Description

Fairfax County

Assistant County Attorney V

SALARY

$54.14 - $94.75 Hourly

$4,331.26 - $7,579.70 Biweekly

$112,612.66 - $197,072.10 Annually

LOCATION

FX. CTY. GOVERNMENT CENTER, 12000 GOVERNMENT CENTER PKWY., FAIRFAX (EJ32), VA

JOB TYPE

FT Salary W BN

JOB NUMBER

26-00802

DEPARTMENT

Office of County Attorney

OPENING DATE

05/30/2026

CLOSING DATE

6/26/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

PAY GRADE

L05

POSTING TYPE

Open to General Public

Job Announcement

Fairfax County's Office of the County Attorney is seeking an attorney with legal knowledge and litigation experience in the area of abuse and neglect of children and the elderly. The position is located in the Office of the County Attorney’s Personnel, Behavioral Health and Human Services section.

The successful applicant will represent the Department of Family Services in litigation involving abused and neglected children in the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Circuit Court, Virginia Court of Appeals, and the Virginia Supreme Court. The successful applicant will petition the Fairfax County Circuit Court for the appointment of guardians and/or conservators for incapacitated adults in need of protective services. The successful applicant will also represent Department of Family Services employees subpoenaed to appear in courts in Fairfax County as well as other jurisdictions and represent the Department of Family Services in administrative appeals of abuse and neglect findings. The successful applicant will handle cases from inception to completion, including discovery, depositions, motions, and briefs.

*Applicants must include a writing sample attached to their application to receive full consideration.

The Office of the County Attorney functions as in-house counsel to the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive, department heads, division directors, and other County employees. It also serves as counsel to various boards, authorities, and commissions. The Office is led by County Attorney Elizabeth D. Teare, who was appointed to the position in 2016, and is the County’s first female County Attorney. The Office has a long list of distinguished attorneys, both past and present, including multiple alumni appointed by the General Assembly to serve as judges in local courts. The attorneys are active in the various bar associations and many of our attorneys have served in official capacities in the Virginia State Bar, the Fairfax Bar, the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, and the Virginia Law Foundation. The LGA Cherin Award is named after retired Deputy County Attorney Bob Cherin for his distinguished public service. The Virginia Law Foundation’s Bobzien-Gaither Education Center is, in part, named after former County Attorney David P. Bobzien, who served as the president of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Law Foundation.

Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia with more than 1.2 million residents and more than 13,000 employees. Fairfax County government is widely recognized as a superior government organization. County employees are eligible for superb benefits. Highlights of the county's benefits packages are a defined-benefit pension plan; a deferred compensation plan (457); access to medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, and generous leave policies. 

Underfill: Candidates not meeting the full experience requirements may still be considered if they meet underfill requirements. See the Employment Standards section of this job posting for more information.

Note: A writing sample is required to be attached with your application to receive full consideration for this position.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of the sources of legal reference;

Knowledge of the principles and practices of law;

Knowledge of local, state and federal laws and court decisions affecting the practice of the law

at the county level;

Ability to learn Fairfax County ordinances and resolutions;

Ability to analyze facts and reach logical conclusions;

Ability to express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing;

Ability to maintain effective working relationships with associates, County officials and the

public.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar. Any combination of education and experience equivalent to four years of experience as a practicing attorney. 

UNDERFILL REQUIREMENTS:

• This vacancy may be filled at the level of Assistant County Attorney III (Grade L03 – $92,121.95 to $161,213.52). The employment standards for Assistant County Attorney III are:  Must be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar. Any combination of education and experience equivalent to one year of experience as a practicing attorney. Upon the successful completion of the 12-month probationary period and after reaching a total of 4 years of experience, Assistant County Attorney III employees are eligible for a non-competitive appointment to the Assistant County Attorney V level.
•  Click here to view the complete details and KSAs for the Assistant County Attorney III.

• Upon completion of an underfill agreement (which will require that the employee meets the employment standards above, in addition to attaining competencies defined by the hiring agency), the employee will be elevated to the level of Assistant County Attorney V.

• Underfill candidates must be able to meet the minimum qualifications of ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY V within two years of the job announcement’s closing date of June 26, 2026.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Virginia State Bar License in Good Standing (Required at the time of application)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.
• The appointee to the position must complete a Statement of Economic Interest form prior to starting work.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent research, writing, and public speaking skills.
• Legal knowledge and litigation experience in the area of abuse and neglect of children and the elderly.
• Litigation and trial experience in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
• Demonstrated experience writing briefs in Virginia Court of Appeals and/or Virginia Supreme Court. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer. 
• Ability to travel to various locations throughout Fairfax County to provide coverage, attend meetings and trainings. 
• Must communicate with others.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.
 

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home, including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others. We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demographics/fairfax-county-general-overview).

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act.  TTY?703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-AL1

Requisition 26-00802

Employer

Fairfax County

Address

12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone

703–324–3311

Website

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm

Assistant County Attorney V Supplemental Questionnaire

*QUESTION 1

Have you completed a law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association?

 Yes

 No

*QUESTION 2

Are you currently an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar?

 Yes

 No

*QUESTION 3

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have as a practicing attorney?

 None

 Less than one year

 One to less than two years

 Two to less than three years

 Three to less than four years

 Four or more years

*QUESTION 4

How many years of full-time equivalent litigation experience do you have?

 None

 Less than one year

 One to less than two years

 Two to less than three years

 Three to less than four years

 Four or more years

*QUESTION 5

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have handling abuse and neglect cases?

 None

 Less than one year

 One to less than two years

 Two to less than three years

 Three to less than four years

 Four or more years

*QUESTION 6

How many years of full-time equivalent litigation experience do you have in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court?

 None

 Less than one year

 One to less than two years

 Two to less than three years

 Three to less than four years

 Four or more years

*QUESTION 7

Do you have any experience in writing briefs in the following courts? Check all that apply.

 Virginia Court of Appeals

 Virginia Supreme Court

 United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

 United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

 None of the above

*QUESTION 8

To be considered for this position, you must attach a writing sample to your application. By responding YES here, you acknowledge that you may lose consideration if your application does not include a writing sample. (A writing sample must be attached.)

 Yes

 No

* Required Question