Assistant Attorney General – Agriculture State of Utah Salt Lake County, UT

The Office of the Attorney General, Natural Resources Division, has an immediate opening for an attorney to represent the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. The position involves advising the Department on a wide variety of state and federal legal issues involving its cannabis and animal industry programs.

The position requires membership in the Utah State Bar and qualification for admission to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. The applicant should have excellent written and oral advocacy skills, the ability to communicate ideas and information clearly and concisely, and the ability to work with others as part of a team.

Preference will be given to applicants with educational background or experience in litigation, cannabis regulation, contracts, administrative law, and regulatory enforcement.

• Prepares cases by conducting legal research and gathering evidence.
• Provides consultation, makes recommendations, gives appropriate advice, and/or facilitates decisions.
• Determines discovery needs, and/or completes discovery; participates in decision making and strategy sessions in preparing cases for court and determining evidence to be used.
• Writes or drafts correspondence, reports, documents and/or other written materials.
• Receives, researches and responds to incoming questions or complaints; provides information, explains policy and procedures, and/or facilitates a resolution.
• Represents the state or the employing agency in lawsuits, grievances, negotiations, complaints and/or other matters.
• Drafts working documents; prepares documents consisting of concise decisions based upon facts of case interpretations of law and compliance with state and federal standards.
• Conducts conferences with defendants and/or attorneys, negotiates settlements, and testifies in court.
• Conducts, or represents agency at formal or informal hearings and/or trials.
• May be required to travel to various court locations and possibly stay overnight.

(includes knowledge, skills, and abilities required upon entry into position and trainable after entry into position)

• agency and/or organizational program(s)
• communicate information and ideas clearly, and concisely, in writing; read and understand information presented in writing
• read, interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies and/or procedures
• speak clearly, concisely and effectively; listen to, and understand, information and ideas as presented verbally
• legal processes and procedures
• applicable laws, rules, regulations and/or policies and procedures
• civil and criminal justice laws
• understand and apply case and statutory law
• evaluate information against a set of standards
• use logic to analyze or identify underlying principles, reasons, or facts associated with information or data to draw conclusions
• laws, legal codes, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, the democratic political process, and legislative history
• perform legal research using case law and appropriate techniques
• laws governing access to public and private records (Government Records Access and Management Act)
• make a decision or solve a problem by using logic to identify key facts, explore alternatives, and propose quality solutions
• deal with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism
• provide consultation and/or expert advice or testimony
• rules of evidence and civil and/or criminal procedure
• interpret and apply legal decisions and identify current and emerging trends in interpretation
• principles, theories, and practices of judicial or administrative law

• A Juris Doctorate is required.
• Risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.
• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.
• A conditional offer of employment will be made pending a satisfactory completion of a background investigation.
• Where statute mandates, active membership in the Utah State Bar..
• Must be able to travel as required.
• Valid driver license required to drive a motor vehicle on a highway in this state per UCA 53-3-202(1)(a).