Attorney III

General Definition of Work

Performs complex professional work providing legal services to the departments, agents, employees, and officers of the Wright County governmental unit; prosecuting criminal cases; and providing legal representation in civil lawsuits. Work is performed under the general direction of the Chief of Civil Division and Chief of Criminal Division. Oversight is exercised over Legal Support Staff.

This position is a high-level/promotional step that recognizes competency and experience and an acknowledgement of the increased duties and responsibilities and is expected to operate with a greater degree of independence than Attorney I or Attorney II levels, and there may be significant specialization in areas of the law where the incumbent becomes the subject matter expert and serves as an advisor to others in the office and various departments, agencies and people that their assigned duties and responsibilities impact. At this level, the Attorney is expected to assist with, advising, and mentoring both Attorney I’s and Attorney II’s and support staff within their assigned duties and responsibilities; and is further expected to assist with policies, procedures, programming, and training within their area of assigned responsibility. This position may be more likely to be assigned to the more complex or high-profile cases, but also continues to work routine cases as the workload requires.

The essential duties and responsibilities include both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, and as such, some essential functions listed below may be done more infrequently based on assignment.

Essential Functions

• Provides legal services for and represents Wright County, including the County Board and County departments; attends meetings and provides training and consultation; reviews, negotiates, and drafts contracts and agreements; provides counsel for County departments in developing policies and procedures; works with County officials and employees to develop and draft proposed ordinances; composes legal documents to support positions on appeals; develops, implements, and runs programs and procedures.
• Researches, analyzes, and interprets new legislation, statutes, laws.
• Consults, advises, and represents the County in civil matters and lawsuits brought against the County, its agents, officials and employees.
• Drafts pleadings for criminal prosecutions and prepares and prosecutes felonies, gross misdemeanors and, to the extent prescribed by law, violation of misdemeanors and municipal ordinances and rules.
• Consults, advises, and represents the County in juvenile delinquency, truancy, CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection or Services) and/or termination of parental rights petitions, and in welfare appeal and inebriety/mental illness commitments.
• Trains, advises, and develops policy for law enforcement officers, corrections workers, social workers, and other persons within the County in areas of investigation, trial techniques, criminal and civil law, strategy, and legal issues pertinent to the area of assignment, including long-term, in-depth research and legal advice regarding policy and specific information regarding time-sensitive situations.
• Acts as liaison to various boards, committees, and community groups, based on caseload assignments, recommending policy development within the County and State directing communicating and collaborating with public and elected officials and other community leaders, and researching and interpreting law for the purposes of recommending policy development.
• Performs other duties and activities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Physical Requirements

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel and occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Wright County offers an exceptional benefit package including vacation, sick leave and holiday pay. Also included in this benefit package is health, preventative dental and life insurance; medical and dependent care reimbursement accounts (Section 125 Plan); deferred compensation plan and Public Employees Retirement (pension).