Oregon Department of Justice: Assistant Attorney General

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Department of Justice is seeking attorney applicants for a Salem-based Assistant Attorney General position in the Natural Resources Section of our General Counsel Division. This position offers a diverse, challenging, and stimulating practice, and the opportunity to be involved in natural resource matters of importance to Oregon. The successful applicant will serve as counsel advising and representing various natural resource agencies, likely including but not limited to the Oregon Departments of Agriculture, State Lands, and Water Resources. Depending on knowledge and practice experience, the successful applicant may immediately be appointed as contact counsel for one or more natural resources agencies or may begin work in support of contact counsel.We are looking for applicants with experience, knowledge, and interest in natural resources and environmental law, administrative law, public meetings law, public records law, and public contracting. Substantive legal knowledge and experience in water, agricultural, or public lands law is preferred. The attorney hired for this position will provide day-to-day legal analysis and advice, represent agencies in administrative contested cases, and review agency contracts for legal sufficiency.This is a full-time position that is represented by the Oregon Association of Justice Attorneys union. A comprehensive benefits package will be included.Questions regarding this position may be directed to Paul Garrahan, Attorney-in-Charge, Natural Resources Section, at 503-947-4520, or to Steven Wolf, Chief Counsel, General Counsel Division, at 503-947-4540.Working for the Department of JusticeIn addition to a fast-paced and challenging work environment, the Oregon Department of Justice provides the opportunity for a rewarding career in public service. The Oregon Department of Justice employs more than 1300 dedicated employees, including nearly 300 excellent attorneys. Our goal is to be the best public law office in the nation. We are committed to hiring, developing, and retaining the finest legal professionals. We offer our employees challenging and stimulating work, with excellent benefits. Because of our size and the volume of our legal work, we are able to entrust each attorney with a significant and appropriate level of responsibility, helping people work productively and facilitating the growth and development of their careers. This public sector law organization offers meaningful work that makes a difference in the lives of all Oregonians. Assistant Attorneys General, on behalf of the Attorney General, represent the State of Oregon and officers and agencies of the State in most civil and many criminal proceedings. The Department offers a broad range of opportunities for attorneys to work on significant and complex issues that face our state. Assistant Attorneys General work in virtually every area of legal practice including protecting children, fighting crime, defending criminal convictions, protecting consumers and the elderly, protecting our natural resources, fighting discrimination, defending the state and state employees, and providing legal advice to state agencies, officers and elected officials. This work makes a difference to the citizens of Oregon and provides unparalleled career satisfaction and professional opportunities. The Oregon Department of Justice is committed to excellence. We are seeking individuals who are dedicated to justice and motivated to work hard on important legal matters on behalf of the citizens of Oregon.Conduct Expectations The role of the Oregon Department of Justice is to provide justice and uphold the rule of law. Employees of the Department are required to meet the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics while on the job, and also to maintain those same high standards when taking actions in their personal lives that could reflect on the Department.

Required: 
 
Minimum of three years of legal practice experience, which may include experience working as a full-time law clerk for a federal or state judge.
Able to clear all actual or potential ethical conflicts to represent the state.
Member of the Oregon State Bar or qualified to gain admittance to the bar within six months of the date of hire.

A full job description may be found here.