Assistant County Attorney I or II

Benton County is currently recruiting for and accepting applications to fill the position of Assistant County Attorney I or Assistant County Attorney II in our County Attorney's Office. This position may entail any or all of the statutory duties of the County Attorney’s Office as assigned, but the primary area of practice will be criminal prosecution, especially the prosecution of felony-level crimes.  

The Assistant County Attorney I (Grade 14) position offers a hiring wage range of $37.67 to $44.67 per hour, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience, with the potential to earn up to $51.66 per hour.

The pay for an Assistant County Attorney II (Grade 16) is based on preferred qualifications and experience, with a career potential of up to $55.88 per hour.

The application review process for this position will commence after the job posting officially closes on Monday, August 12th, 2024, at 4:30 PM. Consequently, we will begin reviewing applications starting Tuesday, August 13th, 2024.

PLEASE NOTE:  Specific dates and times for in-person interviews are TBD.   

Position Summary
Performs professional legal work assisting the County Attorney in performing duties as legal counsel and criminal prosecutor for Benton County.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below job description represents the essential functions of an Assistant County Attorney I and/or Assistant County Attorney II - CRIMINAL ATTORNEY.  The full job description can be found on our website.

Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Functions - CRIMINAL ATTORNEY
A.  Represents Benton County and the State of Minnesota by prosecuting petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies. 
B.  Appears at all criminal hearings including first appearances, bail hearings, pretrials, contested evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, trials, sentencings, restitution hearings, probation violations, post-conviction relief hearings, grand jury proceedings, and oral arguments at the appellate courts.
C.  Drafts criminal complaints by reviewing and analyzing police reports, video, and other evidence.
D.  Performs file review, including review of criminal histories, sentencing guidelines, legal research, rules of criminal procedure, case law and Minnesota statutes.
E.  Communicates and coordinates with witnesses, victims, pro se defendants, and other attorneys.
F.  Completes legal research and prepares motions and briefs to submit to the district court.
G.  Advises Victim Services Coordinator and manages relationships with victims of crimes and analyzes restitution claims.
H.  Negotiates with defense counsel or pro se defendants.
I.  Advises and trains law enforcement on legal issues and assists with drafting and approving search warrants.
J.  Prepares for and attends hearings related to extradition/fugitive from justice, expungement, and the restoration of firearms rights.
K.  Prepares documents involving appeals to the Minnesota appellate courts.
 
Additional Functions
A.  Attends trainings as needed.
B.  Rotates on-call responsibilities.
C.  Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

Minimum Qualifications - Training and Experience Required

Assistant County Attorney I
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
A.  Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school; and
B.  Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota; and
C.  One-year relevant work experience.

Assistant County Attorney II
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
A.  Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school; and
B.  Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota; and
C.  Eight years relevant work experience.
D.  Ability to work well with others and maintain excellent reputation with colleagues and other professionals.
E.  Strong skill set in criminal law, civil or appellate work and has handled significant and complex cases.
F.  Ability to train on various programs/roles within the department; and
G.  Ability to mentor Assistant County Attorney I’s; and
H.  Regular attendance according to the department’s work schedule; and
I.    Maintain good standing performance with Benton County; and
J.  Equivalent combination of education/training/experience.