Champaign County
Job Description

Job Title: Chief of the Civil Division
Department: State's Attorney
Reports To: State's Attorney
FLSA Status: Exempt
Grade Range: L
Prepared Date: June, 2013

SUMMARY Supervisor of the State's Attorney's Office Civil Division, responsible for representing and advising all divisions of Champaign County government with regard to civil legal issues facing the County, supervising Assistant State's Attorneys assigned to that division, and representing the State's Attorney's Office and Champaign County government.

PRIMARY DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Represents the State's Attorney, the State's Attorney's Office, and Champaign County government with regard to the State's Attorney's responsibilities as the legal representative for Champaign County and its various departments.

Works with the County Board, County Board Committees and County Departments to ensure adherence to laws and thereby reduce the potential for litigation and liability against the County government.

Defends the County in lawsuits filed against the County government and its representatives and serves as the County's representative with outside counsel in litigation.

Researches, forms opinions, and presents written and oral legal information to the County Board, County Administration, and County Department Heads on legal aspects of departmental operations, performance of mandated functions and adherence to State and Federal laws.

Aids in the drafting of ordinances and resolutions to be adopted by the County Board.

Represents the State's Attorney's Office and Champaign County government with regard to internal, intra-governmental, inter-governmental and community projects and issues.

Represents the State's Attorney's Office and Champaign County goverment to the public, the media and various County departments by explaining program functions, policies and procedures.

Supervises the Champaign County State's Attorney's Office Child Support Enforcement Program and directs and supervises staff in the performance of support enforcement efforts pursuant to contracts between the Illinois Department of Human Services and the State's Attorney's Office.

Represents the Support Enforcement Program to the public, the media and various County departments by explaining program functions, policies and procedures.

Determines policies, procedures, priorities and staff work assignments in the Civil Division and Support Enforcement Division.

Develops expertise in areas of law mandated to the office. Maintains awareness of changes in State, Federal and Local laws by performing research and pursues continuing education.

Meets regularly and works with County Board members, County Administration, County Department Heads and others on issues related to Champaign County government.

Attends seminars on Local, State and National level to secure continuing education in specialized areas of the law.

Provides training, legal instruction and research assistance to less experienced attorneys and staff.

Notifies other County departments of legal decisions or legislative acts that affect the County government. Responds to requests from other County departments or legal interpretations of existing local ordinances and State and Federal laws.

Represents the County or serves as the County's liaison with outside counsel with regard to union negotiations and actions involving the County's employees.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly supervises attorneys, law students, administrative assistants and clerical staff. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the County's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising work performed and resolving problems. Makes recommendations to the State's Attorney with regard to personnel discipline, hiring and firing.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Law degree and licensed in Illinois; 10 years legal experience, management experience, experience working with government agencies and organizations.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret legal documents and interpretations. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from the general public, social service and government agencies, judges and other attorneys. Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques and style. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to judges, public groups and other attorneys.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to calculate figures and amounts.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Licensed in Illinois.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk; or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and color vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the primary functions of this job. Normal office conditions. Potential problems may exist with stressful situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.