other  government law, particularly with regard to child welfare and adult protection litigation, is  especially preferred. Any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant  with the level of required knowledge and abilities will be considered. Membership in good  standing with the Colorado Bar is required, or the ability to obtain Colorado Bar admission  within six months of hire. 

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Exhibiting the highest levels of ethics and professionalism commensurate with a position of public  trust. 
• Desire and motivation to work in a results-driven, mission oriented, fast-paced professional  environment. 
• Ability to independently litigate matters on behalf of the County, including discovery, pre-trial and trial  skills. 
• Ability to organize and express ideas through excellent oral and written communications to a wide  variety of audiences; particularly a demonstrated proficiency with written and oral advocacy. ● Ability to focus proactively on risk management and problem avoidance. 
• Ability to find workable solutions to problems either independently or in collaboration with the  County Attorney or the Deputy County Attorney. 
• Experience making timely analytical, unbiased and reasoned professional judgments, and the ability to  accept and support decisions of the client in a positive manner, but at the same time provide candid  advice and counsel to the client. 
• Proven ability to be a good listener and communicator, both orally and in writing. ● Ability to work in a high-stress, publicly visible and deadline-driven office. ● Ability to provide timely, accurate, and responsive work product. 
• Ability to be able to call on peers inside and outside of the County for advice. 

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED 

• Multi-line central telephone and voice mail system. 
• Personal computer including Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex, LexisNexis 

and Adobe software.  

• Printer. 
• Copier. 
• Postage machine.  
• Fax machine. 
• Audio recording equipment. 
• Automobile (normally a County vehicle). 
• Web camera and microphone. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Admission to practice and active member of the Bar of the State of Colorado in good  standing, with the ability to maintain active admission during employment. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an  employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable  accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential  functions.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit for more  than two-thirds of any given workday, speak and hear clearly, reach with hands and arms, and  use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls. The employee must  occasionally lift, carry push, or pull burdens up to 30 pounds.  
• Physical demands include those that may add stress to the hands, wrists, forearms, eyes and  back associated with ongoing computer work. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. ● The employee must be able to drive a motor vehicle and may be exposed to inclement  weather and temperatures.  
• The employee must be available and capable of effectively working in excess of a standard  eight-hour work day and five-day work week.  

COGNITIVE DEMANDS 

• Requires the ability to listen to, read, understand and communicate the English language so  that others are able to understand. This must be done both orally and in writing at the level  appropriate for the position held. 
• Requires the ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a  specific rule or set of rules. 
• Requires the ability to remember directions and processes for all essential duties; requires  remembering facts; requires remembering the gist of past conversations, situations and events. ● Requires focus for long periods of time; concentration on details and thoroughness in  completing work tasks; filtering out distractions, ignoring irrelevant information. ● Requires the ability to apply general rules to specific situations to produce results that make sense.
• Requires the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. Requires the  ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative  solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. 
• Requires the ability to reflect on strategy, plan, adopt an approach, and change direction if  not working. 
• Requires the ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a  problem. 
• Requires understanding the implications of new information for both current and future  problem-solving and decision-making. Requires selecting and using training/instruction  appropriate for the situation. 
• Requires employee to manage and track his/her own time and the time of others effectively  so that tasks get done in an efficient manner and deadlines are met. 
• Requires being dependable, willing to take on responsibilities and challenges, exerting  maximum effort toward completing essential duties, persistent in problem solving, adaptable to  change (positive or negative), honesty, and being pleasant to others. 
• Requires being aware of others’ reactions, and understanding why they react as they do. ● Requires assessing the performance of yourself, other individuals, and/or the organization to  make improvements or take corrective action. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee  encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations  may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The  noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Please note that this job may require you  to work from a remote location.  

SELECTION GUIDELINES 

Formal application, rating of education and experience; potentially oral interview and reference  check; job related tests may be required. The duties listed above are intended only as  illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific  statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a  logical assignment to the position.

Gunnison County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to  apply by February 19, 2021 (open until filled). Applications, Writing Sample/supplemental questions, resumes and cover letters will only be accepted electronically. To apply online, go to  www.gunnisoncounty.org/Jobs and click on “Apply Online ” and follow the directions provided. Sup plemental materials can be emailed to the Administrative Assistant; lhibbard@gunnisoncounty.org