Assistant General Counsel at Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) in Petaluma, California

Job Description:

Under general direction, the Assistant General Counsel represents the District in complex legal matters and serves as counsel in cases in the areas of contract, civil, tort, labor, and administrative law; prepares legal opinions and provides legal counsel to departmental staff; researches and analyzes laws, regulations, court decisions, and pending legislation; preparing documents including contracts, briefs, and pleadings; provides complex staff assistance to General Counsel; and performs related work as required.

This is a professional and advanced level classification responsible for assisting in the planning, organizing, and managing of legal activities for the District. Incumbents are responsible for performing diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making responsibilities, which include program evaluation, and recommendation and implementation of policies, procedures, goals, objectives, priorities, and standards. Incumbents serve as a professional-level resource for organizational, managerial, and operational analyses and studies. Performance of the work requires the use of considerable independence, initiative, and discretion within broad guidelines.

Examples of TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only)

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations where appropriate so qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Ø Plans, organizes, reviews and monitors work related to complex litigation and arbitration; oversees or performs complex legal work, including representing the District in court on litigation activities; assists in managing the work of outside counsel.

Ø Provides legal counsel to District staff and Board of Directors on a variety of legal matters, including tort, contract law, real estate transactions, land use and CEQA matters, labor and employment law, federal and state regulations, the Brown Act, and the Public Records Act.

Ø Renders and drafts legal opinions on District issues and projects regarding the environment, engineering, accounting, land use, and other issues affecting District operations.

Ø Performs and manages civil litigation in state and federal court and administrative tribunals, including the Surface Transportation Board, Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Labor, California Public Utilities Commission, and the Public Employment Relations Board.

Ø Conducts legal research; analyzes and prepares a variety of legal and court documents, including briefs, pleadings, and motions; prepares for depositions, trials, and mediation proceedings; prepares and responds to written discovery.

Ø Prepares, reviews, and determines the feasibility of legal contracts, briefs, memoranda, opinions, resolutions, leases, conveyances, bylaws, and other legal documents.

Ø Represents the District in meetings with members of other public and private organizations, community groups, contractors, developers, and the public; serves as liaison for the General Counsel's office with other departments and outside agencies; negotiates and resolves sensitive and controversial issues.

Ø Represents and acts for the General Counsel in times of absence.

Ø Serves as the District's the Title VI Coordinator; reviews and responds to Title VI complaints; drafts and revises policies and procedures and trains staff. Participates in processing and responding to claims, reviews the District's insurance policies and assists in managing claims files.

Ø Resolves complex customer questions and provides information to the public; investigates and responds to complaints and inquiries from citizens, other departments, and agencies; recommends corrective actions to resolve issues.

Ø Interprets, develops, drafts and reviews District internal policies and procedures, legislation, contracts, other legal documents, and collective bargaining agreements.

Ø Provides staff assistance to management; prepares and presents staff reports and other written materials; supervises the establishment and maintenance of reports, records, and files.

Ø Participates in the development of goals, objectives, policies, and procedures for assigned services and programs; recommends and implements policies and procedures including standard operating procedures for assigned operations.

Ø Monitors changes in laws and regulations impacting District operations.

Ø Maintains a variety of files, databases, and records.

Ø Complies with all District and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.

Ø Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education:

Ø Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

Ø Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience practicing civil and contract law in a public agency or private law firm.

Ø Transit related experience desirable.

Licenses and Certifications:

Ø Active membership in good standing in the State Bar of California and ability to gain admission to the Bar for the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California.

Ø Possession of a valid Class C California driver's license, to be maintained throughout employment.

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