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Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Iii

Employer
Fairfax County Government
Location
Fairfax, Virginia
Salary
$81,571.98 - $135,952.96 Annually
Closing date
Oct 2, 2021

View more

Industry
Law
Function
Lawyer and Attorney
Hours
Full Time
Career Level
Experienced (Non-Manager)

Job Details

Job Announcement

This is an exciting time to join the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, as the office embarks on an ambitious criminal justice reform agenda amidst the ongoing national conversation on race and the legacy of racism in the criminal justice system. After taking office in January 2020, Commonwealth’s Attorney Descano’s initiatives have included restructuring the office to produce accountability around reforms, issuing a comprehensive policy to address mass incarceration, and the formulation of a Justice Advisory Council, among others. His passion for reform and creating an atmosphere of diversity and fairness within the office has prompted the office to seek team members with a passion for criminal justice reform and working to address racial and socioeconomic disparities in the local justice system. The Office seeks to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity, with team members who are eager to take meaningful action to spearhead and institutionalize equity initiatives.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Assistant Commonwealth Attorney III (ACA III) will be assigned a combination of cases, including misdemeanor offenses at the General District Court level and more serious felony cases at the Circuit Court level. Depending on the level of experience, assignments generally include the prosecution of misdemeanor cases in General District Court (DUI, traffic offenses, and simple drug possession), and the prosecution of felony cases to include violent crimes (murder, rape, abduction, robbery, etc. The ACA III will prepare and prosecute misdemeanor cases and felony cases, conduct legal research and argument for hearings, compose appellate briefs, advise local law enforcement agencies, and work closely with victim/witness advocates.

The ACA III will prepare and prosecute misdemeanor cases and felony cases, conduct legal research and argument for hearings, compose appellate briefs, advise local law enforcement agencies, and work closely with victim/witness advocates.

Illustrative Duties

  • Represents the Commonwealth of Virginia in prosecutions of violations of criminal law;
  • Appears in General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court to prosecute criminal misdemeanors and traffic offenses;
  • Appears in Circuit Court to prosecute the appeal of misdemeanor offenses in jury and bench trials;
  • Appears in Circuit Court to prosecute felony offenses in jury and bench trials;
  • Conducts legal research and composes briefs in opposition to constitutional motions and petitions for appeal;
  • Drafts correspondence on legal matters;
  • Advises County and State law enforcement officials concerning the investigation of criminal violations and trial preparation;
  • Reviews search warrants, affidavits and court orders submitted by law enforcement for the obtaining of evidence related to criminal cases;
  • Advises citizens of Fairfax County on issues relating to criminal law violations in the community and court procedure.


Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

  • Knowledge of the principles of law and their application;
  • Knowledge of trial procedure and the rules of evidence;
  • Knowledge of criminal law; including trial practice, motion practice, and appellate practice;
  • Knowledge of the criminal laws under the Code of Virginia and Fairfax County Code and the court decisions affecting the prosecution of those laws;
  • Knowledge of legal research methods;
  • Ability to effectively and efficiently prosecute felony cases;
  • Ability to present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically;
  • Ability to interview victims, witnesses and law enforcement to obtain the necessary information to prosecute criminal cases;
  • Ability to maintain an effective working relations hip with associates, law enforcement officials, the judiciary and the general public.


Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Must be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar.
  • Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”) Graduation from an accredited law school; plus two years of experience as a practicing attorney.
CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
License to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
The ability to communicate effectively and professionally with law enforcement personnel, expert witnesses, and lay witnesses; effectively address, with sensitivity, the needs of victims of crime; work proficiently in a collaborative, team environment, engage people of various social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial and ethnic backgrounds; maintain a fast-paced workload/docket while keeping case files and workplace organized; prepare and present cases before a trial court in a short period; and establish and maintain constructive, effective and professional relationships with fellow attorneys, public officials, judicial officers, and the public.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
The ability to communicate effectively and professionally with law enforcement personnel, expert witnesses, and lay witnesses; effectively address, with sensitivity, the needs of victims of crime; work proficiently in a collaborative, team environment, engage people of various social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial and ethnic backgrounds; maintain a fast-paced workload/docket while keeping case files and workplace organized; prepare and present cases before a trial court in a short period; and establish and maintain constructive, effective and professional relationships with fellow attorneys, public officials, judicial officers, and the public.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background and credit check to the satisfaction of the employer.
All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or religious reasons will still be subject to the weekly testing requirement. Otherwise, vaccinated employees will complete the attestation online in the first day of employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Duties are generally sedentary, performed in a normal office environment. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEURE:
Panel interview.

NOTE: The appointee(s) of the position(s) have a one (1) year probationary period. Employment is at-will serving at the pleasure of the Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney.

This job announcement is listed as "Open Continuous". Interested applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed and qualified applicants will be referred until the position(s) have been filled or when a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. If your application is received later in the recruitment process, it may not be reviewed or considered.

HOW TO APPLY:
Apply by sending the following information to jobs@pinnacle-ta.com .

  • A thoughtful cover letter that explains why you are both interested and qualified; and
  • Your resume
To assist with internal sorting, please only include "Assistant Commonwealth Attorney III" in the subject line and send in Microsoft Word format.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or status as a veteran in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.

Company

Fairfax County, Virginia is a diverse and thriving urban county. As the most populous jurisdiction in both Virginia and the Washington metropolitan area, the County's population exceeds that of seven states. The median household income of Fairfax County is one of the highest in the nation and over half of its adult residents have four-year college degrees or more educational attainment. Fairfax County also is home to an extensive commercial office market and is a major employment center.

Fairfax County Government is a great place to work, with a variety of jobs in different fields, great benefits, and an enjoyable working environment. We serve nearly one million residents in one of the largest counties in the country. Our talented employees have established Fairfax County as a leader in nearly every facet of public service and have won national recognition as innovators in local government.The size of Fairfax County government and the diversity of services it provides to citizens allows opportunities for personal growth and development, without ever having to change employers. In addition to pay, Fairfax County Government provides an employee benefits package worth approximately 25% of your salary in additional compensation. This package of benefits consists of programs designed to protect you and your family during your employment with the county and into your retirement years.


BENEFITS INCLUDE:
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Group Term Life Insurance
Contributory Retirement Plan
Deferred Compensation
Flexible Spending Account Programs
Long Term Disability Insurance
Long Term Care Plan
Tuition Assistance Program
Employees' Child Care Center
Virginia College Savings Plans

Fairfax County's Application Process: Fairfax County uses an online application process called NEOGOV at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/jobsfor nearly all positions.

Applicants who need assistance with the online application process are welcome to come to the Application Center at Fairfax County's HR Central where staff will be happy to work with you to establish an account and get your resume into the system. HR Central is located in the Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 270, Fairfax, VA, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Or call 703-222-5872 for more information.

For more information on applying, please click here - https://www.governmentjobs.com/home/applicationguide.

Company info
Website
Location
12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 270
Fairfax
VA
22035-0034
US

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