Court Staff Attorney I/II - Superior Court of California (Open and Promotional) Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sanmateo/jobs/newprint/5004437) Apply  Court Staff Attorney I/II - Superior Court of California (Open and Promotional) Salary $101,192.00 - $152,318.40 Annually Location County of San Mateo, CA Job Type Regular Job Number X435W Department Superior & Municipal Courts Opening Date 07/16/2025 Closing Date 7/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific Bargaining Unit 75C + Description + Benefits + Questions Description The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, is seeking qualified and experienced candidates for the position of Court Staff Attorney I/II - Superior Court of California. The incumbent will perform a wide variety of legal research duties, primarily for the Civil Law and Motion Calendars. Court Staff Attorney I ( $101,192.00 - $126,152.00 Annually ) is the entry-level attorney position for the court. Court Staff Attorney II $122,220.80 - $152,318.40 Annually) is the experienced-level attorney position for the court. The ideal candidate will be a member of the California State Bar (required) and will possess extensive working knowledge of California civil law and procedure, as well the functions of a California Superior Court. In addition, the ideal candidate will possess: + Proven experience performing legal research in civil matters. + Superior analytical skills and writing ability. + The ability to work independently and with minimal supervision. + The ability to coordinate multiple projects and consistently meet deadlines. + A strong understanding of the importance of and the ability to maintain confidentiality. + Excellent problem-solving skills. + Exemplary verbal and written communication skills. Please visit https://www.sanmateocourt.org/ for more information on our organization. NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies. Examples Of Duties Essential duties may include, but are not limited to the following: + Provide independent legal research to the judges and commissioners of the County of San Mateo Superior Court bench. + Research matters and provide written memoranda for those motions set on the Civil Direct Calendar Judges’ Law and Motion calendars. + Review and make recommendations on any civil ex parte motions presented to the court on the daily ex parte calendar(s). + Research, prepare memoranda, draft orders, and meet with the designated judge on specially set matters. + Perform legal research; analyze and apply legal principles, facts, and precedents to legal problems. + Prepare statements of fact, law, and argument. + Prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports, documents, correspondence, procedures, and other written materials. Qualifications Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying for Court Staff Attorney I. Court Staff Attorney II: A typical way to qualify is three years as a Court Staff Attorney I. Other Requirements: Membership in the California State Bar Association, County of San Mateo Bar Association, and specialty section memberships as determined by the Court Executive Officer. Required Knowledge of: + General legal principles and application to civil law. + General knowledge of the Civil Code, the Code of Civil Procedure, Evidence Code, California Rules of Court, and local rules. + Evidentiary principles, pre-trial, hearing, and trial procedures. + Legal research techniques including the use of case law, statutory law, secondary sources, and legal indices and digests. + Office practices and procedures, including filing and operation of standard office equipment. + Business data processing principles and the use of automation tools for retrieval and analysis. + Business letter and legal document formatting, and related office applications such as Word. + Correct use of English, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation. + Computerized legal research and related applications such as LexisNexis and Westlaw. Required Skill/Ability to: + Interpret, evaluate, make decisions in accordance with, and explain complex laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. + Make sound, independent decisions within established legal, policy, and procedural guidelines. + Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. + Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work. Application/Examination Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score. This recruitment is open to any attorney with the minimum qualifications who is a member in good standing with the California State Bar. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire. The examination process will consist of an application screening (pass/fail) based on the candidate's application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations, or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in County of San Mateo, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense. IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date. Online application packets will consist of: + A completed standard Court/County of San Mateo online application form. + Responses to the supplemental questions that are part of the online application form. + A resume attached to the online application form. + A writing sample specific to a civil motion or probate petition you have briefed and argued, no longer than five (5) pages, also attached to the application form. PLEASE NOTE: Incomplete application packets will not be reviewed. In case of a high volume of applications, the court reserves the right to limit the number of candidates interviewed to the most highly qualified. County of San Mateo Human Resources Department Attn: Sedrick Dixon 500 County Center - 4th Floor Redwood City, CA 94063 Telephone: 650-363-4303 Email: sdixon@smcgov.org TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE: Final Filing Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 11:59 PM PST Application Screening: August 4 - 8, 2025 Panel Interview: August 19 and/or 20, 2025 About the County San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities. The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work. Note: Although the County is conducting the recruitment with the Superior Court, this position is not a County position. The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applications from candidates who will contribute to our diversity. San Mateo County is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels. Analyst: Sedrick Dixon (07162025) (Court Staff Attorney I/II - X434 / X435) We invite you to explore our Benefits-at-a-Glance (https://www.smcgov.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/Benefits%20at%20a%20Glance%204.29.25.pdf) page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.) In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you. As a County employee, you’ll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service. 01 I have completed the Application Form, including education and work history. In addition, I have attached my resume and a writing sample specific to a civil motion or probate petition I have briefed and argued (no longer than five pages). I am now ready to provide responses to the Supplemental Questions. I understand that if I have difficulty attaching my resume or writing sample, I can mail, email, or hand deliver them to the address given previously. + Yes + No 02 Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the following supplemental questions. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process. Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses. + Proceed to supplemental questions. 03 Do you have a current active membership with the California State Bar Association? (A "no" answer will disqualify you from this recruitment.) + Yes + No 04 Please state your Bar Association Number and Date of Admission. 05 Describe your familiarity with and experience using electronic legal research tools. 06 Describe your civil law experience. Including the number and types of motions you have personally drafted and the employer(s) for whom you worked at the time. 07 Describe any additional work history or background as it relates to the position, including other areas of law, relevant courses, clinics, or training programs, volunteer experiences, or employment as an attorney or law clerk which has qualified you to work for the Superior Court as a research attorney. 08 This recruitment will result in an Eligible / Hiring List for either a regular and/or a limited term Court Staff Attorney. Limited-term positions are full-time, temporary positions with an assignment of up to three years. An employee in a limited-term position receives medical, dental, vision, and leave benefits similar to a regular, permanent employee. The employee is also enrolled in a portable 401A retirement plan with a three-year graded vesting period. A limited-term employee is not eligible for the Court's defined benefit pension. Would you be interested in a Limited Term position? (A "No" answer to this question will not affect your application for permanent employment.) + Yes + No 09 How did you learn about this position? + County of San Mateo Website + County of San Mateo Job Interest Card Notification + County Hosted Virtual Event + County Hosted Job Fair + CalOpps.org + College/University Career Center + Community-based Organization Posting + Facebook/Instagram + Friend or Relative + GovernmentJobs.com + Indeed + Job Fair + LinkedIn + Professional Publication/Website (Please specify in next question) + X (formerly called Twitter) + Zip Recruiter + Other (Please specify in next question) 10 If you answered, "Professional Publication/Website" or "Other" to the above question, please indicate below how you learned about this position. Your response to this question will help us in better marketing County jobs. Type NA if not applicable. Required Question Employer County of San Mateo Address County of San Mateo Human Resources Department 500 County Center, 4th Floor Redwood City, California, 94063-1663 Phone (650) 363-4343 Website https://jobs.smcgov.org Apply Please verify your email address Verify Email