Page 5 - Ventura County CC

County Counsel 5 County The The County County County Counsel Counsel is is is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a County County County Officer appointed by the the the the the the Board Board of of o of of Supervisors Supervisors pursuant pursuant to to to to to to to Government Government Code Code Section 27640 and and 27641 to to serve a a a a a four (4) year term of o of office and and is is responsible to to the Board of o of Supervisors and the the the public for for the the the performance of statutory duties The The County Counsel also has been designated as as the the the attorney for the public administrator pursuant to to to Government Code Section 27643 The chief legal advisor on civil matters to to the Board of Supervisors County County Executive Officer and to to all County County agencies and and and departments the the the County County Counsel handles the the the defense and and and prosecution of all civil litigation in which the the the County County its officers or or or agencies are involved except certain tort matters The County Counsel is is also the legal advisor to to several County-related independent agencies to all special districts of of which the the Board of of Supervisors is is is the the governing
body and to to to all other special districts to to to which the the office is is obligated to to to provide legal services The County Counsel also represents Children and and and Family Services in in juvenile dependency trials and and and appeals and and and the Public Guardian in in Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS) conservatorship hearings and trials The County Counsel’s Office has three divisions 37 full-time equivalent positions including 25 attorneys and a a a a a proposed FY20-21 budget of $4 4 4 million Administration: Departmental administration planning fiscal management and personnel services Supervision of all litigation and and advisory efforts Four full-time equivalent (FTE) attorneys one FTE FTE administrative services director and and nine FTE non-attorney staff Provide office management and and administration and and supervision o of attorney attorney work product Children Children & Family Family Services: Represent and and advise Human Services Services Services Agency (HSA) Children Children and and Family Family Services Services Services on all juvenile juvenile dependency matters Five full-time equivalent attorneys devoted exclusively to to representing HSA in in juvenile juvenile dependency matters Other attorneys are assigned to to provide support for this program as as needed Advisory/Litigation: Provide advice and and litigation representation for for the County and and related special districts for for all civil civil matters except in in certain tort and and specialized cases Sixteen full-time equivalent (FTE) attorneys and and two FTE FTE civil civil law clerks provide advice and litigation representation for for the the the County County While the the the County County Counsel is is the the the legal advisor for for all all civil matters the County traditionally contracts with outside counsel for specialized areas including most torts and workers’ compensation claims It is expected that the next County Counsel will possess:
A thorough knowledge of: the the functions and organization of of of of County government the the cannons of of of of professional ethics of of the the the American Bar Bar Association and and related provisions of of the the the California State Bar Bar Act legal principles and and their application rules and and and evidence and and and the the conduct of of court proceedings legal research methods and and and the the principles of of administration and supervision A working ability to: organize and and direct the the activities of the the County Counsel’s Department accumulate and and determine material facts analyze difficult and complex legal legal problems perform exhaustive legal legal research for for principles of of law applicable statutes and and and cases in in in point apply legal rules and and and principles present statement of of fact and and and argue logically and and clearly both orally and and in in in in writing view legal problems in in in in the the perspective of the the many inter-related factors rather than as as a a a a a a a a a single case draft legal instruments and and opinions win the the the confidence and and respect of of members of of the the the legal profession public officials and other persons contacted in the the work Counsel