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The San Mateo County Attorney's Office is seeking candidates for the 2026 Michael P. Murphy Public Law Fellowship.

In 2014, the County of San Mateo established a Fellowship position in honor of former San Mateo County Counsel Michael P. Murphy. Mr. Murphy served in the County Counsel’s office from 1982 to 2011, the last four years as County Counsel. Vacancies in Bay Area county counsel offices typically attract many qualified applicants and new attorneys are generally not considered for these positions. This Fellowship provides an opportunity for new attorneys to receive training and experience in advising and litigating on behalf of government agencies as they begin their legal careers.

Attorneys in the San Mateo County Attorney’s Office (previously known as the County Counsel’s Office) are generalists. We provide legal advice to County departments, school districts, and special districts; litigate civil cases in State and Federal courts and before administrative agencies; and manage calendar assignments in Dependency, Probate, Lanterman Petris Short Act, and other specialized areas of law. Fellows are given the opportunity to experience a wide range of public sector work, in litigation, public policy, and advice roles. The goal is to provide each Fellow a year in the life of a Deputy County Attorney.

The one-year Fellowship position is focused on providing opportunities to recent law school graduates and judicial clerks. This Fellowship will begin in the Fall of 2026. Law School graduates who will be sitting for the 2026 July Bar Exam are encouraged to apply.

The annual salary range for the position is $131,673 to $187,860.

To apply, please submit in one combined PDF: a resume, cover letter, writing sample, unofficial transcript, and a list of references to cc_applications@smcgov.org by 11:59 p.m. on September 1, 2025.

Applications will be accepted by email only (cc_applications@smcgov.org).

The Department:
The responsibilities of the City Attorney's Office broadly consist of representing and advising the City Council, City officials, and employees of all City departments in all matters of law pertaining to their offices and departments. This includes appearing on behalf of the City in legal actions or proceedings, providing the City Council with information and advice on wide range of legal matters including litigation and new legislation, and staffing City Council and City Board and Commission meetings as necessary. The City Attorney's Office provides legal advice and support on matters initiated by the City Council, City Manager's Office, and all City departments. Typical work includes research and opinion on various issues; review and negotiation of contracts, leases, or permits; drafting employee policies; review and drafting of resolutions, ordinances, and agenda reports; and preparation of responses to Public Records Act requests.
 
The Position:
The City is recruiting to fill one (1) Assistant City Attorney position. Ideally, the position will be assigned to act as the primary advisor to the City’s Human Resources Department, with additional general municipal areas of work for other departments including but not limited to finance, governance, conflicts of interest, open meetings, and public records.
 
The position is expected to perform a wide variety of legal services ranging from litigation (or litigation management) of  administrative matters (such as internal disciplinary appeals, PERB UPC charges, and CalPERS determinations) to collective bargaining and MOU review/drafting; legal research and drafting opinions; negotiating contracts; drafting disciplinary documents; drafting resolutions and ordinances; providing on-call legal support to all divisions of the Human Resources Department (records, benefits, testing, classification, labor, workers compensation, recruitment, safety, risk management, etc.); and, staffing commission meetings such as the Civil Service Commission and Salary Setting Commission. This position is also expected to perform other duties as assigned.
 
The ideal candidate will have superior legal analytical ability and excellent research, writing and oral communication skills and the ability to deal effectively with City employees, opposing counsel, elected and appointed officials, and members of the public.
 
The ideal candidate will also have experience defending  allegations of misconduct in personnel matters, significant experience advising on human resource issues, including Fair Labor Standards Act, Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, labor negotiations, California Public Employees’ Retirement Law, state and federal benefits/leave laws, state and federal employment-related tax laws, and experience providing training in laws, regulations, policies and best practices in personnel management and workplace misconduct

This is a professional position in the Unclassified Service, is an “at-will” position, and the incumbent serves at the discretion of the City Manager. This position is responsible for performing a broad range of duties, which deal with more complex issues. An incumbent in this classification must exercise independent judgment and discretion; manage, control, and direct employees; and formulate administrative policies for the effective use of assigned personnel. The position requires a demonstrated ability to work well with management, professional and administrative support employees in the Office; with clients, professionals, managers, City’s executive management team and all City Departments and elected and appointed officials from the City and various boards, commissions, and committees. An incumbent in this classification must demonstrate strong ethical, professional, and service-oriented leadership and interpersonal skills, set a good example; and correctly apply and abide by the tenets of the City’s Code of Ethics and Values.
 
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Additional Information: 
Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write “see resume, NA, or personnel file.”). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter 2) Resume, and 3) Writing Sample of maximum 5 pages (appropriate examples would be a staff report, public legal memo, redacted memo).  Incomplete applications will not be considered.
 
Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at www.santaclaraca.gov. This job posting is open until filled: Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis. If you are interested in applying you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, before the posting is closed, which may happen at any time.

THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT. MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS.  ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW. 

 

The annual salary range for this position is $213,185.04 - $275,895.96.  This position will be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.
 

Minimum Qualifications

EXPERIENCE
• J.D. or L.L.B. from an accredited law school;
• Six (6) years recent experience in the general practice of law.  Four (4) years of the qualifying experience must include dealing with municipal, county or state governmental agencies in the State of California;
• One year of supervisory experience is desirable; and
• Trial experience is highly desirable.

CERTIFICATION
• Active member in good standing of the State Bar of California is required;
• Admission to the Federal District Court and Federal Appeals Court Bar is desirable.

LICENSE:
Possession of an appropriate California driver's license is required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job.

Follow this link to view the entire Class Specification which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
May be required to work odd and unusual hours.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Incumbents in this position are required to file a Conflict of Interest statement upon assuming office, annually and upon leaving office, in accordance with City Manager Directive 100.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.  
The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov.

What's the Role and What You'll Do

About the Role

The City Attorney’s Office is seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Paralegal to join our dedicated legal team. In this key role, you will provide critical support to attorneys in a fast-paced, high-performing municipal law environment. Reporting to the City Attorney or a Senior Assistant City Attorney, you will contribute to impactful legal work that supports City operations, advances public policy, and serves the community.

This is an excellent opportunity for a legal professional who thrives in a collaborative public sector setting and is committed to excellence, integrity, and service. If you are ready to apply your paralegal expertise to meaningful work that makes a difference, we invite you to explore this rewarding opportunity and review the full job description here.

The Essentials

Minimum Qualifications 

To be considered for the Paralegal position, applicants must meet one of the following eligibility criteria.  Please note: The required written declaration from a supervising attorney[1] verifying your qualifications is not required at the time of your initial application submission. If you are selected to progress to the reference check stage of the recruitment process, you will be contacted with instructions on how to provide this documentation.

2. A paralegal certificate or degree from a nationally or regionally accredited, or Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education-approved post-secondary institution that requires successful completion of 24 semester (or equivalent) units in law related courses plus at least one (1) year of law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The law-related experience must be verified by a written declaration from the supervising attorney confirming the applicant is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

3. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university plus at least one (1) year of law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The law-related experience must be verified by a written declaration from the supervising attorney confirming the applicant is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

5. A high school diploma or GED, plus at least three (3) consecutive years of law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The law-related experience must be verified by a written declaration from the supervising attorney confirming the applicant is qualified to preform paralegal tasks. The law-related experience also must have been completed withing the four (4) years immediately prior to applying for the Paralegal position.

[1] The supervising and declaring attorney must be an active member of the California bar in good standing for at least the past three (3) years or must have practiced in the federal courts of California for at least the past three (3) years.

Highly Desirable Qualification(s):

• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office Suite and technology tools relevant to legal practice.

Application Materials

Please submit a resume as part of your online application.

As noted above, the written declaration from a supervising attorney verifying your qualifications is not required at the time of your initial application submission. If you are selected to progress to the reference check stage of the recruitment process, you will be contacted with instructions on how to provide this documentation.

Are We a Match?

What You’ll Do 

• Serve as a vital liaison between the City Attorney’s Office and various City departments, facilitating the accurate and timely flow of information.
• Conduct fact investigations and perform foundational legal research to support casework.
• Draft and prepare legal correspondence, including notices, contracts, resolutions, ordinances, and discovery requests and responses.
• Monitor and maintain tracking systems for subpoenas, legal claims, and lawsuits, ensuring strict adherence to relevant deadlines
• Coordinate and process requests under the California Public Records Act.
• Provide informed guidance to City Staff and members of the public regarding the City’s legal processes and procedures.
• Manage and maintain confidential legal files and records.

Work Schedule 

This position is primarily onsite and requires in-office attendance five days per week for the first six months. Following six months of employment and a demonstrated record of exceptional performance, the Paralegal may be considered for a hybrid schedule, which includes the option to work remotely one day per week.

Are we a Match? – Key Qualities

We’re looking for a candidate who brings strong technical skills, professionalism, and a commitment to public service. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Proficiency with computers and the ability to quickly learn new technologies and software platforms
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Word and Outlook; experience with virtual meeting platforms; and familiarity with online legal research tools such as Westlaw or LexisNexis
• A strong understanding of legal ethics and a consistent commitment to maintaining confidentiality in all aspects of legal work
• Solid knowledge of legal terminology, with a demonstrated ability to proofread, format, and produce high-quality legal documents and correspondence
• Excellent communication skills—both written and verbal
• Confidence in conducting basic legal research and fact-finding investigations
• A genuine interest in applying your paralegal expertise in service to the public within a fast-paced, high-performing City Attorney’s Office

Apply Now

Apply Now

Submit your application and resume online at GovernmentJobs.com or to the Human Resources Department; City of Mountain View, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041, (650) 903-6309. Please provide a valid email address on your application. This recruitment will be open continuously with a first review date of 5:00 PM PST on Thursday, September 11th. Applicants are encouraged to apply early. 

Fine Print

Fine Print. Candidates with a disability who may require special assistance in any phase of the application or testing process should advise the Human Resources Department upon submittal of application. Documentation of the need for accommodation must accompany the request. The City of Mountain View is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Prior to hire, candidates are required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, including employment verification and Department of Justice (DOJ) fingerprint check. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose a conviction will result in disqualification or termination.

Note: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract, and any provisions contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.

TO VIEW JOB ANNOUNCEMENT, CLICK JOB PDF OR JOB ANNOUNCEMENT URL BELOW.