The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the government agency responsible for protecting air quality in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Air District is tasked with regulating stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties that surround San Francisco Bay: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano, and southern Sonoma counties. It is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors composed of locally elected officials from each of the nine counties. The Air District’s mission is to create a healthy breathing environment for every Bay Area resident, while protecting and improving public health, air quality and the global climate.
The Air District aims to achieve its mission through many strategic goals, including: reducing and eliminating health problems caused by air pollution, achieving and maintaining air quality standards, leading the Bay Area’s efforts to fight global climate change, creating high-quality regulatory programs, and applying environmental best practices in all operations. To do so, the Air District regulates air pollution emissions from stationary emission sources such as factories, refineries, and power plants, and from smaller facilities like gas stations and dry cleaners. The District ensures that such facilities comply with air pollution law.
Position Summary
Assistant Counsel I is the entry level in this specialized attorney series. It is designed to allow an experienced civil attorney to gain specific environmental law experience. This class is alternately staffed with Assistant Counsel II, and incumbents may advance to the higher level after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency that meet the qualifications of the higher level class.
Assistant Counsel II is the journey level class of this specialized series, fully competent to perform a wide range of environmental law work. This class is responsible for providing effective legal counsel in complex and controversial environmental law matters. This class is distinguished from Senior Assistant Counsel in that the latter assists in administering and coordinating all phases of legal work for the Legal Division.
Duties and Responsibilities
Advises Air District departmental management regarding Air District authority, jurisdiction, functions and operational procedures.
Researches legal problems and prepares opinions, briefs, regulations, resolutions, and other legal documents.
Prepares and tries routine to difficult cases, often involving a specialized body of law.
Represents the Air District in court and in administrative hearings before boards and commissions and state and federal agencies.
Investigates and prepares reports regarding claims by and against the Air District and recommends actions to be taken.
Reviews regulations, resolutions, contracts and other documents for legal sufficiency; recommends modifications as required.
Maintains accurate records and files and compiles reports of work performed.
Monitors legal developments, including proposed legislation and court decisions; evaluates their impact on Air District operations and recommends appropriate action.
(Illustrative Only)
Skills and Competencies
Assistant Counsel I is the entry level designed to allow an experienced civil attorney to gain specific environmental law experience. An Assistant Counsel II is fully competent to perform a wide range of environmental law work, responsible for providing effective legal counsel in complex and controversial environmental law matters.
The Air District is also recruiting for the Senior Assistant Counsel position concurrently with this recruitment for the Assistant Counsel I/II position. Applicants may apply for one or both positions at the same time.
Qualifications and Prior Experience
Experience with Environmental, Air, or Civil law and member of the California Bar.
How to Apply
Interested individuals must submit a completed BAAQMD application, chronological resume, and the responses to the supplemental questions no later than Friday, April 14, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply.
