Senior Attorney/Assistant Facilitator

  

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

The Orange County Superior Court is the third largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have courthouses throughout the county, including locations in Orange, Westminster, Fullerton, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana. We have a staff of about 1,500 and an operating budget of nearly $250 million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.

 

To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.

 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Under general supervision, the Senior Attorney / Assistant Facilitator oversees specialized functions in Self Help Services and provides leadership support, supervision and legal guidance to Attorney/Assistant Facilitators, Paralegals, Law Clerks, Volunteers/Interns, and unit staff; provides leadership through supervisory positions and oversees administrative functions and activities of the Self-Help Services Unit.   

Example of Duties 

• Oversee day to day operations and work closely with supervising attorneys, managers and supervisors in other units, and judges as applicable, to carry out the functions of Self-Help Services; design short- and long-term plans for the work unit.
• Provide information and assistance to judges, court staff and the general public in accordance with applicable statutes, regulations, and court policies and procedures.
• Lead the assessments of workload and resources allocation and draft proposals accordingly.
• Lead projects and initiatives to improve services, implement technology, and streamline practices. 
• Provide direct services and legal information to eligible self-represented parties by leading workshops, providing calendar support, and conducting document reviews.
• Serve as temporary judge as assigned by the unit manager. 
• Performs related tasks within area of responsibility.

Education: Possession of a Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

License: Active membership in the State Bar of California in good standing.
 
Experience: Two (2) or more years of court management or court attorney experience - OR - Three (3) years of management or attorney experience in a related legal environment with such agencies as District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation Department or with a large law firm.

Desirable Qualifications:

Technical & Legal Expertise

• Preferred general knowledge of family law, civil, landlord-tenant, probate, criminal, and/or traffic matters, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new legal concepts and procedures.
• Familiarity with court processes and legal procedures, including an understanding of how self-represented litigants navigate the legal system and the challenges they encounter.
• Proficiency in legal technology platforms and self-help tools, including case management systems, document assembly programs, and virtual communication tools, with a demonstrated ability to leverage these and other technological resources to improve service delivery and efficiency.

Leadership & Management Skills

• Extensive experience supervising and mentoring attorneys, paralegals, and unit staff, fostering their professional growth and ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal services.  
• Demonstrates strong judgment, influence, and expertise in formulating and administering plans, policies, and programs that align with organizational goals and objectives. 
• Effectively develops, recommends, and implements program policies that drive operational success, optimize efficiency, and ensure the delivery of exceptional service.
• Provides strong leadership and motivation to the unit, ensuring operational needs are met in support of organizational goals and objectives. Develops staff through mentorship and fosters collaboration with Court managers to achieve goals and drive continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates strong leadership and ethical decision-making by influencing positive change. Sets high yet achievable standards and expectation for Self-Help staff, while proactively addressing performance issues to ensure continuous improvement.  
• Exemplifies the Superior Court Code of Ethics through behavior that sets a positive example for staff. Holds both self and staff accountable for rules and responsibilities, proactively mitigates risks, and takes responsibility for any challenges or breakdowns that arise.
• Exhibits strong leadership by proactively managing and resolving conflicts within the team, ensuring a positive and productive work environment. Leads by example in addressing disagreements with professionalism and respect, fostering open communication, and maintaining team unity. 
• Demonstrated leadership in managing projects and initiatives focused on enhancing access to justice for self-represented litigants, driving meaningful and service-oriented outcomes. Possesses strong organizational and project management skills to effectively oversee multiple initiatives, projects, assignments, and deadlines while ensuring timely and successful completion.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear and accessible manner to individuals without legal backgrounds.
• Empathy and understanding of the unique challenges faced by self-represented litigants, with a commitment to providing compassionate support and guidance. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively engage and communicate with both the public and staff, fostering positive relationships and a collaborative work environment. 

Problem Solving & Innovation

• Creative problem-solving skills to identify and address barriers to access to justice, including developing strategies that support the mission of Self-Help Services and enhance the services provided to self-represented litigants.
• Strong ability to adapt to changing legal landscapes and implement new processes or develop innovative systems to address the evolving needs of self-represented litigants and the court.

Interpersonal Attributes

• Cultural competency to effectively serve diverse populations, recognizing the needs of individuals from different backgrounds and those with limited English proficiency. 
• Ability to collaborate with court staff, and community organizations to improve services for self-represented litigants.
• Adaptability to work across various court locations, with the flexibility to adjust to different environments and meet the unique needs of each setting. 

Additional Requirements:

• Upon meeting temporary judge qualifications, must successfully complete all temporary judge training requirement courses within three (3) years of meeting qualifications.
• Travel to/from justice centers may be required.

Application Process
All applicants are required to submit a completed online application and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an account/application, click HERE.

Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire.

Human Resources will review applications to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications; therefore, it is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience.

Selection Process

• Step 1: Applications will be reviewed to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and/or desirables; those candidates will be referred to step 2 in the selection process.
• Step 2: Candidates' supplemental question responses may be evaluated and ranked. Depending on the number of applications, assessments and/or screening interviews may be conducted. If any part of the assessment process consists of proctored, in-person tests, candidates will be required to appear in person regardless of where they reside. Note: Though candidates may live outside of the State of California while participating in a recruitment process, individuals must reside within the State to be eligible for Court employment.
• Step 3: Those candidates who are successful in the review/assessment may be placed on the eligible list. Placement on the eligible list is not a guarantee of interview or employment.

All candidates will be notified via email of their status at each step of the process. Additional steps for the selection process will include a local background and reference check.

Background Check
A thorough background check will be conducted, including but not limited to work experience, education, certifications, driving record, criminal record, litigation judgment or verdict, and financial/credit information. Fingerprints of candidates are also taken as part of our background check process.

Reasonable Accommodations
Orange County Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department at HRStaffing@occourts.org if you feel that you will need a reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.

Eligible List
This recruitment will be used to establish an eligible list for current and future vacancies. The eligible list will remain active until the list is exhausted or a new recruitment opens.

Status Notifications
You will be notified by email during the process of this recruitment through governmentjobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with governmentjobs.com and occourts.org. If your information changes, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

eVerify
Superior Court of California, County of Orange participates in the eVerify program.

Questions?
For questions on this recruitment, please contact Monica Budd at mbudd@occourts.org.  For general employment information, please click HERE.
 

Salary : $144,227 - $183,830