Corporation Counsel

Job Description

Serves as corporation counsel for Ottawa County pursuant to the provisions MCLA 49.71, MSA 5.824. Appointed by the Board of Commissioners, and serving under the general direction of the County Administrator to whom Corporation Counsel reports, provides legal advice and services to all operations of Ottawa County, including the County Board of Commissioners, the County Administrator, elected officials, all branches and departments and funding units of County government, advisory boards, and designated agencies (hereinafter “County Operations”). Performs the full spectrum of functions of civil counsel, including representation in court and administrative hearings; legal research; drafting of ordinances, regulations, and policies; preparation of contracts and other legal documents and rendering of advice with respect to the application and interpretation of civil statutes.

Essential Job Functions

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Day-to-day presence in the County Administrative Offices for consultation and to otherwise discharge all functions of corporation counsel for Ottawa County pursuant to the provisions MCLA 49.71, MSA 5.824, and serves as civil counsel to the Board of Commissioners and subcommittees thereof, elected officials, County departments, advisory boards, and all other County government agencies.
• Interprets and provides advice with respect to the substantive and procedural requirements of state and federal statutes, administrative rules and regulations, judicial precedents, case law, and other rulings and regulations with the force of law.
• Monitors and ensures compliance of County Operations with legal requirements.
• Serves as legal advisor to all County Operations and County advisory and governing boards.
• Oversees and participates in the researching and rendering of opinions on a wide range of legal issues involving County Operations.
• Prepares the County’s case and represents the County and departments and agencies thereof in litigation, administrative hearings and appeals.
• Coordinates the work of outside counsel hired to represent the County in specific matters.
• Drafts additions to, updates and maintains the Ottawa County Code.
• Advises County departments in matters of employment law, real estate law, regulatory law, and contract law.
• Prepares and reviews leases, legal documents, and contracts in a variety of areas, including construction, professional services, personal property purchases, granting of easements, licensing agreements and related matters.
• Drafts ordinances, regulations and policies for the Board of Commissioners and designated agencies, and reviews proposed rules, regulations, and policies for legal compliance.
• Monitors the litigation and mediation of risk-management issues by the Ottawa County Insurance Authority and the attorneys therefor, advises the Board of Commissioners on the conduct and status of said matters, and ensures proper representation of the interests of the County.
• Represents the County in the litigation of claims against uninsured parties.
• Researches major policy issues to identify potential exposure to legal liability from alternative actions with respect thereto, and recommends options that best serve the interests of the County.
• Serves as the County’s Freedom of Information Officer, reviewing requests for copies of records and documents and preparing appropriate, legally sound responses.
• Provides legal advice and services under contract between Ottawa County and the multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement West Michigan Enforcement Team [WEMET].
• Provides legal advice and services under contract between Ottawa County and Hazardous Material and Response and Technical Rescue Team [HAZMAT].
• Serves as statutory Chief Privacy Officer for Ottawa County and all departments of county government under the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA].
• Acts as Public Information Officer under the Ottawa County Emergency Operations Plan.
• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates the potential impact on the County of recently passed and pending state and federal legislation, amendments to existing statutes, new and modified administrative rules and regulations, and judicial precedents.
• Drafts proposed policies, procedures, and practices to respond to proposed and pending changes in statutes, rules, and regulations and new judicial precedents.
• Provides direct supervision for subordinate staff, including selection, hiring and termination; training, scheduling and provision of work assignments; performance management; administration of policy and procedure; and administration of discipline.
• Identifies goals and objectives for subordinate staff and provides staff access to training and development opportunities to facilitate professional and personal growth.

Required Education, Training and Experience

Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law combined with a minimum six years of relevant experience in municipal law and/or public service. Must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Michigan.

Additional Requirements and Information

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Thorough working knowledge of civil procedure and legal method.
• Thorough working knowledge of constitutional law, contract law, property law and tort law.
• Thorough working knowledge of legal writing and legal research methods and resources.
• Thorough working knowledge of administrative law and municipal law.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Constitution of the State of Michigan.
• Thorough working knowledge of the principles and practices of legal brief preparation.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan Court Rules and State Court Administrative Office rules and requirements.
• Thorough working knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.
• Working knowledge of budget development and administration practices and principles.
• Excellent oral argument skills.
• Well-developed negotiating skills.
• Thorough working knowledge of the American Bar Association canon of ethics and standards of professional practice.
• Excellent interpersonal and human relations skills.
• Ability to interact positively and professionally with County, state and local unit elected officials, executives, and administrators; employees, community and business representatives, and members of the general public with widely divergent socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and varying levels of communication skills and analytical knowledge and sophistication.
• This is a non-political position, and in order to engender the trust and confidence of all county officials, Corporation Counsel should maintain his/her independence, avoid involvement in local or county political activities or campaigns, and adhere to the highest ethical standards.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations, including, but not limited to, visual and/or audiological appliances and devices to increase mobility.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is generally performed in a normal office environment.

Job Description

Serves as corporation counsel for Ottawa County pursuant to the provisions MCLA 49.71, MSA 5.824. Appointed by the Board of Commissioners, and serving under the general direction of the County Administrator to whom Corporation Counsel reports, provides legal advice and services to all operations of Ottawa County, including the County Board of Commissioners, the County Administrator, elected officials, all branches and departments and funding units of County government, advisory boards, and designated agencies (hereinafter “County Operations”). Performs the full spectrum of functions of civil counsel, including representation in court and administrative hearings; legal research; drafting of ordinances, regulations, and policies; preparation of contracts and other legal documents and rendering of advice with respect to the application and interpretation of civil statutes.

Essential Job Functions

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Day-to-day presence in the County Administrative Offices for consultation and to otherwise discharge all functions of corporation counsel for Ottawa County pursuant to the provisions MCLA 49.71, MSA 5.824, and serves as civil counsel to the Board of Commissioners and subcommittees thereof, elected officials, County departments, advisory boards, and all other County government agencies.
• Interprets and provides advice with respect to the substantive and procedural requirements of state and federal statutes, administrative rules and regulations, judicial precedents, case law, and other rulings and regulations with the force of law.
• Monitors and ensures compliance of County Operations with legal requirements.
• Serves as legal advisor to all County Operations and County advisory and governing boards.
• Oversees and participates in the researching and rendering of opinions on a wide range of legal issues involving County Operations.
• Prepares the County’s case and represents the County and departments and agencies thereof in litigation, administrative hearings and appeals.
• Coordinates the work of outside counsel hired to represent the County in specific matters.
• Drafts additions to, updates and maintains the Ottawa County Code.
• Advises County departments in matters of employment law, real estate law, regulatory law, and contract law.
• Prepares and reviews leases, legal documents, and contracts in a variety of areas, including construction, professional services, personal property purchases, granting of easements, licensing agreements and related matters.
• Drafts ordinances, regulations and policies for the Board of Commissioners and designated agencies, and reviews proposed rules, regulations, and policies for legal compliance.
• Monitors the litigation and mediation of risk-management issues by the Ottawa County Insurance Authority and the attorneys therefor, advises the Board of Commissioners on the conduct and status of said matters, and ensures proper representation of the interests of the County.
• Represents the County in the litigation of claims against uninsured parties.
• Researches major policy issues to identify potential exposure to legal liability from alternative actions with respect thereto, and recommends options that best serve the interests of the County.
• Serves as the County’s Freedom of Information Officer, reviewing requests for copies of records and documents and preparing appropriate, legally sound responses.
• Provides legal advice and services under contract between Ottawa County and the multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement West Michigan Enforcement Team [WEMET].
• Provides legal advice and services under contract between Ottawa County and Hazardous Material and Response and Technical Rescue Team [HAZMAT].
• Serves as statutory Chief Privacy Officer for Ottawa County and all departments of county government under the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA].
• Acts as Public Information Officer under the Ottawa County Emergency Operations Plan.
• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates the potential impact on the County of recently passed and pending state and federal legislation, amendments to existing statutes, new and modified administrative rules and regulations, and judicial precedents.
• Drafts proposed policies, procedures, and practices to respond to proposed and pending changes in statutes, rules, and regulations and new judicial precedents.
• Provides direct supervision for subordinate staff, including selection, hiring and termination; training, scheduling and provision of work assignments; performance management; administration of policy and procedure; and administration of discipline.
• Identifies goals and objectives for subordinate staff and provides staff access to training and development opportunities to facilitate professional and personal growth.

Required Education, Training and Experience

Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law combined with a minimum six years of relevant experience in municipal law and/or public service. Must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Michigan.

Additional Requirements and Information

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Thorough working knowledge of civil procedure and legal method.
• Thorough working knowledge of constitutional law, contract law, property law and tort law.
• Thorough working knowledge of legal writing and legal research methods and resources.
• Thorough working knowledge of administrative law and municipal law.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Constitution of the State of Michigan.
• Thorough working knowledge of the principles and practices of legal brief preparation.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan Court Rules and State Court Administrative Office rules and requirements.
• Thorough working knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.
• Working knowledge of budget development and administration practices and principles.
• Excellent oral argument skills.
• Well-developed negotiating skills.
• Thorough working knowledge of the American Bar Association canon of ethics and standards of professional practice.
• Excellent interpersonal and human relations skills.
• Ability to interact positively and professionally with County, state and local unit elected officials, executives, and administrators; employees, community and business representatives, and members of the general public with widely divergent socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and varying levels of communication skills and analytical knowledge and sophistication.
• This is a non-political position, and in order to engender the trust and confidence of all county officials, Corporation Counsel should maintain his/her independence, avoid involvement in local or county political activities or campaigns, and adhere to the highest ethical standards.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations, including, but not limited to, visual and/or audiological appliances and devices to increase mobility.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is generally performed in a normal office environment.

Ottawa County offers a wide range of benefits to support you in your career. View the Unclassified Benefits Summary for more information.

The current Unclassified group manual can be viewed here.

The Ottawa County Universal Wage Scale can be found here.

**Part-time benefitted positions will recieve prorated benefits.