Assistant County Attorney

General Definition of Work

Performs complex professional and administrative legal work in providing legal services for Pender County. Provides legal counsel to the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager, County HR, County Finance, and other County departments, as well as County boards and commissions, on a wide range of legal issues. Work includes drafting and reviewing legal instruments, advising on policy and operations, participating in litigation and administrative proceedings, and ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

This position also performs professional legal work for the Pender County Department of Social Services (DSS). Work is performed independently in multiple areas of law of significant scope and complexity, including federal and state child welfare law (N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 7B); child support establishment and enforcement (N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 50 Article 1 and Chapter 110 Article 9; 42 U.S.C. §§ 651–660;

and the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines); law affecting incompetent persons and guardianship (N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 35A); the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure; and personnel law. Work involves preparing DSS‑related cases for trial and hearing; performing legal research and witness interviews; presenting cases in court; drafting court orders and legal documents; participating in pretrial conferences; assisting in developing protocols and procedures;

providing consultation and training to Social Services staff; and providing legal advice and consultation to the Director of Social Services and the Health and Human Services Director, including Program Integrity/Fraud matters.

The position is housed in the Administration Building in Burgaw, North Carolina and requires standard office hours during the normal workweek, with additional hours as needed to meet court, board, and staff needs. Work is performed under the general supervision of the County Manager and Lead County Attorney or his/her designee.

• Provides legal advice and counsel to the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager, Department Heads, County HR, County Finance, and other County officials, boards, and commissions as requested or required.
• Interprets and applies federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and court decisions affecting County operations, programs, and policies; prepares written and oral legal opinions.
• Coordinates with the County Manager or designee to ensure that County policies, ordinances, and regulations are workable, legally sound, effectively enforced, and fairly implemented.
• Addresses legal inquiries and requests for information from County officials and staff, and as appropriate, from the public.
• Works with the Human Resources Director and County Manager or designee regarding personnel‑related matters, including public employment law, policy development, workers’ compensation, liability, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and employment separations.

• Provides legal representation and advocacy to child welfare social workers, including trials and hearings for non‑secure custody, adjudication, disposition, review, permanency planning, post‑termination‑of‑parental‑rights (TPR) review, and show cause hearings.
• Provides legal representation and advocacy to child support agents, including establishment and enforcement of child and/or medical support orders (including registration of foreign support orders), modification hearings, show cause hearings, license revocation proceedings, and other enforcement measures authorized by N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapters 50 and 110, related federal law, and the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines.
• Provides legal representation and advocacy to adult services social workers, including petitions for guardianship, petitions for the provision of adult protective services, and supplemental guardianship procedures, such as estate accountings and judicial sales of assets for the benefit of estates.
• Regularly staffs and reviews child welfare files to advise DSS regarding the availability and…