Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel
The State Water Resources Control Board's Office of Chief Counsel has an opening for an Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel overseeing the State Water Board Water Quality/Administration Branch. The position location is 1001 I Street, 22nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, in the heart of downtown near light rail stations and other public transportation. The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal counsel to the Water Boards. The Water Boards are the principal state agencies for the coordination and control of water quality in the State of California. The regional water quality control boards are the primary planning, permitting and oversight agencies under the Clean Water Act and Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act within their respective jurisdictions. The State Water Resources Control Board oversees or implements programs to address water quality, water rights, drinking water, and water-related financial assistance. The Office's practice is varied and interesting. It includes participating in complex administrative adjudications, general representation of the Water Boards, negotiating and preparing complex financial transactions, and assisting in civil litigation involving the Water Boards' decisions.
The Assistant Chief Counsel for the State Water Board Water Quality/Administration Branch manages the work of multiple attorneys, ranging from the Attorney to Attorney V classifications. The position also oversees the Legal Support and Administrative unit providing direction to the Supervisor I who currently supervises four Analysts, an Office Technician, and an Office Assistant. Under the general direction of the chief counsel and in coordination with the other assistant chief counsels, the Assistant Chief Counsel for State Water Board Water Quality/Administration Branch oversees legal aspects of the State Water Resources Control Board's water quality programs in a fast-paced, collegial environment.
Duties:
- Plan, direct, and review work performed by legal staff on issues involving the State Water Board's water quality programs.
- Directly supervise Attorney IIIs, IVs, and Vs involved in the most difficult, complex water quality matters and Attorneys working on similar matters.
- The incumbent also manages the legal support and administrative functions for the Office of Chief Counsel. In the absence of the Chief Counsel the incumbent may assume the role of the Chief Legal Counsel to the State Water Board and its Executive Staff.
- Supervise and manage entry-level, journey-level and senior attorneys who are assigned to the State Water Board's water quality programs.
- Consult with and advise the Division of Water Quality, the Division of Administrative Services, executive Staff, and State Water Board Members, and supervise attorneys providing consultation and advice, on any and all issues that present themselves to the respective divisions, including, but not limited to, questions relating to proceedings involving: petitions for review of Regional Water Board decisions, state policy for water quality control, water quality control plans adopted by the State Water Board, procedural regulations of the State Water Board, and statewide coordination of issues under the Federal Clean Water Act and state Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.
- The work includes related Board matters including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Administrative Procedure Act (APA), conflicts of interest, open meetings act, and public records issues. In the absence of the assigned attorneys, the Assistant Chief Counsel may perform these duties directly. The Assistant Chief Counsel also assists and works with the Attorney General in litigation matters involving State Water Board water quality matters and oversees the work of the Office undertaken in support of the Attorney General's Office. The Assistant Chief Counsel works with broad discretion and independence with minimal supervision.
Additional information:
Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.