Job Description

Legal Attorney Position Performs professional legal work on behalf of Spotsylvania County. The attorney will specialize in providing legal representation in matters governed by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the County's FOIA Policy and organizing the County's responses thereunder. The attorney will also engage in other legal work as needed, which may include drafting ordinances; preparing formal legal opinions; reviewing contracts and other legal documents; and providing legal advice, training, and counsel to County departments, boards, and commissions. The attorney must exercise initiative and independent judgment in determining the proper course of action in legal matters. The attorney must also exercise tact, courtesy, and discretion in frequent contact with clients, public officials, and the general public. Reports to the County Attorney. Special Duties & Responsibilities: Prepares cases for trial, interviewing witnesses, negotiating with attorneys, conferring with County and judicial personnel, locating witnesses and defendants, performing legal research, and performing legal investigations. Presents cases in court and makes motions and recommendations to the court; questions witnesses and defendants. Performs legal research using computer databases and/or manually and prepares memoranda of law pertaining to assigned cases. Provides legal advice and counsel to the Board of Supervisors, public officials, and County agencies, boards, and commissions. Prepares formal legal opinions; conducts legal research; reviews and prepares legal documents. Studies legal periodicals and new appellate rulings to keep abreast of developments in the field; attends courses to meet continuing legal education requirements. Drafts ordinances and resolutions. Reviews deeds, contracts, and other legal documents. Attends Board of Supervisors meetings and any other meetings related to the current workload. Attends bi-annual Local Government Attorney training. Performs other related duties as required. Minimum Training & Experience: Juris Doctorate Degree and at least two (2) years of experience in the practice of law; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the requisite skill, knowledge, and ability. License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All positions allocated to the County Attorney are limited to full-time employment and preclude the private practice of law, with the exception of limited pro bono work approved by the County Attorney. Special Requirements: Knowledge of the proceedings, practices, policies, rules, and regulations of the practice of law and trial preparation. Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and ordinances pertaining to the specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Knowledge of legal research and investigation methodology, and is able to perform comprehensive legal research. Knowledge of the structure and operation of the judicial system. Knowledge of statutory provisions applying to rules of order. Knowledge of judicial procedure and rules of evidence. Knowledge of the current literature, trends, and developments in the field of criminal law, including court decisions and pertinent legislation. Knowledge of popular computer-driven word processing. Skilled in legal writing. Skilled in oratory. Ability to effectively interview criminal suspects, crime victims, witnesses, and law enforcement officials. Ability to use common office machinery. Ability to interpret and apply laws and court decisions, and to use legal source material in technical research. Ability to prepare and maintain complex legal records. Ability to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in all phases of work. Ability to exercise tact, courtesy, firmness, and discretion in frequent contact with criminal suspects, crime victims, court and law enforcement officials, and the general public. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things. Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving assignments and/or directions from superiors. Communication also involves dealing with all levels, including juveniles, the aged, and experts in many fields. Ability to read a variety of informational documents, appellate reports, periodicals, codes, manuals, reports, and various court reports and records. Ability to prepare legal briefs, memoranda, exhibits, guidelines, notes, correspondence, plea agreements, jury instructions, etc., using prescribed format and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Must be able to speak before an audience with poise, voice control, and confidence. Ability to understand the meaning, relationships, and principles of symbols, formulas, and concepts; to develop methods and procedures for problem solving; to present solutions in logical and systematic forms and sequences. Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to use and interpret criminal law terminology. Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; and to determine percentages and decimals. Must be able to understand and apply the theories of geometry, descriptive statistics, and statistical theory. Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under varied levels of stress. Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines, which include a dictaphone, computer, facsimile, copier, etc. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for periods of time. Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape. Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately when using automated office equipment. Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving the nature of sounds by ear).

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