Deputy County Counsel IV

Salary: $201,017.00 - $274,547.00 Annually
Location : 168 W Alisal St, Salinas, CA
Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Job Number: 26/39B23/10JL
Department: County Counsel
Opening Date: 10/28/2026

Position Description
Open Until Filled

Priority Screen Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026

Exam # 26/39B23/10JL

Deputy County Counsel IV

$201,017 - $274,547 Annually

All application materials must be received by the priority screening date for a guaranteed review. Applications received after this date will be considered on an as needed basis until the position is filled.
The Office of the County Counsel seeks a highly motivated senior professional with a desire to defend and advise the County in the most difficult and complex legal matters as a Deputy County Counsel IV. Under general direction, the Deputy County Counsel IV conducts litigation and performs complex legal work involved in the provision of legal counsel for County officials, agents, departments, and special districts, and in the defense of the County; and performs highly responsible professional and administrative legal work and acts as a principal legal advisor to large County departments and/or special districts in specialized areas of business.
The incumbent will advise Human Resources staff and department management on complex personnel matters, policy development, contract interpretation, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws; represent the County in all phases of employment related litigation, including case assessment, discovery, motion practice, settlement negotiations, mediation, and trial or administrative hearings; handle matters before administrative bodies such as the Civil Service Commission, PERB, EEOC, and DFEH, including preparing briefs, presenting evidence, and examining witnesses; provide advanced level legal counsel to County departments, boards, and commissions on employment and labor law matters, including employee discipline, grievances, leave laws, disability accommodation, wage and hour issues, and discrimination or harassment claims; prepare legal opinions, briefs, and motions; draft contracts, ordinances, leases, resolutions, and other legal instruments; and study and interprets laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities.
The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills and abilities to interpret complex laws, regulations, contracts, and policies and apply them to varied factual scenarios; advise management and Human Resources staff on sensitive and complex personnel matters in the areas of performance management, investigations, policy interpretation, and risk mitigation; and represent the County before various administrative agencies as indicated above.
This classification is part of a flexible series. Incumbents appointed at the lower level of the career series may be promoted up to the highest level of the career series subject to their meeting the employment standards for the higher class and a recommendation for their promotion by the appointing authority.
The Eligible List established by this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies on a regular full-time, part-time, or temporary basis.

Examples of Duties

• Develop and give legal advice regarding resolution of problems that may have far-reaching implications on County operations and programs
• Acts as legal advisor to a large County department or special district, supervising and participating in the resolution of difficult legal questions regarding powers, duties, procedures and operations
• Prepare legal briefs, drafts contracts, deeds, leases, ordinances, resolutions, and other legal instruments
• Attend meetings of boards and commissions as requested and give both oral and written legal advice and counsel
• Study and interpret laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities
• Conduct discovery, examine and interpret evidence; and prosecute on behalf of or defend the County, its officers and employees in the most complex and important civil cases
• Prepare briefs and pleadings in both trial court and appellate matters; dictate legal briefs and correspondence
• Handle pretrial and settlement conferences
• Perform related work as assigned

To view the complete classification specification, please visit the Human Resources website or click on the following link:
THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

Will have a proven track record demonstrating the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Thorough knowledge of:

• Principles of civil, constitutional and administrative law and of California and federal civil procedure and litigation, particularly as it relates to County government, and other public agency law
• Principles, methods and materials of legal research
• The rules of evidence, discovery practice and appellate practice
• Those areas of law directly affecting public entities and their operation, and public officials and employees and their rights, duties and responsibilities

Working knowledge of:

• Federal and California labor, employment and equal employment opportunity law

Skill and ability to:

• Draft legal instruments such as ordinances, resolutions, Board Orders and contracts
• Analyze, appraise and organize facts, evidence and precedents, and present such materials clearly and concisely, either in oral or in written legal form
• Analyze and appraise a variety of legal documents and instruments and give sound legal advice or devise appropriate plan of action based thereon; defend the County in litigation
• Establish and maintain confidential relationships with County department heads and members of the Board of Supervisors
• Develop and maintain cooperative work relationships both within the County Counsel's Office and with those contacted within the course and scope of work

Examples of Experience/Education/Training
Any combination of training, education and/or experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities and required conditions of employment is qualifying. An example of a way these requirements might be acquired is:
Experience:

Two years of experience as Deputy County Counsel III with the County of Monterey; or three years of increasingly responsible experience with a public agency or private law firm in the appropriate legal specialty at a level comparable to a Deputy County Counsel III in the County of Monterey.
OR
Five years of increasingly responsible experience in a county counsel's office, city attorney, private law firm, or other civil public law office.
OR
A combination thereof.

Additional Information
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The required conditions of employment include, but are not limited to the following:

• Pursuant to Section 6060 of the Business & Professions Code, current, valid membership in the California State Bar is required at the time of appointment.
• Possess a valid California Class C driver license at the time of appointment and possess and maintain a satisfactory driving record or provide evidence of suitable transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.
• Be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during times of disaster and/or emergency; travel out of County to attend meetings.

BENEFITS

The County of Monterey offers an excellent benefits package. Please visit our website to view the This information is not legally binding, nor does it serve as a contract. The benefits listed in the Monterey County Personnel Policies and Practices Resolution or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) prevail over this listing.
NOTES

• As a condition of employment, prospective employees may be required to submit to a background review which may include a review of information concerning present and/or prior employment, driving record, and record of any criminal convictions
• Employment is contingent upon acceptable documentation verifying identity and authorization for employment in the U.S.; a list of acceptable documents is available on the USCIS Form I-9
• If you are hired into this classification in a temporary position, your rate of pay will be hourly, and you will not be eligible for the benefits listed in the summary

Application and Selection Procedures
Apply On-Line at
OR
Hard copy applications may be obtained from and submitted during normal business hours Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM by contacting:
Human Resources Department

Attn: Gabriela Munoz

168 W. Alisal Street, 3rd Floor

Salinas, CA 93901

Email: | Phone: (831) 755-5899
The selection process is tentative, and applicants will be notified if changes are made. To assess applicants' possession of required qualifications, the examination process may include an oral examination, pre-examination exercises, performance examination, and/or written examination. The competitive examination process includes submittal of required application materials. A complete application package will include:

• A completed County of Monterey Employment Application
• Responses to the Supplemental Questions

All application materials must be received by the priority screening date for a guaranteed review. Applications received after this date will be considered on an as needed basis until the position is filled.Resumes, cover letters, letters of interest, and other correspondence will not be accepted as a substitute for required application materials. All required application materials will be competitively evaluated. Those applicants that are determined to be the most appropriately qualified will be invited to participate further in the selection process.
HIRING PREFERENCE FOR VETERANS AND ELIGIBLE MILITARY SPOUSES

The County of Monterey is committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans and eligible military spouses (i.e., surviving spouses of veterans, spouses of totally disabled veterans, and spouses of active-duty service members) and awards veterans' preference points for this recruitment. To obtain a Veterans and Eligible Military Spouse Preference Application, please visit the Human Resources website or click on the following link:
To apply for veterans' preference points, veterans or eligible military spouses must complete and email a Veterans and Eligible Military Spouse Preference Application with supporting documentation of their eligibility by the priority screening date to
01

Please answer the following questions. Completion of the following supplemental questions is REQUIRED and is an integral part of the evaluation process. Your responses to the questions will be reviewed and scored in a Qualifications Appraisal evaluation process based on pre-determined rating criteria. Your answers should be as complete as possible, as this information will be critical in the competitive assessment to identify those candidates to be invited to continue in the examination process. A response of "see resume" or "see application" will deem your responses to the supplemental questions as incomplete. Note: All application materials submitted will be reviewed along with your supplemental questions and County of Monterey application.

• I have read and understand these instructions.

02

Pursuant to Section 6060 of the Business & Professions Code, current, valid membership in the California State Bar is required at the time of appointment. Do you currently possess, or will you possess by the time of appointment a current, valid membership in the California State Bar?

• Yes
• No

03

Please describe your experience, education and/or training that demonstrates your knowledge, skill, and ability in studying and interpreting laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities.
04

Please describe your experience, education and/or training that demonstrates your knowledge, skill, and ability in preparing legal briefs and pleadings in both trial court and appellate matters.
05

Please describe your experience, education and/or training that demonstrates your knowledge, skill, and ability in conducting discovery, examining and interpreting evidence, and prosecuting on behalf of or defending county government or other related public entities and its officers and employees in the most difficult and complex civil cases.
06

Please describe your experience, education and/or