Salary

Hiring Rate: $45.49/hour, Grade 25, Exempt, AFSCME Assistant County Attorney's Unit

Stearns County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation.

It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

SALARY:
Depending on Qualifications
$94,622 - $186,107/annually

Please Note: Interviews will be held IN PERSON.

Position Objective
To provide effective legal services by representing the State of Minnesota and Stearns County in civil cases by providing legal services to the county board and county departments. This position represents Stearns County in many types of civil litigation; drafting and reviewing policies and contracts, advising the county board and departments on legal compliance issues and other responsibilities as determined by the County Attorney.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
These examples do not include all possible responsibilities in this position and do not limit the assignment of related duties to this classification.

1. Initiates and conducts civil legal actions and enforcement proceedings by researching legal issues, advising County officials and staff, and issuing formal legal opinions to support fair, consistent, and lawful resolutions.

2. Reviews and evaluates reports, operational documents, litigation materials, contractual records, and other information relevant to County functions to determine appropriate legal action, guidance, or response.

3. Drafts and prepares legal documents including real estate instruments, contracts, complaints, petitions, motions, memoranda, stipulations, findings, orders, policies, and other materials covering routine to highly complex civil matters in support of County interests.

4. Prepares for and appears at hearings and trials before judges, juries, magistrates, referees, and administrative law judges by interviewing witnesses, organizing evidence, and conducting opening statements, examinations, and closing arguments.

5. Represents Stearns County in civil litigation across all court and administrative proceedings, and in assigned meetings, committees, task forces, and other groups to advance and protect County interests and goals.

6. Provides civil legal advice and training to County staff, officials, and the board of commissioners, to explain applicable laws, regulations, court rules, procedures, evidentiary standards, and case outcomes.

7. Trains and mentors attorneys and paraprofessional staff within the County Attorney’s Office regarding legal requirements, developments in case law, effective practices, and fulfillment of statutory obligations.

8. Participates in required staff meetings and attends continuing legal education courses annually to maintain professional licensure and stay current on legal developments.

9. Attends work regularly and in a timely manner.
10. Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

Minimum Qualifications
In order to be considered for this position, applicants must possess the following:

• Juris Doctor degree
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota by the date of hire
• Experience using Microsoft Office Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint 
• Ability to comply with Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's criminal history related security requirements 

Preferred Experience Beyond Minimum Qualifications

• Five years of full-time experience as a licensed attorney with civil trial practice within the state of Minnesota
• Experience providing governance advice to public entities, including ordinance enactment, recording public documents, open meeting law compliance, and MGDPA matters
• Experience handling public‑sector contracts and projects, including construction contracts, bid specification preparation and review, and purchase and lease agreements
• Experience litigating on behalf of public entities in state and federal court, including defense of lawsuits, property tax appeals before the Minnesota Tax Court, zoning and land‑use enforcement, animal‑control matters, and election‑law disputes
• Experience in public land acquisition and use, including environmental law, eminent domain, land acquisition processes, zoning and land‑use enforcement, and real‑property matters

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1.Knowledge of State and federal constitutional law, statutes, to effectively and efficiently represent Stearns County with minimal guidance and supervision.

2. Knowledge of Minnesota court rules including rules of evidence and Rules of Professional Responsibility.

3. Skilled with computers, business software applications and internet resources to perform essential job duties.

4. Ability to analyze facts considering applicable law and evidentiary rules.

5. Ability to plan, organize and present a case.

6. Ability to perform work effectively, independently and in a timely manner.

7. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships. 

8. Ability to be available by telephone 24 hours per day.

9. Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.

Accountabilities Shared By All Employees
1. Consistently performs job responsibilities with a positive attitude and in a manner consistent with the County’s mission and values.

2. Develops and maintains a respectful and collaborative professional relationship with all County employees and the public we serve.

3. Values and respects the diversity each employee brings to the organization.

4. Develops and maintains knowledge and understanding of all department and County-wide policies, protocols and procedures that apply to the performance of this position.

5. Complies with all rules and policies to maintain a safe work environment.

Work Environment and Physical Demands
The primary responsibilities for this position will be performed approximately 100% of the time indoors. May require occasional travel to off-site locations and minimal attendance at early morning or evening meetings. Will have infrequent exposure to health hazards and accidents; requires a low level of physical effort. All employees are required to reside within the state of Minnesota.  

Extent of Supervision or Guidance Provided
Work is performed under the general supervision of the Chief of the Civil Division.

Responsibility for Public Contact
Frequent.

Supervision of Others
None.

Hours of Work
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and additional night and weekend hours as client needs, caseloads and trials require. Work is HYBRID – dependent on court and other work needs.

Interview Date
If you are selected to be interviewed for this position, interviews will be held IN PERSON on September 2 and/or 3, 2026. Invitations to interview will be sent to the email address listed on the job application and will be based upon an assessment of education and experience.

Benefits

To view Stearns County benefits go to:Stearns County Benefits Page