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Deputy County Counsel I

$89,461 - $118,227 yearly
  • San Bernardino County
  • Hybrid
  • Jan 29, 2026
Full time Legal

Job Description

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.

PRIORITY REVIEW
Applications submitted by Friday, February 13th, will be sent to the department for Priority Review.

RECRUITMENT BONUS
Newly hired employees from this recruitment may be eligible to receive bonus payments up to $3,000!* 
SALARY INCREASES
Employees are eligible for merit-based step increases within the salary range, up to the maximum step. Refer to the Exempt Employee Ordinance for details.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Attorneys may have the opportunity to work a flexible schedule after six months of employment, which may include a 9/80 schedule and/or partial remote work option. 

LOAN FORGIVENESS
San Bernardino County Counsel employees may be eligible for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more details/application information, review here.
 
Applications will be accepted until a sufficient number are received. 

The Office of the County Counsel is recruiting for Deputy County Counsel I. This position provides legal advice, assistance and representation in civil legal matters to the officers and employees of the County, its departments and districts in a variety of civil law assignments, which may include: general research to support the Office of County Counsel; construction, including prevailing wage and public works projects; code enforcement; taxation; juvenile dependency matters, guardianship and conservatorship cases; and employment law. 

There is an immediate opening available in Juvenile Dependency to represent the Department of Children and Family Services in Juvenile Court dependency cases involving allegations of child abuse and neglect. Attorneys in this unit appear in statutorily-required hearings, special interim reviews, settlement conferences, bench trials and specialty court hearings. The resulting eligibility list may be used to fill additional vacancies in the County Counsel's Office as they occur. 


For more detailed information, refer to the Deputy County Counsel I job description.

County Counsel is also accepting applications for Juvenile Dependency Attorney II, III, & IV, which requires a separate application. Review here to apply. 

About The County Counsel's Office

County Counsel serves and protects the county, its treasury, and its governing body, by providing timely and accurate legal services and aggressively representing the county in litigation. Legal services are performed while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while fostering high morale and productivity in the workplace through collaborative efforts dedicated to continuous improvement.

ADVANCEMENT

Promotion: This is the entry-level classification in the Deputy County Counsel series. Incumbents work under close attorney supervision and must be promoted to Deputy County Counsel II ($110,260.80 - $146,432.00) upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period and up to 2080 service hours or be terminated.
Incumbents advance to Deputy County Counsel II, III, or IV in accordance with criteria established in the Exempt Compensation Ordinance. Deputy County Counsel IV positions may earn up to $219,024 annually.

EXCELLENT BENEFITS

To review job-specific, benefits, refer to:
Summary of Benefits

The County also offers an alternative Modified Benefits Option (MBO) that provides a wage differential.


CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background: Applicants must pass a background investigation, including fingerprinting, prior to appointment.
Sponsorship: 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: Must possess an active membership and be in good standing with the State Bar of California.
Selection Process:
There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on a review of the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire; therefore, it is to your advantage to provide as much relevant and detailed work experience as possible, as resumes will not be reviewed in lieu of the application materials.

PRIORITY REVIEW:  
Applications submitted by Friday, February 13th, will be sent to the department for Priority Review.
Application Procedure:  Please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire for consideration. Applications will be accepted until a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received; recruitment may close at any time without notice.

To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application as soon as possible. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.  
San Bernardino County
About San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County is located in the heart of Southern California, home to over 2 million residents, encompassing 20,160 square miles from the Nevada State line and the Colorado River to the LA County line. This gives San Bernardino County a diverse climate and geography, from mountains as high as 11,502 feet, to the desert as low as 181 feet, and beautiful valleys in between. Pristine lakes and rivers, snow-capped mountain resorts, flowering deserts, and many other family-oriented recreational attractions take advantage of the natural assets of the area, most within an hour's drive. Families enjoy affordable housing, excellent schools, colleges and universities, and easy access to airports, hospitals, libraries, and parks. The County provides a safe, clean and healthy environment for residents. A variety of shopping and business opportunities abound, in this, the largest County in the contiguous United States.

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