8177-Attorney (Civil/Criminal) - Writs & Appeals

Appointment Type:   Permanent-Exempt (PEX) Appointment.  Pursuant to the City & County of San Francisco Charter, Section 10.104.13. Any person occupying a position under exempt appointment shall not be subject to civil service selection, appointment, and removal procedures. Exempt employees shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer.

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office is one of the premier law enforcement organizations in the United States.  Our mission is to collaborate with the City’s diverse communities and law enforcement agencies to make San Francisco one of the safest cities in America.  Our office engages in public education and crime prevention efforts while maintaining the traditional role of investigating, charging, and prosecuting all criminal violations occurring within the City and County of San Francisco.  The unparalleled opportunities for challenging, meaningful, and sophisticated work have consistently drawn top candidates to our office over the years.

Assistant District Attorneys are given substantial responsibility early in their careers and generally start in the Criminal Division handling various cases.  Opportunities to handle more serious and complex cases are afforded as more experience is gained.  Additionally, unique opportunities are afforded to Assistant District Attorneys who show great interest or possess the specialized experience to work within the Office’s Writs and Appeals Unit.  This Unit is comprised of experienced attorneys who handle cases in the Superior Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court of California.  Unlike many other prosecution agencies, we prosecute appellate matters in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, particularly pre-trial writ petitions.   

With the diverse nature of our community, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds is critical in the work we do. The Office of the District Attorney proactively seeks to recruit, retain and promote legal staff that reflects the diversity of the community served.

Essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Represents the People of the State of California in person via court appearances and in written petitions, motions, appeals, and/or other court documents.  Includes the preparation (word processing/database management) of such court documents. May require being placed in a high-stress environment and/or exposure to complex and challenging cases;
• Dedicates role to the pursuit of justice by exercising fair and ethical prosecution practices and respecting the humanity and dignity of everyone involved in a criminal case—whether a victim, witness, or defendant;
• Performs research manually and via computer for the purpose of performing all other duties related to the appellate prosecution of criminal cases.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

License or certificate:

Requires active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California.

Desired Qualifications:

The candidate should have a comprehensive knowledge of state and federal and municipal codes, laws, and ordinances, particularly as applied to civil and criminal laws; legal processes and techniques of courtroom and jury trial work; administrative techniques and methods, particularly as they relate to the activities of the District Attorney's Office; appellate procedure and practice.

The candidate should have the ability to: speak and write effectively in the preparation and presentation of assigned legal cases; exercise considerable judgment and tact in dealing with court officials, juries, law enforcement agencies, and other governmental agencies in connection with legal assignments.

How to apply:

All applicants are required to submit the following supplemental materials in a single Word or PDF file along with their application:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Official or Unofficial Law School Transcript
• Writing Sample
  • Your writing sample should show substantial legal research and analysis and should be limited to no more than 12 pages. It need not be on a criminal law subject and there is no specific length requirement. Please submit what you consider to be the best example of your writing. The sample should be accompanied by a cover page explaining (a) the sample’s original purpose (e.g., class assignment, moot court brief, internal memorandum for employer); (b) when and for whom the sample was written; (c) the extent of editing by any third party; (d) if the writing sample is an excerpt from a larger document, the nature of such larger document; and (e) if the sample is a collaborative work, which portion of the sample was written by the applicant. You may submit additional samples while your application is pending if you desire.
• References
  • We require at least three professional references from former or current employers who have firsthand knowledge of your performance in a legal position. References from former or current employers in a legal setting are preferable to academic references. Personal references are not desired, nor are letters of recommendation. Please include a full name, current telephone number, and e-mail address for each reference provided.

Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience.  Additional screening mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidates’ qualifications.  Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to participate in the selection process.  Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement in the process.  Additional supplemental materials may be requested during the recruitment process. 

Salary Range: $150,124 - $263,042 and commensurate with experience.

This is a continuous recruitment.

Contact: Shavaun Tolliver, Principal Human Resources Analyst (628) 652-4040

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.