Assistant County Counsel

Assistant County Counsel

Salary

$7,873.43 - $9,752.44 Monthly

Location

McMinnville, OR

Job Type

Regular Full-Time

Job Number

CC26-066

Department

County Counsel

Division

County Counsel

Opening Date

07/16/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits

PLEASE NOTE: Salary is dependent on experience. Yamhill County typically hires between steps 1-4

Yamhill County has one regular, full-time position for an Assistant County Counsel. In this role you will Advise and represent the various boards, commissions, officers, employees and agents of Yamhill County on various legal matters of county concern. Assists the County Counsel on civil matters to which the County is a party, including, but not limited to, litigation, real property transactions, property tax appeals, personnel grievances, labor negotiations, land use appeals, environmental complaints, and other legal matters. Performs a variety of increasingly independent professional legal work for assigned County departments/divisions, including, but not limited to, court appearances, administrative hearings, public contracting, public records requests, parliamentary conferrals, and related transactional work. Performs related legal work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Works under supervision of the County Counsel who assigns work, checks performance and provides professional consultation. Work is reviewed for conformance with state statutes, case law, legal ethics, other professional practices, standards, department policies, procedures, and overall results obtained.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Supervision of other employees is not generally a responsibility of the position.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION. DEPENDING ON ASSIGNMENT, THE EMPLOYEE MAY PERFORM A COMBINATION OF SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING DUTIES:

A person employed in this classification must possess the capability to perform the following duties to be considered for and remain in this position:

• Provides legal counsel to Board of Commissioners, County officers, County departments, and various other boards and commissions, advising on legal rights and responsibilities and other legal matters.
• Prepares legal opinions for questions referred by the County Counsel, Elected Officials, or Department Heads.
• Assists in preparation of memoranda and pleadings, and when directed, appears on behalf of the County in court actions and in front of other administrative agencies, including the Oregon Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Oregon, the Oregon Employment Relations Board, Oregon Tax Court, the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry, and other administrative agencies as directed by County Counsel.
• As directed by the County Counsel, prepares and presents oral argument in any appeals the County is a party to before the Oregon Court of Appeals and Oregon Supreme Court.
• Attends meetings of various County boards and commissions assigned by County Counsel, which may include Board of Commissioners, Planning Commission, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Fair Board, Park Board, among others.
• Assists in review or revision of the Yamhill County Code and/or Yamhill County Policies and Procedures as required by law and referred by the County Counsel.
• Advises the County on legal matters relating to public contracts and intergovernmental agreements.
• As directed by the County Counsel, supervises and assists in preparation of annual tax foreclosure proceedings, including the sale tax foreclosed properties, in conjunction with the County Treasurer and County Assessor.
• Drafts board orders, ordinances and resolutions.
• Reviews and prepares deeds and other real property transactional documents.
• Enforces or assists in enforcement of any law pursuant to direction of County Counsel or Elected Official.
• Investigates all potential claims for money damages or injunctive relief made against the County and submits the investigation results to the County Administrator, or delegate, for action.
• Attend training necessary for minimum continuing legal education.
• Keeps abreast of Court decisions and existing and pending legislation affecting the County.
• Maintains effective, harmonious and reasonable work relationships with others.
• Maintains regular and predictable work attendance.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

The Benefits

Yamhill County offers generous employee benefits:

• 15 paid holidays per year.
• 19.5 days of Flexible Earned Time (FET) accrual in the first year (based on an 8-hr day).
• PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) - 100% employer funded contributions.
• Full health benefit offerings with employee premiums starting as low as $70.18/month for PPO and $0 monthly for HMO for 2025 to 2026 plan year. *
• Qualifying employer for public service student loan forgiveness.
• Subject to the AFCSME Collective Bargaining Agreement (7/1/2023 - 6/30/2026).

Our Community

Yamhill County has approximately 109,000 residents and is a very desirable place to live in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country. Yamhill County is home to Linfield University and Chemeketa Community College in McMinnville and George Fox University and Portland Community College in Newberg. Yamhill County is centrally located in the Willamette Valley, within proximity to the Oregon Coast, the Portland and Salem metropolitan areas, and the Oregon Cascade Mountains. Wide varieties of indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities are available. We have the benefits, appeal and superior quality of life found in a small-town community, while enjoying active social and cultural lifestyles found in larger metropolitan areas.

Required Information

Under the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, any person hired or rehired is required to provide evidence of identity and eligibility for employment. Yamhill County does not offer VISA sponsorships. The County verifies the valid work authorization of each employee using Form I-9 and the E-Verify Program.

Yamhill County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and values diversity.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants are considered for employment based on their qualifications without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other factor prohibited by law or regulation. Veterans are encouraged to apply. Do not include information or photos that would identify those personal traits. Documents included with this identifying information will be removed from the application packet.

Some positions require a criminal history check and a review of driving record. All County positions require regular, prompt, and consistent attendance.

Accommodation Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

Reasonable accommodation is available to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in the selection process for this recruitment. To obtain confidential assistance, please contact Human Resources at 503-474-4901 or via email at Human_Resources@yamhillcounty.gov.

Veterans' Preference

Under Oregon law ORS 408.225-408.238, veterans who meet the minimum qualifications for a position may be eligible for hiring preference. If you think you may qualify, please complete and attach all the following.

• Veteran's Hiring Preference (Veterans Preference Hiring Form-PDF)
• Supporting Documentation- (Refer to VA Preference form for list)

If you need assistance with completing an application for employment or with obtaining a Veteran's Hiring Preference Form, please contact Human Resources at 503-474-4901 or via email at Human_Resources@yamhillcounty.gov.

Status of Your Application

Please note that Yamhill County communicates with all candidates via e-mail. If you "opt out" or "unsubscribe" from e-mail notifications from NEOGOV, it will impact our ability to communicate with you about job postings.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

KNOWLEDGE OF OR INTEREST IN:

• Principles and practices of government law.
• Practices, principles and procedures of public administration.
• Principles and techniques of legal writing.
• Judicial procedure and rules of evidence.
• Civil trial and appellate procedures in state and federal courts and administrative tribunals.
• Legal terminology.
• Federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, rules, and ordinances applicable to County activities and functions, including public liability, public meetings, torts, contracts, property taxation, real property and land use, public records and public financing.
• Principles and techniques of public sector labor law, labor relations and collective bargaining.
• Organization of County government.
• Principles of liability, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
• Practices, principles, and procedures of public administration.
• County government organization and structure.

ABILITY TO:

• Organize and summarize a large volume of material and analyze facts, evidence, and legal precedents to arrive at a logical conclusion and set forth a concise, complete, and accurate finding of fact and conclusion.
• Research and document information on related subject matter and set forth findings of fact and decisions in concise written form.
• Present cases in courtroom or at hearing.
• Keep information confidential.
• Interact effectively with the Board of Commissioners and County Counsel.
• Operate in the Microsoft Windows environment.

SKILL IN:

• Developing and maintaining professional relationships.
• Effective communication, both orally and in writing.
• Preparing clear and concise legal documents and reports.
• Negotiating and exchanging ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policies and programs and/or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions or solutions.

Minimum Experience and Training/Other Requirements

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

Graduation from an accredited school of law.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience in the practice of government, judicial, and/or administrative law.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Must be a member of the Oregon State Bar at the time of appointment and must maintain that membership in good standing. Must be a member of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon and the United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit. Membership in the National Association of Parliamentarians or the American Institute of Parliamentarians desirable.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to secure and maintain a driver's license valid in the state of Oregon. May be required to drive a County vehicle. Employees authorized to operate a private vehicle on County business are required to carry a valid driver's license and liability insurance minimums as outlined in ORS 806.070.

Employment will be subject to successful completion of a background check.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS SUMMARY:

The incumbent typically works in an office environment and uses a computer, telephone and other office equipment, as needed, to perform duties. The noise level in the work environment is typical that of an office. Incumbent may encounter frequent interruptions throughout the work day.

The employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use repetitive hand motion, handle or feel, and to stand, walk, reach, bend or lift up to 20 pounds regularly and 30 pounds occasionally.

Contact with the public in varied environments may risk exposure to people with irrational/hostile behavior, contagious diseases, or contact with domestic animals.

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by an employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to perform other related duties as assigned, to ensure workload coverage. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. This job description does NOT constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the organizational needs and requirements of the job change.

The job specification requirements stated are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job successfully. Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training which insures the ability to perform the work may substitute for the above so that the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

Health Coverage - Group medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage is available for the entire family. For the 2025-2026 plan year, the County will pay 97% of the monthly premium and employees will pay 3% ($70.18 per month) for the PPO Base Plan. With this plan, employees are eligible for a $125 a month contribution into an HRA VEBA account. Buy-up plans are also available. The employee premium for the HMO plan is $0.00, with the HMO plan employees are not eligible for the HRA Veba Account.

Retirement - PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) contribution is 100% employer funded, which includes both contribution to PERS pension and IAP accounts (IAP contribution is 6% of salary).

Short-Term Disability - 100% County paid.

Life insurance - $10,000 for employee/$2,000 for spouse and children - 100% County Paid.

Vacation/Sick Leave - Flexible Earned Time (FET) is a combination of vacation and sick leave. To start, employees earn 13 hours per month and future accruals increase based on years of service. After a year of service and depending on FET balance, employees may sell-back up to 40 hours of FET per year.

Employer Yamhill County

Address 400 NE Baker St

McMinnville, Oregon, 97128

Phone 503.474.4901

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/yamhillor