Description
Assistant County Counsel - County of San Diego
Salary: $287,456.00 - $313,651.52 Annually
The County of San Diego is launching a first-of-its-kind Consumer Fairness & Public Protection (CFPP) Unit and is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Assistant County Counsel to build and lead it. This is a rare opportunity to shape a new civil-enforcement model in one of the nation’s largest and most diverse counties. The selected candidate will have the unique opportunity to design, build, and lead the CFPP Unit from inception. This includes setting the unit’s strategic direction, establishing its priorities, and recruiting and developing a high-performing legal team. The selected candidate will lead impactful affirmative civil litigation to address systemic misconduct and protect 3.3 million residents.
This role is ideal for an innovative, forward-thinking leader who is passionate about public service and ready to build a modern, data-informed consumer protection program. The County is looking for someone who can combine litigation expertise with thoughtful pre-filing engagement, drive measurable public impact, and inspire a team committed to a robust, mission-aligned enforcement practice.
Under the direction of the County Counsel, the Assistant County Counsel will:
- Oversee affirmative civil litigation, including the identification of high-impact cases and development and implementation of enforcement strategies.
- Establish and direct a structured consumer complaint intake and review process capable of identifying patterns of systemic harm, triaging matters for investigation or referral, and informing enforcement priorities.
- Maintain constructive working relationships with peer jurisdictions, the California Department of Justice, the District Attorney’s Office, and other enforcement partners; thoughtfully engage with community and consumer advocates and industry stakeholders.
- Where appropriate, oversee the use of voluntary mediation or facilitated resolution processes that can provide timely relief to residents while advancing compliance with consumer protection laws.
- Establish durable operational and reporting frameworks.
The ideal candidate will possess a professional history that demonstrates the following:
- Deep civil enforcement experience (state AG, City Attorney, County Counsel, federal enforcement agency, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated success leading complex investigations and high-impact litigation.
- Experience designing or scaling enforcement programs.
- Political sophistication, institutional judgment, and the courage to exercise independent enforcement discretion consistent with the rule of law.
- Ability to build durable enforcement infrastructure, not merely litigate cases.
- Commitment to the rule of law, fairness in markets, and measurable public outcomes.
- Proven ability to inspire, mentor, and retain high performing attorneys and investigators in a demanding public-interest litigation environment.
The Department
The Office of County Counsel is a full-service law office, tasked with handling the County's civil law needs, including proactive participation in all phases of governmental decision-making and a very active and successful trial litigation program. The Office of County Counsel is responsible for representing County departments and a staff of over 19,000 employees. The Office provides advisory and litigation support to the Board of Supervisors, County departments, County officers, boards, and commissions
How To Apply
Click here to complete the online application.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California AND Five (5) years of experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the classification. Experience must include four (4) years of management level experience and at least one (1) year of supervision.
