JUDICIAL STAFF COUNSEL III

Salary : $129,929.54 - $166,277.02 AnnuallyLocation : San Bernardino County Court Districts, CAJob Type: RegularJob Number: 26-065Division: Legal DivisionDepartment: Legal ResearchOpening Date: 02/20/2026Closing Date: 3/15/2026 11:59 PM PacificFLSA: ExemptBargaining Unit: Teamsters - ProfessionalMax Number of Applicants: 200 DescriptionNOW HIRING: JUDICIAL STAFF COUNSEL III - CIVIL LITIGATION EXPERTThe Superior Court is seeking an experienced attorney with a strong background in Civil Litigation to provide trusted legal counsel and support to our judges. Telework/On-Site Opportunity After completing the probationary period, this position is eligible for a full-time telework schedule. Telework must be completed from a pre-designated home-based location within the State of California, and employees may be required to report on-site to address business needs. Telework is at the sole discretion of the Court and may be rescinded immediately, without prior notice, based on the needs of the San Bernardino Superior Court.RECRUITMENT DEADLINE: The Court will accept applications until a sufficient number of qualified candidates have applied, and this recruitment may close at any time without notice. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early, with priority consideration given to those who submit their materials by March 15, 2026, by 11:59 PM PSTThe first review of applications is scheduled for March 16, 2026Résumés will not be accepted in place of the required application or the responses to the supplemental questions.About the PositionUnder minimal direction, performs general and specialized legal research and analysis, reviewing cases and making recommendations to the Court, advising the Court on complex matters of law, preparing drafts of legal opinions, legal memoranda and other documents; and performs related duties as assigned.Distinguishing CharacteristicsIncumbents in the Judicial Staff Counsel classification perform difficult and complex legal research activities and must exercise a high degree of independent judgment with accurate and neutral legal research and analysis of substantive and procedural issues on matters pending before the court and provide recommendations for rulings to assist the judicial officers with their decisions.Judicial Staff Counsel is distinguished from Staff Attorney in that the latter provides legal assistance to self-represented litigants in the Self-Help and Family Law Facilitator Programs.For additional details about the role, please review the full job description: Essential Functions Researches, identifies and analyzes legal and factual issues in matters set for hearing in the court; reviews case files including motions, writs and other pleadings, prepares legal memoranda and summary of findings and provides research used in rendering decisions. Confers with judicial officers regarding questions resulting from the memorandum, general legal issues regarding matters pending before the Court, and changes in the law or emerging issues impacting a pending case. Stays abreast of developments in statutory and case law to anticipate the effect of changes that would impact judicial recommendations.As Assigned: May research legal issues in specialized areas of probate law, including decedents' estates, wills, trusts, conservatorships and guardianships; analyzes legal issues; reviews case files, including motions and other pleadings; prepares memoranda and makes recommendations for disposition of matters before the Court. May review, evaluate and analyze appellate briefs, trial records, writ petitions, motions and other pertinent documents to determine factual accuracy, legal issues on appeal, and scope and complexity of issues raised; performs legal research and analysis of the merits of the parties' appellate arguments; drafts proposed appellate decisions; confers with judicial officers regarding issues; prepares final opinions as directed. May provide judicial support for specialized and emerging areas of the law including CEQA and complex litigation such as preparing comprehensive memoranda, analyzing developments in statutes and regulations, and coordinating with court staff and other courts on processes and procedures. Performs other duties as assigned. Minimum QualificationsGraduation from an accredited college or university with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, active membership in good standing in the State Bar of California, and five (5) years of experience in the practice of law, including three (3) years of experience in litigation, performing legal research and drafting legal opinions and/or briefs; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:A California Class C driver's license will be reviewed on a position basis in accordance with ADA regulations.Knowledge of: Principles and practices of California and federal law and procedure with special emphasis on California Civil Law and Procedure;California judicial system and local court operations and procedures;Advanced principles, methods and techniques of legal research and investigation, including methods and procedures for conducting efficient online legal research;Judicial ethics, responsibilities and the context in which they are carried out;Principles and practices of sound business and legal communication; correct English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation and the requirements of the California Style Manual.Knowledge of As Assigned:Appellate Division processes and Rules of Court, statutes, and case law applicable to traffic, misdemeanor, and limited civil appeals;Probate court processes and California probate law and procedure;Federal and state law, codes and regulations applicable to CEQA and land use;Federal and state law, codes and regulations applicable to complex litigation in California. Physical CharacteristicsThe physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Physical DemandsWhile performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk and stand; talk and hear; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; and perform repetitive movements of hands or wrists. The employee is frequently required to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds unaided.SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIACOUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINOBENEFITS SUMMARYPROFESSIONALS BENEFIT GROUPThe San Bernardino Superior Court offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked. A summary of benefits is provided below.Health and Welfare BenefitsMEDICAL: The Court offers a variety of comprehensive health plan options to fit individual employee needs. The Court contributes up to $200.00 in benefit plan dollars each pay period to help full-time employees pay for health premiums. In addition, the health plan subsidy the court contributes toward the employee cost is 58.5% to 60% based on plan selection and level of coverage.DENTAL: The dental subsidy is equivalent to 100% of the employee only DPPO coverage plan (but not less than twenty-three dollars and two cents {$23.02} per pay period.)VISION: Court-paid plan for employees. No co-pay/deductible for eye exams; frames and standard lenses or contact lenses (in lieu of standard lenses) every twelve (12) months.SHORT-TERM DISABILITY: Court-paid benefit that provides partial income replacement in the event that an employee is unable to work due to a non-work related disability.LIFE INSURANCE: Court-paid basic life insurance benefit of $50,000. Additional supplemental life and AD&D insurance benefits may be purchased voluntarily.MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT: Flexible Spending Account (FSA) that helps participating employees lower their taxable income. Under this plan, employees elect to set aside pre-tax money each pay period to pay for eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses for themselves and their eligible dependents that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.DEPENDENT CARE ASSISTANCE PLAN: This is a type of Flexible Spending Account (FSA) that helps participating eligible employees lower their taxable income. Under this plan, employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.Leave AllowancesVACATION: After completion of the requisite hours of continuous service (based on the bargaining unit), employees are eligible to use accrued vacation allowance. Depending on length of service, employees may accrue from 80 to 176 hours annually.ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE: Forty (40) hours of additional leave to be used during the calendar year, prorated depending on start date.HOLIDAY: Fourteen (14) paid recognized holidays and the accrual of two (2) floating holidays annually.SICK LEAVE: Employees in regular positions accrue approximately 3.39 hours of sick leave per pay period to use during instances of authorized absence due to illness, injury, or medically related appointments.BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: ALL employees are eligible to receive a maximum of thirty-two (32) hours of paid leave per occurrence for bereavement leave due to the death of a person in the immediate family.Retirement and Deferred Compensation PlansRETIREMENT: The Court is a 1937 Act employer. More detailed information may be found by contacting SBCERA at (909) 885-7980 or toll-free at 1-877-722-3721 or by visiting the website at San Bernardino County Retirement Association. The Court does not pay into the Social Security system; however, it does contribute to Medicare.Retirement benefits subject to change.DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Employees are eligible to participate in the Court's 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. This is the supplemental retirement plan that permits employees to defer a certain portion of their pre or post tax salary, within certain Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits, to an account maintained by an investment service provider. Participating employees in the pre-tax option postpone paying taxes on the deferred portion of their income.Additional BenefitsTUITION BENEFIT: Employees with at least twelve (12) months of Court service will be allowed a maximum of $600.00 each fiscal year. These monies may be used for job related education or career development, book fees or to reimburse membership dues in professional organizations.CAR ALLOWANCE: Use of Court Vehicle.COMMUTER SERVICES: This program assists with providing information on carpools, rideshare matching, and public transportation options. The Court offers incentives for employees eligible to participating in Ridesharing activities.FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE: The Court recognizes the importance of work/life balance. Employees may request alternative work scheduling or flexible work schedules when classifications meet the requirements.The Human Resources Department reserves the right to modify the benefit programs in accordance with the Personnel Rules and Regulations.01 The information you provide on this questionnaire will be used to assess your relevant education and experience in a competitive evaluation of qualifications. Be as specific as possible and include all information requested. Providing complete, organized, and detailed responses to each question is your advantage. (Do not reply; refer to a resume or other documentation.) If you do not have experience in an area, please answer "N/A". Please make sure to answer each question as clearly and concisely as possible. When responding to each question, include the length of experience, employer, and job title. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to an oral interview after an administrative review of each application and supplemental questionnaire. I understand the instructions above and certify that all statements made in this supplemental application are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. 02 What is your highest level of education? High School graduate or equivalent Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree Juris Doctor None of the Above 03 What is your State Bar of California license number? 04 Do you have an active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California? Yes No 05 Do you have five (5) years of experience in the practice of law? Yes No 06 Do you have at least three years of experience in: 1) Litigation, 2) performing legal research, AND 3) drafting legalopinions or briefs? Yes No 07 Indicate the litigation areas(s) in which you hold experience as a licensed attorney. Criminal Law Writs Civil Law/Litigation Appeals Other None of the above 08 In detail, describe your experience as a licensed attorney from your selection in the previous question. Specify the employer, position held, and dates when describing your experience. If no experience, indicate "N/A" 09 In detail, describe your Civil Law experience in LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING. Please describe your experience in drafting motions, legal opinions, statements of decision, and/or other memoranda of law. 10 Describe your experience with legal research tools, including electronic legal research, word processing programs, and other types of computer software. 11 WRITING SAMPLE: Please upload two (2) legal writing samples you've drafted. The writing samples must be uploaded to your application before the close of the position to receive consideration. I confirm I have uploaded two (2) legal written samples. 12 EDUCATION VERIFICATION: Upload a copy of EITHER your degree(s), college transcript(s), or a copy of certification(s) to your application, prior to the close of the position to receive consideration. I confirm I have uploaded a copy of education. Required Question

Created: 2026-04-02