Associate County Attorney at Prince George's County Government, MD

About the Department

Come join our team!

Prince George’s County Government provides a dynamic and inclusive workplace where employees can thrive, learn, and grow across its 30 diverse agencies, all dedicated to serving the County's residents with essential resources and services. Nestled just minutes away from Washington, DC, Prince George's County combines urban vibrancy with serene surroundings, offering an ideal setting to live, work, and enjoy life.

The Prince George’s County Office of Law is currently seeking qualified applicants to fill an Associate County Attorney, (Associate County Attorney 2G) grade G27 position, in the Transparency Unit.

About the Position

 This is a senior level exempt professional legal position in the County government. The incumbent will handle caseloads with significant complexity in an assigned area of expertise, as well as handling administrative and court hearings. Cases encountered at this level either have precedents that are usually difficult to interpret or apply or that present issues requiring creative and innovative approaches and affect policy formulation. The focus of an incumbent’s work may include, but is not limited to constitutional law, government practices, employment law, workers’ compensation, litigation, legislation, contracts, real estate and/or business law. The incumbent in this class typically exercises a considerable degree of independence, though work is performed under the general supervision by a higher-level attorney, and/or the County Attorney, Principal Deputy County Attorney and/or Supervising Attorney.

About the Agency

The mission of the Office of Law is to provide the County government and its agencies, boards and commissions with cost effective, quality representation in all matters requiring legal advice and review, to diligently and fairly enforce the civil laws of the County, and to be responsible and proactive in providing legal services and advice to our clients. The Office of Law is comprised of three divisions, each of which is supervised by a Deputy County Attorney. The divisions are: Litigation, Transactional, and Government Operations.

Position Duties

• Reviews, addresses, and responds to Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) records requests; determines eligible information for disclosure and works with County agencies to ensure time requirements are met.
• Demonstrates efficient and effective legal research and writing skills through drafting, reviewing and revising complex contracts, agreements, and related documents; negotiates contracts; ensures contractual terms and conditions comply with County standards and policies.  
• Prepares, reviews for legal sufficiency and legal issues, and presents very complex, sensitive, and difficult cases before administrative tribunals, commissions, state/federal courts, or similar legal bodies, including related tasks such as preparing preliminary motions, conducting discovery, drafting subpoenas, attending hearings and other legal proceedings, and preparing for and participating in appeals.
• Assists higher-level Associate County Attorneys in the preparation of more difficult and/or sensitive cases, which may include preparing legal documents, serving as second chair, or performing other related duties. 
• Reviews and/or finalizes procurement matters to which the County is a party.
• Adheres to office policies, follows established case precedents, makes good decisions, and keeps supervisors informed of significant issues in sensitive matters.
• Possesses an awareness of legislative issues and researches County law to prepare draft County bills and resolutions; serves in an advisory capacity for County Agencies/Departments, Boards, and/or Commissions, as assigned; attends applicable sessions, meetings, and/or hearings; provides legal representation and appropriately addresses legal concerns.
• Reviews legislative proposals for content, legal sufficiency, and form; advises clients when legislative proposals are preempted by existing federal, state, and local laws and advises on how to address potential conflicts or discrepancies.
• Drafts and/or advises on drafting legislation, ordinances, executive orders, bills, administrative policies and procedures, and similar documents, as assigned.
• Displays organized ability regarding workload, case management and presentation, and trial skills.
• Provides training, advice and mentorship to lower-level attorneys.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school. 
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Maryland.
• Three (3) years of post-graduation legal experience as an attorney, paralegal, or other legal related field; with at least one (1) year of experience performing advanced journey-level legal work at the level of an Attorney I.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Considerable knowledge of civil, administrative, and constitutional law principles and their practical applications. 
• Considerable knowledge of the procedures for drafting, reviewing, and interpreting legal documents such as ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and agreements. 
• Considerable knowledge of local, State and federal laws and court decisions affecting the practice of law at the County level. 
• Skill in preparing clear, concise, and legally sound written documents, including legal opinions, contracts, ordinances, and pleadings. 
• Skill in effectively communicating clearly and concisely with department/agency representatives and clients. 
• Skill in analyzing legal issues and identifying associated risks and implications for county government. 
• Skill in presenting legal arguments clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing. 
• Skill in using computer and Microsoft System Software (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) 
• Ability to perform legal research. 
• Ability to provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice and analysis to elected officials, department heads, and staff. 
• Ability to maintain professionalism, confidentiality, and objectivity in politically sensitive or high-profile matters. 
• Ability to exercise sound, independent legal judgment and discretion under pressure. 
• Ability to manage multiple complex legal matters simultaneously while meeting deadlines. 
• Ability to build effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, community members, and outside counsel. 

Other Qualifications

Job Location: 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774

Conditions of Employment: Upon selection, the candidate must:  

• Be willing to travel to various locations for meetings, investigations or other work, and also to work extended hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet court deadlines and case preparation demands as required.
• Be willing to occasionally stand and reach with hands and arms and may also need to lift or move items weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Meet all training and performance standards and demonstrate proficiency as required by the agency.  
• Wear and use agency protective apparel and equipment in the performance of their assigned duties, if applicable. 
• Successfully pass preemployment checks which may include reference checks, background investigations, and drug screenings, where applicable. 
• Be willing and able to serve as an essential employee. Essential employees are expected to report during standard or non-standard hours as operations necessitate, or during emergencies. Essential employees are expected to report or remain at work when other County employees are granted Administrative Leave.

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