Civil County Attorney

Missoula County•Missoula, MT

2d•$39 - $51

About The Position

Missoula County is hiring a Civil County Attorney in the County Attorney’s Office, Civil Division. The role may be filled at Civil Attorney I, II, or III level, with responsibilities and compensation aligned to the level. Civil Attorney I performs civil legal work and may advance to Attorney II after two years at the County Attorney’s discretion based on demonstrated competencies. Civil Attorney II serves as sole legal advisor to County departments and other local governmental units and elected boards, and may advance to Attorney III after four years at the County Attorney’s discretion based on demonstrated competencies. Civil Attorney III performs complex civil legal work and serves as a primary legal advisor to local government departments, agencies, and boards. Across levels, the position provides legal counsel, policy guidance, and representation to County departments, public officials, agencies, and boards. Duties include advising on governmental activities and policy, investigating and enforcing regulatory and statutory requirements, providing training, and handling litigation in state and federal administrative and judicial forums. Depending on level and assignment, responsibilities may include representing the State of Montana DPHHS in Youth In Need of Care cases, handling involuntary commitment or probate matters, advising on mental health matters, representing the County in civil litigation, and occasional criminal work. The position may also involve on-call duties and, at the Civil Attorney III level, legislative and media work. The position is regular, full-time. The work is commonly performed in an office setting, though some roles require occasional travel to sites or other locations and may involve work outside normal business hours. The posted hourly rates are Civil I: $38.75–$45.06; Civil II: $40.60–$47.76; and Civil III: $42.53–$50.63, depending on experience and qualifications. Applications are accepted until the position is filled or an adequate applicant pool is received; priority screening begins November 19, 2026. Applicants must submit a letter of interest, resume, law school transcripts, professional writing sample, and three professional references.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree.
Must be licensed, or eligible to become licensed, to practice law in Montana.
Civil Attorney I: no prior legal experience required.
Civil Attorney II: at least two years of progressively responsible legal practice experience, a significant portion of which has been in local governmental law or the equivalent.
Civil Attorney III: at least four years of progressively responsible legal practice experience; a significant portion in local governmental law or the equivalent is preferred.
Applicants must provide a letter of interest, resume, law school transcripts (unofficial copies accepted), professional writing sample, and three professional references.

Nice To Haves

For Civil Attorney III, a significant portion of legal experience in local governmental law or the equivalent is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide legal counsel, policy guidance, and representation for County departments, local governmental units, agencies, and elected boards.
Advise the Board of County Commissioners and other elected officials in coordination with County Attorney leadership.
Represent the State of Montana DPHHS in Youth In Need of Care cases, as assigned.
Handle involuntary commitment, guardianship, and probate matters, as assigned.
Make or guide routine policy decisions and development related to governmental activities.
Direct, oversee, or guide investigations of regulatory and statutory violations conducted by County departments.
Provide legal training to governmental departments and, at higher levels, staff attorneys.
Review, evaluate, prepare, prosecute, and defend lawsuits for the County and other government entities before administrative and judicial tribunals at the state and federal levels.
Manage all phases of litigation, including pleadings, motions, discovery, pre-trial preparation, trial, and appeals, as applicable to level and assignment.
Represent the County, its departments, and employees in civil litigation and administrative proceedings as plaintiff or defendant.
Serve on call as assigned to advise elected officials and County departments on urgent civil matters and to assist law enforcement agencies in assigned matters.
At the Civil Attorney II level, assign and direct paralegal work and oversee legal interns; at the Civil Attorney III level, direct and supervise legal interns.
At the Civil Attorney III level, represent County government in lobbying and testimony before the State Legislature and federal agencies, and interact with media regarding cases when appropriate.