Job Information
Hill County Deputy County Attorney in Havre, Montana
POSITION: Deputy County Attorney (1.0 FTE - 40 hours/week)COMPENSATION: $85,000.00 annuallyDEPARTMENT: County Attorney's OfficeACCOUNTABLE TO: County AttorneySUMMARY OF WORK: Primarily prosecutes criminal matters in Justice Court, District Court and Youth Court, and represents the Department of Public Health and Human Services in abuse and neglect cases. Advises the school districts in civil matters. Performs all duties of the County Attorney in the County Attorney’s absence, or at the direction of the County Attorney including representing the county or state in civil matters in various courts of law, and advising county officials and the public on legal matters of concern to the county or the various county departments.JOB CHARACTERISTICS:Nature of Work: This position performs professional duties requiring frequent contact with the public under sometimes highly stressful situations or emergencies. Person must be able to litigate and do public speaking. Position is on-call for emergencies, and when County Attorney is absent from the area or is unavailable. Maintains absolute confidentiality of sensitive information.Personal Contacts: Frequent contact with the public especially when handling trial matters and witness preparation; daily short-term contact with other county officials and employees. Coordinates duties with other officials and employees for appointments.Supervision Received: Frequent meetings with the County Attorney for assignments and consultations. Position is mainly self-directed in performance of duties.Basic Functions: Position requires ability to communicate orally and in writing; do public speaking, public relations, and research; understand, explain, and apply complex laws, policies, and procedures; litigate; prepare briefs, pleadings, and documents; manage own workload and calendar; operate a computer, electronic devices and general office machines.AREAS OF JOB ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE:Conducts felony and misdemeanor criminal prosecutions, and conducts civil litigation as directed. Prepares briefs and legal opinions; appears in court on a variety of cases, either civil or criminal. Prepares pleadings and other papers in connection with suits, trials, hearing and similar legal proceedings. Does legal research including computerized legal research. Interviews people.Assists in the selection, training and motivation of the County Attorney’s Office personnel. Meets with staff to identify and resolve problems. Reviews and evaluates work products, methods and procedures. Manages own work load and calendar.Advises state and local law enforcement agencies. Advises County departments and schools during the absence of or at the direction of the County Attorney or the Chief Deputy. Advises and represents the Hill County Department of Public Health and Human Services. Provides understandable, consistent and accurate legal advice.Serves as liaison for the County Attorney’s Office with outside agencies including Federal, State, Tribal and local law enforcement agencies. Negotiates and resolves significant and controversial issues.Develops and implements goals, objectives, policies and priorities for providing County Attorney services. Identifies resource needs. Recommends and implements policies and procedures.Responds to and resolves sensitive citizen inquiries and concerns. Meets with community groups, businesses, and members of the public to provide information and answer questions. Provides assistance to outside agencies and organizations.Attends and participates in professional group meetings and trainings. Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of law.Performs related duties as assigned by County Attorney.JOB REQUIREMENTS: The successful applicant must be able to perform the following job requirements with or without reasonable accommodation.Knowledge: This position requires a knowledge of: legal research, terminology and writing; applicable rules or regulations on various matters of concern to the state and county including civil, criminal, constitutional, and administrative law and procedure; prosecution procedures, techniques and strategies; civil litigation procedures, techniques and strategies; investigative procedures; operation of county government and state and federal courts; organization and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of programs, policies and operational needs; and so forth.Skills: This position requires skills in: legal computer research; litigation; investigation; research and articulating legal opinions and positions; computer word processing and the use of office machines; the operation of computer and electronic equipment utilized in the office and courtroom; and so forth.Abilities: This position requires the ability to: deal with stressful situations and hostile people; use good judgment in evaluating situations; maintain professionalism and effective relationships with legal community and law enforcement; maintain absolute confidentiality; communicate effectively orally and in writing; follow verbal and written instructions; establish effective working relationships with fellow employees, supervisors, county and government officials, community groups, and the public; organize, interpret and apply legal principles and procedures; prepare and present difficult cases in court; conduct research on complex legal problems and prepare sound legal opinions; assist in the selection, supervision, training and evaluation of staff; interpret and apply Federal, State and local policies, procedures, laws and regulations; and so forth.EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:The above knowledge, skills, and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to:--Graduation from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree. --Must possess license to practice law in the state of Montana, or be in the process of obtaining one. --Experience in criminal prosecution preferred.TO APPLY: Please email a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and unofficial transcripts to: Brittany Pfeifer: pfeiferb@hillcounty.us OR mail a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and unofficial transcripts to: Brittany Pfeifer Hill County Human Resources 315 Fourth Street Havre, MT 59501