Assistant General Counsel

Starting Salary: $101,441.60

Provides timely and accurate responses to legal issues affecting the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. This position reports to MCSO General Counsel I.
Serves as a legal advisor to the Sheriff of Manatee County. Provides legal counsel concerning a wide variety of topics; represents the Sheriff’s Office on various matters, primarily in state court; answers various legal questions posed by the Sheriff and other members of the agency related to their duties; creates and/or approves and/or files pleadings and contracts; prepares and handles all matters related to representation of the Sheriff in civil and criminal cases; drafts and/or reviews policies and procedures affecting the agency; provides training on current case law, legal issues and new legislation; provides analysis and review of potential civil liability regarding policy decisions and/or incidents on a case-by-case basis

This position is not subject to the Career Service Act, Chapter 89-472, Laws of Florida.

• Considerable knowledge and practical application of various and often complex federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances.
• Ability to handle and maintain confidential information.
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and write complex documents.
• Ability to provide an analysis of the law based on the facts of given situations to recommend practical solutions to problems within legal guidelines.
• Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. 
• Ability to anticipate the development of problems and intervene appropriately to avoid negative consequences and reduce risk. 
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively with others.
• Ability to use a computer and related software.
• Skill in persuading others to revise their decisions or behavior. 
• Skill in bringing others together for negotiations and to reconcile differences. 
• Skill in applying general rules to specific problems to produce logical and beneficial solutions.

• Required to speak and hear clearly. 
• Often required to sit and use hands and fingers, to handle or feel. 
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb stairs or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. 
• Requires close vision.
• May be required to participate in an on-call status, available 24 hours a day for legal consultation.
• May be required to work non-standard hours including nights, weekends, and holidays.

TASKS

• Acts as lead counsel representing the Sheriff’s Office in County and Circuit Court for a wide variety of matters, primarily Risk Protection Order hearings, motions for furlough, property return motions, and animal custody hearings. 
• Accurately reviews a variety of legal matters including civil suits, contracts, complaints, liability issues, General Orders, policy and procedures, public records requests, and labor and employment issues. 
• Assists command staff in making decisions on issues where no guidelines or policies exist by researching and analyzing issues/problems and providing valid and defensible legal opinions and information in oral or written format in order to assist in arriving at the most appropriate decision consistent with agency vision, mission, goals, and the law. 
• Research topics or incidents and related documentation/case histories, and renders legal opinions consistent with applicable laws, policies, procedures, or regulations to authorized members of the agency regarding personnel issues, training, corrections, fiscal, civil process, law enforcement and/or other appropriate issues. 
• Researches and compares current policies and procedures with federal and state law, identifies any inconsistencies, and recommends changes where applicable. 
• Negotiates agreements, prepares and reviews contracts for completeness, accuracy, legal sufficiency and/or conformance with bidding specifications, purchasing guidelines, and regulations. 
• Prepares accurate and informative legislative summaries containing the key points of the legislation and the potential impact on the agency. 
• Review seizures of currency, tangible personal property, vehicles, and real property under state and federal forfeiture laws for legal sufficiency.
• Litigate forfeiture actions taken by the Sheriff's Office, attend hearings on forfeiture actions, and keep supervision informed of forfeiture actions taken. 
• Be available on a twenty-four-hour basis to respond to field situations having potential civil liability and initiate investigations to protect the interest of the Sheriff. 
• Acts as counsel during litigation and defense of civil actions instituted against the Sheriff’s Office in state and federal courts, for which the Florida Sheriff’s Risk Management Fund or Manatee County Government does not appoint outside counsel or otherwise provide defense. Keeps supervision informed of progress and outcome of such matters.
• Successfully completes all assignments to specifications, within specified timeframe and budget as directed and in accordance with agency policies and regulations. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Arrives on time for work, limits breaks and lunches to the allotted time, and leaves on time. Uses leave in accordance with General Orders. 
• Volume of work accomplished is consistent with position requirements and produced within quality tolerance standards. 
• Willing to contribute ideas and actions without being prompted or instructed to do so; willing to adapt to changes.
• Works with other team members to achieve group goals by contributing ideas in group settings, accepting ideas contributed by others, operating within team rules, participating in team meetings, working with team members to improve job knowledge and skills, putting team goals over personal goals, and supporting team leaders once decisions are made. 
• Follows standard office procedures and agency General Orders. 
• Maintains good interpersonal relations (the manner in which the employee responds emotionally and verbally) with the public, other employees, and supervisors. 
• Operates and cares for equipment, tools, and vehicles according to prescribed standards and schedules. 
• Maintains confidentiality of information as directed. 

• Juris Doctor JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school required. 
• Member of the Florida Bar in good standing required with no history of discipline. 
• Three (3) years of experience as an attorney.
• Three (3) professional references. 
• Valid Florida driver license required. 

• Admission to the US District Court-Middle District of Florida.
• Five (5) years of experience as an attorney.
• Civil litigation (defense) experience.
• Experience in criminal prosecution.
• Experience working for a law enforcement agency.
• Teaching experience. 
• Reference by current or former law enforcement agency head (chief or sheriff).