Litigation Attorney IV/III/II

The Job

Come join a team that serves and protects San Bernardino County, its treasury, and its governing body, by providing timely and accurate legal services and aggressively representing the County in litigation.

SALARY INCREASES
3% Salary Increase February 2026

(Salary increases contingent upon Property Related Revenue
and/or statewide Realignment Sales Tax Collections performance.)

Bi-annual step increases until top step is reached

Applications will be accepted until a sufficient number are received.

APPLY TODAY!

The County Counsel's Office is recruiting for a Litigation Attorney.
These positions provide legal advice, assistance and representation in civil legal matters to the County and its departments. The assignment may include representation in a variety of areas including: civil rights; torts; personal injury; public entity liability; employment law; eminent domain; environmental/land use; workers’ compensation; and administrative law proceedings.

Duties include: meeting with and advising County Departments regarding litigation; drafting pleadings, discovery, and motions; determining case strategy and representing the County in trials, depositions, mediations, and hearings; drafting ordinances; preparing contracts; drafting, analyzing and interpreting legislation; researching and writing legal opinions; and advising boards, departments, special districts, school districts and commissions.

Note:
The current vacancy is to provide legal services to County Departments with an emphasis on civil litigation in state and federal court; employment; dangerous conditions of public property; personal injury; public entity/employee immunities; police practices; civil rights; defense of civil lawsuits including discovery; motion preparation; mediation; arbitration; trials and appeals. The position also includes advising on litigation questions and issues and presentation of some matters to the Board of Supervisors.

The resulting eligibility list may be used to fill additional vacancies in the County Counsel's Office as they occur.

*Official Title: Deputy County Counsel II/III/IV

Initial Appointment

Applications are being accepted for the II, III, and IV levels - please click on job title below to review job description and salary for each level listed. Your application will be reviewed for the appropriate level of placement. Job offers for the initial appointment may be made at any level based on qualifications and department needs. Candidates advance within the series in accordance with criteria established in the Exempt Compensation Ordinance (Download PDF reader) (seepage 81-82).

Deputy County Counsel II
$110,260 - $146,432 Annually

Deputy County Counsel III
$130,104 - $173,139 Annually

Deputy County Counsel IV
$150,113 - $219,024 Annually

CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO EXCELLENT BENEFITS PACKAGE

Modified Benefits Option (Receive 4% above the base rate of pay with MBO)

County Traditional Benefits

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Background : Applicants must pass a background investigation, including fingerprinting, prior to appointment.

State Bar License: Must be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California at the time of hire. This status must be maintained in order to remain employed in this classification.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

License: Active membership and in good standing with the State Bar of California. (
Members in good standing of California State Bar who have been assigned a license number but have inactive membership status, as well as candidates licensed out of state pending California Bar Exam results/license, are welcome to apply. Active California Bar license will be required prior to hire.)

AND
Experience:

Litigation Attorney II: Twelve (12) months of civil litigation experience as an attorney.

Litigation Attorney III: Thirty (30) months of civil litigation experience as an attorney.

Litigation Attorney IV: Forty-eight (48) months of civil litigation experience as an attorney.

Desired Qualifications
Experience as an Attorney practicing civil litigation in state and/or federal courts is desired. Lead trial work and public entity defense experience is highly desirable but not required.