Job Posting: Senior Assistant Attorney General, Opinion Unit (C.E.A. B)

Department of Justice

JC-494486
-
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Opinion Unit (C.E.A. B)
C. E. A.

$18,995.00 - $18,995.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/20/2025

Job Description and Duties

The Senior Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) will plan, organize and direct the statewide work of the Opinion Unit of the Department of Justice under the administrative and legal direction of the Chief Deputy Attorney General and the Principal Deputy Solicitor General. This includes continuously evaluating the mission, roles, and functioning of the Unit, proposing desirable changes or improvements, and leading the implementation of any changes.

 

The Opinion Unit leads and manages the discharge of the Attorney General’s responsibilities under Government Code Section 12519 to provide written opinions to designated public officers on questions of law. The Unit may also provide other legal analysis or advice for the Attorney General and the Department and undertake special projects. Formal opinions and other analysis or advice can play a significant role in the development of the law and in the formulation of policy both within and outside the Department. The Opinion Unit also manages the Attorney General’s review of quo warranto applications filed by private attorneys pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Sections 803-810, and generally supervises the litigation that ensues if an application is granted.

 

The SAAG will serve as a primary legal advisor to the Attorney General and to members of the Legislature, the Governor, the heads of state agencies, district attorneys, county counsel, city attorneys, sheriffs, and the Judicial Council on questions of law submitted by public officials for the Attorney General’s consideration. The role will develop and implement policies and programs related to the interpretation of law in response to such inquiries, managing a significant legal function that directly affects the public, various state and other public agencies, the Legislature, and the Governor’s Office. The SAAG will also develop and implement policies and procedures for providing legal analysis or advice in other circumstances, as appropriate; for managing the Attorney General’s quo warranto functions; and for undertaking special analytical projects. In coordination with other Department offices and personnel, the position is expected to interact and develop relationships with stakeholder groups, statewide and nationally, on behalf of the Attorney General.

 

Flexible schedules and telecommuting options may be available. The position’s location is specified as statewide, so the candidate selected for appointment may be headquartered in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, or San Francisco. Regardless of the headquarter location, the candidate will be expected to travel throughout California as required, as well as potentially travel out-of-state.

 

Please note: this position supervises attorneys and therefore it is required that the selected candidate have active status in the California State Bar.

Please carefully read the following sections to apply for this position:

  • Required Application Documents
  • Desirable Qualifications

 

For more information on how to create your Statement of Qualifications, please click here.

Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7B2829L.

 

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Minimum Requirements

This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-494486
Position #(s):
420-075-7500-XXX
Working Title:
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Opinion Unit (C.E.A. B)
Classification:
C. E. A.
$18,995.00 - $18,995.00 B
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time

Department Information

  • This position is located in the Department of Justice, Directorate Division.
  • Please visit the Attorney General's website for more information at https://oag.ca.gov/.

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary wage reductions in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific rate and hours earned were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit. The actual monetary impact of these temporary reductions can vary based on your bargaining unit and/or federal and state tax withholdings. For additional information please visit Human Resources Manual - CalHR

Special Requirements

A fingerprint check will be required.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/20/2025

Who May Apply

Individuals who are eligible to be appointed to this Career Executive Assignment (CEA) by the State of California.

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Justice
Ashley Jacoby
Attn: Ashley Jacoby
OHR/CEA & Exempt Appointments Unit
1300 I Street, Suite 720
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Justice
Ashley Jacoby
OHR/CEA & Exempt Appointments Unit
1300 I Street, Suite 720
Sacramento, CA 95814
Attn: Ashley Jacoby, 7th Floor Receptionist
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is required and must be included.
  • Statement of Qualifications - A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is a narrative discussion regarding how the applicant's education, training, experience, and skills meet the Desirable Qualifications for the position. In addition, the SOQ serves as documentation of each applicant's ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing.

    In your SOQ, please address how you possess each Desirable Qualification using specific examples of your education, training, and experience. This will be the only tool used for determining your final score and rank on the eligibility list for this position. Please address and number the Desirable Qualifications in the same order as listed on this bulletin under the Desirable Qualifications section. The SOQ must be typed, single spaced, 12 point font, and no more than 2 pages in length. Applicants who do not follow these requirements may be disqualified from the examination. Cover letters and resumes do not take the place of SOQs.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Examination Qualification Requirements

All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement.

Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service.

Minimum Qualifications

CEA examinations are open to all applicants who possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements as described in the examination bulletin. Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in civil service.

General Qualifications

State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

Knowledge and Abilities

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:

  • Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; and personnel management techniques; the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.
  • Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislature and Executive branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; and prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity objectives.

These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):

CEA Level A - Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level B - Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level C - Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

  1. Experience leading a legal opinion and advice function, which may include planning, organizing, supervising, and evaluating legal analytical work by a statewide staff of experienced attorneys as well as demonstrating the ability to effectively manage relevant legal, policy, and administrative issues at a high level.
  2. Ability to lead the creation, review, and implementation of a strategic plan for the Opinion Unit.   
  3. Experience managing opinion and quo warranto functions, including the appropriate evaluation of opinion requests and the drafting of formal opinions based on applicable law.
  4. Experience evaluating and adjusting existing organizational processes and systems to promote operational excellence and efficiency to ensure the production of high-quality work in a timely way with a focus on client service.
  5. Ability to interact effectively with personnel and leaders throughout the Department of Justice, as well as outside the organization, in the development of legal analysis, opinions, recommendations, and policies to ensure the work of the Opinion Unit is integrated within the Department and all relevant perspectives are considered.


Examination Information

The exam will consist of a Statement of Qualifications screening process. A departmental evaluation panel will review and score the Statements of Qualifications based on the Desirable Qualifications for the position, and the competitive nature of each candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.

If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores.

A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results.

The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates.

The examining Department reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Special Testing Arrangements

If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.

Benefits

Please access this link for information on benefits afforded to employees who work for the State of California - https://www.calhr.ca.gov/Pages/California-State-Civil-Service-Employee-Benefits-Summary.aspx

Additional Application Filing Information

Please note, if using the United States Postal Service for delivery, there is no guarantee that your application will be date stamped and will arrive by the final filing date. If your application does not have a postmark or date stamp and arrives after the final filing date, your application will not be accepted. Therefore, to ensure timely delivery of your application, it is recommended that you use either electronic delivery, parcel service, or certified mail. Using one of these options will provide proof of delivery prior to the final filing date.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job