Deputy Attorney General Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

SALARY INFORMATION

​​Description of Series

The classes in this series are used in the Office of the Attorney General to perform a wide variety of legal work concerned with representing the State, most of its officers, departments, boards, commissions, and other such bodies before the state and federal courts and administrative bodies and act as legal counsel for such agencies and officials; assisting or displacing local district attorneys in unusual situations; preparing pleading and other legal materials for trials, hearings, and other legal proceedings; presenting criminal and civil cases at trial (jury and nonjury); drafting and analyzing legislative measures and regulations; giving legal advice to grand juries, district attorneys, county counsels, officials, and representatives of public agencies on legal problems; performing legal research; writing opinions; and other related work. The series includes classes which are primarily nonsupervisory in nature with the exception of the Deputy Attorney General Supervisor classification.

Nonsupervisory classes generally perform similar duties. Differences between these classes are essentially in the level of service and expertise incumbents can be expected to provide and in the difficulty of assignments that they receive.

Deputy Attorn​​ey General

This is a recruitment class for persons qualified to practice law in the State of California. Incumbents assigned to Range A perform professional legal work in the Department of Justice. Incumbents assigned to Range B are assigned the more complex and sensitive legal work in this class.

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Deputy Atto​rney General III

Incumbents in this class are experienced attorneys who have developed the expertise necessary to capably perform complex and sensitive work of the Office of the Attorney General on an independent basis. A Deputy Attorney General III represents and acts as counsel for large state departments, for a group of boards and commissions whose legal work is difficult, and advises district attorneys, county counsels, grand juries, and other public agencies staffed principally by attorneys. Persons in this class are assigned difficult litigation and handle cases that may be appealed to the highest courts. They may act as a lead person over the work of other attorneys.

Deputy Attorney G​​eneral IV

Incumbents in this class are well-experienced attorneys with expertise in a broad or specialized area of law and have demonstrated their ability to independently perform assignments consisting of the more complex and sensitive legal work of the Office of the Attorney General and to consistently produce favorable results on these proceedings. A Deputy Attorney General IV represents and acts as counsel for large state departments, for a group of boards and commissions whose legal work is more difficult, and advises district attorneys, county counsels, grand juries, and other public agencies staffed principally by attorneys. Persons in this class are assigned litigation of great difficulty and handle cases that are likely to be appealed to the highest courts. They may act as lead persons over the work of other attorneys.

Dep​​uty Attorney General V

Incumbents in this class are the most experienced attorneys and are considered to be the top experts in a broad or specialized area of law.  They have demonstrated their ability to independently perform assignments consisting of the most difficult, complex and sensitive legal work of the Office of the Attorney General and to consistently produce favorable results on these proceedings. A Deputy Attorney General V represents and acts as counsel for the largest state departments, for a group of boards and commissions whose legal work is exceptionally difficult, and advises district attorneys, county counsels, grand juries, and other public agencies staffed principally by attorneys. Persons in this class are assigned litigation of the greatest difficulty and handle cases that are very likely to be appealed to the highest courts. They may act as lead persons over the work of other attorneys.

Deputy Attorney ​​General Supervisor

This is the working supervisor level. Individuals in this class plan, organize, and direct the work of subordinate attorneys and may supervise both paralegal and/or support staff; evaluate the performance of subordinate staff and take or effectively recommend appropriate action; provide training to subordinate attorneys; interview and select or actively participate in the interview and selection process for subordinate staff; develop strategy and tactics in the most complex disputes or litigation; and may personally perform the most difficult and complex litigation, negotiation, legislative liaison, hearings, legal research, and opinion drafting.

Minimum Qualifica​​tions

All Levels

All classes require active membership in The California State Bar. (Applicants who are not members of The California State Bar but who are eligible to take The California State Bar examination or are in their final year of law school will be admitted to the examination but will not be considered eligible for appointment until they are admitted to The State Bar.)

Applicants who are six months from meeting the required legal experience will be admitted to the examination, but must meet the total required years of experience prior to appointment.

Deputy At​​torney General

Membership in The California State Bar.

Deputy Attorney G​eneral III

Five years of legal experience in the practice of law.*

Deputy Attorn​ey General IV

Six years of legal experience in the practice of law*, one year of which must have been at a level of responsibility equivalent to Deputy Attorney General III or higher.

Deputy Attorney Ge​​neral V

Eight years of legal experience in the practice of law*, two years of which must have been at a level of responsibility equivalent to Deputy Attorney General IV or higher.

Deputy Attor​ney General Supervisor

Eight years of legal experience in the practice of law*, two years of which must have been at a level of responsibility equivalent to a Deputy Attorney General III.

*“Legal experience in the practice of law" is defined as: (1) only that legal experience acquired after admission to any State Bar, or (2) experience as a judicial clerk for a federal court, California's state courts, or any other state's courts, or (3) legal experience acquired while practicing under a provisional license to practice law issued by the State Bar of California's Provisional Licensure Program, to constitute experience in the practice of law. For an individual's judicial clerkship to qualify as “legal experience in the practice of law" the experience must have been gained after receipt of a Juris Doctor or equivalent degree.

Knowledge an​​d Abilities

All L​​evels:

Knowledge of: Legal principles and their application; professional and ethical rules as they relate to the practice of law and particularly the role of public attorneys, to ensure the rules are strictly followed by oneself as well as other attorneys. Examples include Federal/State statutes, rules (e.g., Rules of Professional Conduct), and case law defining the scope of the attorney-client privilege, and local rules establishing standards of conduct and sanctions for misconduct by attorneys; available research sources, both printed and electronic, to complete legal research, including what type of material they contain, where they are located, and their breadth, depth, and relative strengths and weaknesses. Examples include primary and secondary legal texts, and electronic databases; scope and character of California statutory law and provisions of the California Constitution; principles and practices for properly conducting legal research, such as ensuring law is current and checking for recent amendments to statutes; principles of administrative and constitutional law, rules of evidence, and conduct of proceedings in trial and appellate courts of California and the United States and before administrative bodies; duties and powers of the Attorney General of California; and the English language to effectively produce a variety of written work products. Includes knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence, and paragraph structure, organization, and appropriate vocabulary.

Ability to: Prepare, present, and handle legal cases; perform research; analyze difficult and complex legal problems, and apply legal principles and precedents to particular sets of facts; present statements of facts, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; analyze and draft proposed legislative measures; handle difficult legal correspondence; direct the work of clerical and professional assistants; edit written documents written by oneself, as well as those produced by others, for accuracy and effectiveness; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; reason logically; work cooperatively with a variety of individuals and organizations; and exercise good judgment.

A greater degree of these "Knowledge and Abilities" is required at each higher level.

Depu​ty Attorney General Supervisor

Knowledge of: In addition to the above, applicable collective bargaining agreements and related issues; State and department policies and procedures; disciplinary guidelines and personnel rules; and a supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Ability to: Plan and direct the work of subordinate staff, and effectively supervise the work of a group of attorneys and paralegal and support staff; review and monitor cases for efficient and effective progress; initiate and review personnel matters; and effectively promote equal opportunity employment and maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Preferred or ​​​Desirable Qualifications

All employees shall have general qualifications as described by California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 172.

Special​​ Personal Characteristics

All Le​vels:

Honesty, integrity, reliability, fair, and conscientious.

​​Class History