County Attorney

The Office of Law, through the County Attorney, is charged with providing day-to-day legal advice and services to the County, including the County Commissioners, County Administration, County departments, and certain boards and commissions, including the Planning Commission and Board of License Commissioners. The duties of the Office of Law include providing day-to-day legal advice, drafting legislation, drafting and/or reviewing deeds, grants, contracts, and proposals, representing the County in litigation, and managing any legal services provided by outside counsel. The scope of these duties covers all the civil legal matters of the County.

DEFINITION:

This is an executive position that serves as the Chief Legal Officer for Caroline County Government. An appointee in this position serves at the pleasure of the County Commissioners, and receives direction from and reports directly to the County Administrator. The County Attorney performs all routine legal services required by the County, including, but not limited to, providing general legal advice to all County Departments, contract and procurement drafting and review, attending and/or representing the County at meetings of various board and commissions established by the County, prosecuting civil infractions, and representing the county in litigation. The County Attorney manages the Office of Law budget and staff.

Performance will be evaluated periodically by the County Administrator and County Commissioners, based upon mutually agreed upon goals and objectives.

The position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act as promulgated in Section 541.1, Executive, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an environmentally controlled environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, however, may at times be characterized as loud.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

• Plans, manages, directs, and carries out the day-to-day legal affairs of the County.
• Exercises considerable judgment, discretion, and independence in matters of legal advice and sufficiency. Develops responses, recommendations, and drafts policies as necessary to carry out this responsibility.
• Attend meetings of the County Commissioners and as needed, various County boards and commissions.
• Represents the County at various community, local, state or federal government meetings and proposes solutions to identified problems. Serves as a liaison to local and state agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations as directed by the County Administrator.
• Composes letters, resolutions, legislation, and legal opinions, and recommendations based upon the direction of the County Administrator. Receives and responds, or directs responses as necessary, to correspondence and requests received by the County as it relates to legal matters.
• Prepares and presents agenda items as it relates to legal matters at County Commissioners’ meetings.
• Negotiates, drafts, and/or reviews contracts and instruments affecting real property, financing, legislation, pleadings, decisions of various boards and commissions and other legal documents or agreements.
• Provides advice to the County regarding the need for and selection of outside counsel.
• Coordinates, manages, and monitors legal services provided by outside counsel or other public agencies.
• Addresses and serves the legal needs of all County departments. Advises the Sheriff’s Office on matters of local law enforcement. Receives, evaluates, and acts on matters and requests brought to the County Attorney.
• Advises the County and drafts contracts and memorandums of understanding as needed involving allied interests.
• Prosecutes civil infractions in District Court.
• Reviews and advises Director of Emergency Services on alleged HIPAA violations.
• Advises the county Purchasing Officer and all departments on procurement and purchasing matters. Drafts and maintains contract templates for all types of purchasing authorized by the County Code.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable policies, rules, regulations and laws; stays abreast of legal, regulatory and policy developments affecting areas of responsibility.
• Advises the County Commissioners in all matters of administrative, executive, legislative and quasi-judicial decision-making.
• Represents the County, its boards, and agencies at all meetings and on matters of administrative appeals to the circuit court. Drafts and issues written board/commission opinions as necessary.
• Represents the County before hearings of the Personnel Grievance Board.
• Serves as the County Public Information Act compliance officer advising county departments on form and sufficiency of PIA responses and maintains a county-wide database of all requests for Public Information.
• Serves as the County ADA compliance officer.
• Advises staff and County Commissioners on the legislative process and reviews all proposed legislation as to form and legal sufficiency. Understands, drafts, and advises on the use of moratoriums.
• Understands and maintains proper attorney-client and attorney work-product privileges.
• Advises County employees and officials on required ethics filings at the state and local level, provides annual compliance certification to the Maryland State Ethics Commission.
• Issues annual countywide guidance memorandums on holiday gifting and solicitation, and as needed on political activity/speech and employee activity during elections.
• Performs the duties of County Attorney as set forth in the Code of Public Local Laws of Caroline County.
• Prepares the Office of Law budget and monitors expenditures; purchases and utilizes office equipment and supplies.
• Supervises Office of Law staff including administrative support and paralegal staff, work-study students and interns, conducts annual employee performance reviews. Ensures that all work is completed properly and in a timely fashion. Orients, trains, supervises and develops support personnel.
• Coordinates legal services with other departments, agencies, and boards; reports delays and problems promptly and takes appropriate actions to maintain effective coordination of legal activities; ensures that department activities are conducted within applicable laws.
• Works collaboratively as needed with Special Counsel to the County.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Thorough knowledge or ability to acquire such knowledge of the laws, statutes, and ordinances of the State of Maryland and the County.
• Exceptional writing skills and the ability to present ideas and recommendations effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to analyze and interpret highly detailed and complex concepts and regulations.
• Knowledge of basic computer skills and other related County equipment required to perform the duties of the County Attorney. Maintain computer literacy, including familiarity with Internet applications as they relate to or may be useful for local government legal work, including LEXIS and WESTLAW.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, department heads, the legal profession, and the public.
• Ability to provide calm, consistent, and articulate legal advice at all times and during contentious public hearings.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Regularly required to operate a motor vehicle, talk, and hear. Frequently required to sit and occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

Frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

Accommodations may be made for some of these physical demands for otherwise qualified individuals who require and request such accommodation.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Graduation from an accredited law school; seven (7) years of experience as a practicing attorney in the State of Maryland; working knowledge of local government laws and regulations, or a demonstrated ability to assimilate same in a brief period of time.

Admission to practice law in the State of Maryland and maintain good standing before the Maryland Court of Appeals.

REQUIRED LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATES:

Valid Maryland Driver’s License.

DESIRABLE ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Prior experience as a State or local government attorney. Residency in Caroline County is preferred, but not required.

SALARY: $120,000.00 – $150,000.00 Annually

BENEFITS: Paid Leave & Holidays, Health, Dental & Vision Insurances, Defined Pension Plan, Deferred Compensation, Life Insurance, Long-Term Disability, Flexible Spending & Dependent Accounts, Other Supplemental Benefits. See the job posting for a full list of benefits or contact the Human Resources Office for more information.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carolinemd before the closing deadline. Attached all required documents for your application to be considered complete. Reach out to the Office of Human Resources with questions via email at hrposting@carolinemd.org or by phone at 410-479-4105.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Substance Abuse Test: Must pass a pre-employment urinalysis test for designated controlled dangerous substances.

Criminal Background Check: Must pass a Criminal Background Check as defined in Chapter 1 of the Caroline County Personnel Rules and Regulations.

Driving Record: May have no more than four (4) points on driving record at the time of hire and while employed in this class series.

Essential Functions: Must be able to execute the “Essential Functions” listed in this Class Specification at the time of hire and while employed in this class series, unless a request for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act is received and granted.

Personnel Rules and Regulations: Subject to any variations under specifics terms of an employment agreement, must comply with the terms of the Caroline County Personnel Rules and Regulations, including the Substance Abuse Policy, while employed in this class series.