Judicial Staff Attorney

Salary: $83,320.00 - $111,632.00 Annually

Location : Pontiac, MI

Job Type: Full Time

Job Number: 2024-200

Department: Circuit Court/Judicial Admin

Opening Date: 08/02/2024

Announcement Information

DO NOT APPLY ON-LINE: Interested persons must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and references to:

PAPER COPIES: Sixth Judicial Circuit Court
Attention: Hon. Lorie Savin
1200 N. Telegraph Road
Pontiac, MI 48341-0404

ELECTRONIC COPIES: Ms. Joanne Thorndycraft

Job Summary

Performs computerized legal research, writes pre-hearing reports, makes recommendations regarding options for judicial action, and drafts opinions and orders involving complex domestic relations and juvenile court (neglect and delinquency) matters. Renders legal advice to judges regarding changes in and interpretation of civil, criminal, and Family Court statutes, case law, and procedures. Assists in coordinating chambers operations and corresponding docket to ensure compliance with statutes, case law, administrative orders, and court rules. Under limited direction, assesses and analyzes complex legal issues, provides information about courtroom procedures and legal processes to attorneys and self-represented litigants, advises parties regarding the relative strengths of their respective positions, and facilitates discussion between parties to reach settlement on disputed issues. Acts as liaison between the court, litigants, attorneys, and court personnel.
Minimum Qualifications

Be licensed to practice law and maintain membership in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan.
Special Requirements

• Have graduated from an ABA-approved law school and passed the Michigan State Bar Examination.
• Have legal work experience, including position(s) of comparable responsibility with other courts, as a practicing attorney, or as a mediator, arbitrator, or facilitator. Other positions may be deemed comparable by the judge or circuit court administrator.
• Have a working knowledge of civil, criminal, and Family Court procedural law, including such areas as constitutional law, commercial litigation, environmental law, federal preemption, class actions, murder, criminal sexual conduct, property, contracts, employment law, insurance law, torts and all areas of Family Court.
• Have superior written communication skills, including the ability to be clear, thorough, and succinct.
• Exhibit the ability to verbally communicate clearly, firmly, and politely when interacting with the public.
• Demonstrate an ability to prioritize, be organized, meet deadlines, and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Pass the employment physical examination established for this classification.

Oakland County Michigan - YOUR FUTURE IS HERE! Award winning and fiscally responsible County (AAA Bond Rated) government agency invites you to begin and advance your career with us as we continue on the path to provide cutting edge services to the communities we serve. We offer a stable work environment, competitive salaries, a full benefits package, growth opportunities and employee training along with generous tuition reimbursement. We recognize that your hard work and dedication to the communities we serve are the driving force behind our success, and we continually look for additional ways to build a positive work environment. Join us on our journey to continue to make Oakland County a great place to Live, Work and Play.

Overview of Employee Benefits:

• Comprehensive benefits package that includes medical,prescription, dental, vision, short and long-term disability insurance, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance for all eligible employees, with minimal employee cost.
• Health and dependent care reimbursement accounts where employees can place pre-tax dollars into an account to be used for health care or dependent care related expenses.
• There is also a comprehensive retirement package in which all Eligible employees are enrolled in a defined contribution plan (401a) with a County match; also the ability to participate in a deferred compensation plan (457).
• Ample time-off for all employees, including 11 to 13 paid holidays per year, five personal leave days, one floating holiday, 10 vacation days within the first year (amount of vacation days increase over tenure).
• Annual Leave Buy Back is offered once a year to all eligible employees with 60 (or more) annual leave hours in the bank. This program offers interested employees the option to "cash out" annual leave hours in order to receive a payout. Employees can "cash out" a minimum of 20 hours to a maximum of 40 hours.
• Parental Leave is available for all full-time employees who have completed six (6) months of County service. Employees will receive 6 weeks of paid leave at 100% of their current salary. Parental Leave can be utilized for both the birth and adoption of a child.
• Affordable on-site child care for infants to five years old for children of County employees; also provides a school-age summer camp program.

Employee Health and Wellness Benefits:

• The mission of the OakFit Wellness Program is to assist Oakland County employees, retirees and dependents in taking ownership of their health and wellness in order to improve quality of life, enhance productivity, and stabilize long-term employee/employer health care costs. There are a wide variety of programs offered, including weight management, exercise, Tobacco Cessation, and various educational workshops. OakFit also offers annual on-site health screenings. Employees and dependents have access to the OakFit website offering a wealth of resources including webinars, a recipe page and other informational topics. Employees can also see upcoming events posted on the Wellness calendar and subscribe to Wellness Program email updates.

Professional Development:

• Our tuition reimbursement program assists eligible employees seeking to improve their educational qualifications in subjects and fields directly related to the County's operations, activities and objectives.
• The County's Human Resources Department provides in-house professional development training to employees across departments, including programs ranging from conflict management to grammar skills. Employees may also have opportunities to attend job-related conferences/seminars.
• The County's Information Technology Department provides basic to advanced job-related computer software training to employees.

Other Benefits:

• The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offered confidentially to you or your family members. At no cost to you, the program supports with mental health counseling, work/life resources and more.
• The Employee Service Award Program recognizes employees for years of service and educational achievement.

To view full-time new hire benefits, please click the following link: