Senior Deputy General Counsel (3 positions)

At the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California we deliver reliable water to a region with 19 million peopleand toaccomplishthiswe rely onateam of talented employees: innovators problem-solvers andcollaboratorswho make it all possible.

This recruitment may result in an eligibility list*.

The Legal Department of the Metropolitan Water District (Metropolitan) has three (3) openings for the General Counsels Office. They are at the Senior Deputy General Counsel level.

SENIOR DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
Metropolitan is seeking to fill three (3) Senior Deputy General Counsel positions with expertise in one or more of the following areas: litigation/administrative hearings/PERB/labor/employment law; litigation/administrative hearings/environmental resources law; and/or litigation/public agency law.

These positions will report to the General Counsel and will have the opportunity to work in an invigorating collaborative and challenging legal environment as a member of a highly professional and effective team of over 20 attorneys plus paralegals and support staff providing a variety of legal services in many different areas.

For each of these positions knowledge of public agency laws such as the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act and experience working for or representing public agencies providing legal advice working with boards committees or legislative bodies including serving as counsel during public meetings and hearings is preferred.

Candidates should be comfortable responding to substantive questions quickly working with and managing outside counsel and working in a collaborative environment in which ideas are challenged.

For Labor Relations/Employment Law the ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in all areas of California public agency labor and employment law including the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) PERB proceedings and Skelly due process requirements. This individual will serve as a primary legal strategist handling complex labor and employment matters from initial investigation through administrative hearings arbitration writ proceedings and litigation including employment-related constitutional claims. First-chair litigation experience is highly desirable along with the ability to effectively supervise outside counsel and manage all phases of mediation and litigation.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience negotiating with labor unions and drafting collective bargaining agreements settlement agreements and other employment-related transactions as well as representing public agencies in union grievances and administrative proceedings at the local state and federal levels.

The candidate must also provide strategic and practical legal advice on a wide range of employment-related issues including disciplinary actions workplace investigations and compliance with key statutory frameworks such as the Brown Act California Public Records Act (CPRA) Government Claims Act and Political Reform Act. Familiarity with the Metropolitan Water District Act (MWD Act) CalPERS regulations and the intersection of disability law with the interactive process is also highly desirable.

The successful candidate will be equally adept in litigation and advisory settings with the ability to transition seamlessly from the courtroom to the boardroom while delivering clear high-level counsel to leadership. Working closely with human resources and senior management this individual will help develop and guide personnel policies and navigate sensitive high-profile and politically complex matters with sound judgment and discretion.

For litigation/environmental resources law the ideal candidate will have knowledge and experience in CEQA/NEPA CWA ESA litigation and a variety of other substantive areas relating to natural resources and/or water law as well as experience in California water resource issues including the Law of the Colorado River and the California State Water Project. The ideal candidate will have experience as a first chair litigator of complex matters experience in negotiation and documentation of complex transactions and/or experience in representing parties in administrative proceedings at the local state and/or federal level.

The ideal candidate will have experience as a first chair litigator of complex matters experience in negotiation and documentation of complex transactions and/or experience in representing parties in administrative proceedings at the local state and/or federal level.

For public agency litigation law the ideal candidate will be a seasoned Senior Deputy General Counsel with a sophisticated background in public agency litigation. The successful candidate will act as lead counsel in defending the Districts interests in state and federal courts with a particular emphasis on Writ of Mandate proceedings (CCP 1085 and 1094.5). This role requires an expert litigator capable of navigating the California Government Claims Act and the MWD Act to defend against complex tort and jurisdictional challenges. You will provide strategic advocacy in disputes involving Public Finance and debt issuance as well as high-stakes Public Contract litigation related to capital projects bid protests and vendor contracts.

Additionally the role involves defending the Districts policies in emerging areas such as public agency social media use and Employee First Amendment rights. This is a pivotal opportunity for an accomplished litigator to provide the shield that protects the infrastructure and policies sustaining Southern Californias water future. The ideal candidate will have experience as a first chair litigator of complex matters experience in negotiation and documentation of complex transactions and/or experience in representing parties in administrative proceedings at the local state and/or federal level.

Senior Deputy General Counsel
Positions at this advanced level are recognized as technical specialists using initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from traditional methods or researching trends and patterns to develop new methods criteria or proposed new policies. Decisions regarding what needs to be done include sophisticated legal research and analysis drafting of contracts pleadings presentation materials and other documents interpreting data planning of the work or refining the methods and techniques to be used. The work includes making presentations to committees of Metropolitans Board and to management. The work involves established criteria; formulating projects; assessing program effectiveness; or analyzing variety of unusual conditions problems or questions. The work product or service may affect activities or the operation of other organizations.

These Attorney positions serve as legal experts for and on behalf of Metropolitan provide advice and recommendations to management and the Board and are responsible for safeguarding and enhancing Metropolitans rights entitlements interests and general the Senior Deputy General Counsel should feel comfortable handling litigation in a variety of substantive areas and be willing to learn new matters. The Senior Deputy General Counsel need to work well with others both internally and externally and be comfortable working as part of a team. May act as a lead coordinating and reviewing work assignments of employees and outside counsel performing a variety of work on a range of issues on a day-to-day basis.

This job announcement has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification / job.

To view the full job description click here: Senior Deputy General Counsel

Schedule:9/80 Monday through Friday /every other Friday off.

Hybrid:Metropolitans current practice in this position is a hybrid work schedule. This typically includes two days a week in person and the other days remote. This is subject to change dependent on organizational addition a telework policy is scheduled for negotiations and once completed and implemented will provide final direction on the hybrid schedule. Attorneys assigned to committees or making a presentation to a committee or the Metropolitan Board are required to attend the meetings in person.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:Juris Doctor Graduate degree from an accredited law school and seven (7) years of progressively responsible directly related law practice experience performing complex and varied legal assignments. Experience representing public agencies is preferred.

Directly related law practice experience islabor relations/employment law or litigation/environmental resources law or public agency litigation law. Candidates should specify their substantive area of expertise in the questionnaire.

CERTIFICATIONS LICENSES AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

California State Bar Member (member in good standing with either active membership or the ability to activate membership prior to employment).

This classification performs work that requires maintaining confidentiality and is routinely privy to matters that either involves confidential information sensitive personnel issues or exposure to confidential and sensitive strategic corporate information.

Benefits:

Competitive compensation
Excellent medical dental life vision plans.
Deferred compensation in the form of a 401(k) plan (with matching contribution) and a 457 plan.
Retirement benefits under the California Public Employees Retirement System
Tuition reimbursement
Training and advancement opportunities
On-site fitness center
Excellent working environment
Hub of public transportation: rail subway buses and taxis

Public transportation reimbursements

For more information on MWD benefits please use the following link: Benefits Regular FT PT Employees (Represented)

About MWD:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies and helps its members to develop increased water conservation recyclingstorageand other resource-management programs.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process please call or email .

Metropolitan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability status as a protected veteran or any other protected characteristic(s).

Application Filing Period:Closes at 4:30 pm PT on the datestatedin the job may close prior to the filing end date if sufficient applications have been received. If sufficient applications have not been received then the filing period end date may be extended.

Eligibility List*: An eligibility list is a list of qualified candidates created when a job posting states that one will be established.

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications listed in the original posting and successfully pass all stages of the recruitment processbut are not selected for the initial vacancymay be placed on this list for future openings.

The list may be used to invite candidates to participate in a selection interview for a future vacancy in the same classification / title (if there is one). The duration of the list depends on the applicable bargaining unit.

Qualifying Experience:Your resume must at a minimum include the month and year you began and ended employment name of the organization your title and a brief description of your experience. If your employment was part-time make sure youidentifyit on your resume next to the month/year.

Sponsorship:Applicants for employment with The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California must have work authorization that does not now or in the future requiresponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States (i.e. H1-B or other employment-based immigration case).

#LI-Hybrid