Job Posting: Office of General Counsel

Department of Justice

JC-524722
-
Office of General Counsel
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL IV

$11,993.00 - $16,096.00 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: 8/12/2026

Job Description and Duties

The Attorney General is the State’s top lawyer and law enforcement official, protecting and serving the people and interests of California through a broad range of duties. The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice, which is one of the largest state agencies, as well as one of the largest law offices in California. The Department has numerous constituent bureaus and programs, and the Department performs a variety of important law enforcement and criminal justice information functions.

The Office of General Counsel is a division within the Department of Justice that oversees or supports many Department-wide functions, including risk management, compliance, legal advice, and the development of policies and procedures.
Attorneys in the Office of General Counsel have significant Department-wide responsibilities and are expected to provide legal advice on a wide variety of difficult, complex, sensitive, and consequential matters to public officials, external clients, and senior staff throughout the Department. Subject matters within the Office of General Counsel’s purview include but are not limited to information security and data storage and disclosure; law-enforcement operations; contracting, agreements, and grants; professional ethics; financial conflicts and other government ethics requirements; regulations; the Public Records Act; the Administrative Procedure Act; the Bagley-Keene Act’s open meeting requirements; and public finance.

Attorneys are also expected to lead or support internal investigations, operational projects that further the Office’s risk-management and compliance missions, and the development and implementation of policies and procedures within the Department. These assignments are highly variable in nature and require flexibility, an ability to quickly become familiar with a new program area or area of law, an ability to gather facts and assess legal risks, an ability to quickly establish effective working relationships with employees throughout the Department, including senior executives, and an ability to manage investigations and projects over a long period of time. Attorneys generally will not function as lead attorneys in litigation matters, but they may have opportunities to volunteer to participate in litigation matters.

Attorneys with a track record of accomplishments in complex or high-stakes litigation, policy, or advice matters, or attorneys who demonstrate the potential to successfully handle a wide range of legal and operational challenges are encouraged to apply for this position.


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

Working Conditions


This position is eligible for telework. Travel and additional in-person attendance may be required for meetings and other occasional operational needs.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-524722
Position #(s):
420-261-5705-XXX
Working Title:
Office of General Counsel
Classification:
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL IV
$11,993.00 - $16,096.00
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL III
$10,852.00 - $15,325.00
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL V
$12,659.00 - $16,883.00
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

  • These positions are located in the Office of General Counsel and will be filled in either Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego or San Francisco.  Please clearly indicate which city you prefer in your cover letter.

  • The Deputy Attorney General classifications qualify for a “Hire Above Minimum" (HAM) salary (Hiring Above Minimum Policy).  The starting salary for each classification will be:

    • Deputy Attorney General III (5 years): $12,046
    • Deputy Attorney General IV (6+ years): $13,313
    • Deputy Attorney General V (lateral): $14,051

    New to State candidates in the DAG series will be hired at the starting HAM salary of the classifications.

  • DAG V consideration - lateral transfers only.

  • Please disregard the SROA/Surplus language below, as the Department of Justice requires applicants to submit their SROA/Surplus Letter if that is the basis of their eligibility. 
  • For more information about the department please visit the Attorney General’s website at www.oag.ca.gov.
  • If you are interested in speaking with a Recruiter before submitting your application, please email Recruiters@doj.ca.gov.

  • Please visit our "Become a DOJ Deputy Attorney General" webpage for more information on the classification and the Department.

     

  • 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.

  • JC-524722 must be clearly stated in the "Examination or Job Title for which you are Appying" section located on page one of your state application.

  • Individuals who are new to state service must have list eligibility in order to gain employment with the California Office of the Attorney General. The process is described at http://oag.ca.gov/careers/how-to-apply.  

  • Please note that appointment to the DAG classifications will be made using the following examinations:
    • DAG III exam - at least 5 years of legal experience: DAG III Examination
    • DAG IV exam - at least 6 years of legal experience: DAG IV Examination

      You do not have to take an exam before you apply for a job. However, you must complete and pass the exam to be eligible for hire.

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: 8/12/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

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
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attn: Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
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
OHR-Danielle Newman
Attorney Hiring Unit (JC-524722)
1300 I Street, 7th floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
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.
  • Other - Cover letter
  • Other - Writing sample reflecting your legal work, preferably not more than 20 pages and written within the last two years.
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.

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:


Excellent research, analytical, writing, and oral-communication skills. Judgment and discretion in handling sensitive matters. Ability to handle multiple projects and meet deadlines. Project-management skills. Ability to maintain professionalism under pressure. Ability to work independently and as a team member. Ability to maintain good client relations. Ability to self-educate when confronted by complex and multi-dimensional problems. Knowledge about legal issues related to information technology. Strong computer literacy and research skills are encouraged.

 

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

 

 

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Human Resources Contact:
Danielle Newman
(916) 210-6197
danielle.newman@doj.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
EEO Officer
(916) 210-7580
EERROffice@doj.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Additional Application Filing Information

Please note, if using the Unites 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 note 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. 

If you are mailing your application, as a courtesy we ask that you contact the HR Consultant listed to confirm your application has been received.  This is not required, but highly encouraged so we can ensure the timely submission of your application.

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