Job Description

Job Description and Duties

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program. Please follow the link for more information regarding the 2025 Personal Leave program: .

Will consider Attorney IV and  Attorney

Under general direction of a Deputy Chief Counsel, Assistant Chief Counsel and/or Attorney Supervisor, the Attorney III studies, interprets and applies laws, court decisions, and other authorities in preparing the moderately difficult and/or complex cases, opinions and briefs; prepares and presents cases for trial; and/or does a variety of transactional work.

The Bay Area Legal Office of the California Department of Transportation is seeking for a well-qualified, highly motivated individuals who want to work in a multifaceted public entity law office representing the Department in a wide variety of legal matters.

We are currently seeking candidates with interest and/or experience in litigation.

Practice areas within the office include: Tort, Eminent Domain, Inverse Condemnation, Employment, Construction Contract Disputes, Appellate Practice and in-house transactional work. Our attorneys represent the Department in State and Federal courts in all phases of litigation and trial work. They also advise and assist the Department in delivering projects.

The Bay Area Legal Office is located in Oakland and is a mid-size legal office with approximately 30 attorneys handling legal matters for Caltrans' Districts 1, 4 and 5 which geographically span the California coastal counties from the Oregon border to Santa Barbara, including the nine Bay Area Counties. The office offers a supportive and dynamic work environment where attorneys are given substantial responsibility and opportunities for professional growth and development at every stage of their careers.

PARF 42-27-0059 / JC-531300

Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Attorney III  exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions. To apply for the exam, please click and search by typing in the classification title.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Position located at 111 Grand Ave Oakland, Alameda County

Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment.

While at their base of operation, employees will work in a climate-controlled office under artificial light. However, due to periodic problems with the heating and air conditioning, the building temperature may fluctuate. Will have to perform work duties in different court rooms throughout the state and therefore, this position does require travel. This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquartered location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a(n) CA BAR membership License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.
• Possession of a valid Driver’s License is required when operating a state owned or leased vehicle.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment.  If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification. Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent. Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: or . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers

Please take this 1-minute Caltrans Recruitment survey to tell us how you found out about this job. 

Apply today to join our team!  We especially encourage applicants to check out our tool!  The is a tool to assist and help candidates understand and succeed in applying to Caltrans positions.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to interpret complex legal issues and identify solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities for drafting legal documents and presenting arguments  effectively.
• Proficiency in legal research using current tools and resources to support case preparation.
• Attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in contracts, filings, and correspondence.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders across departments.
• Sound judgment and ethical integrity in handling confidential information and making legal decisions.
• Adaptability to changing laws, regulations, and organizational requirements.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Employees in this classification may be eligible for a Recruitment Hire-Above Minimum Authorization salary rate commensurate to  .

Important Application Instructions:

The State application (STD. 678) is required, and each section must be filled out completely and thoroughly. For mailed or hand delivered applications to be considered for this position, the Job Control number (JC-531300), PARF# 42-27-0059 and title of the position Atty III must be included on the STD. 678 form.

Electronic applications through your CalCareers account are highly recommended and encouraged.

Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications based on possession of EDUCATION, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATE must include a copy of your DEGREE/TRANSCRIPTS, LICENSE, or CERTIFICATE, along with your State application (STD. 678), to be considered for this position.

NOTE: Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State application (STD. 678). This page is for examination use only. Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for this job vacancy, such as your state application, resume, or educational transcripts.  Confidential information that should be  excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number, birth date, driver’s license number, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age.  The job application packet checklist is not required to apply for this position.  Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application not being considered for this position.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Contract work, Temporary work, Work at office, Remote work

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