Deputy Attorney General Jobs in California
Deputy Attorney General jobs in California are concentrated in state government enforcement, consumer protection, public land litigation, and criminal appeals, with openings at every level from entry-level deputy to senior supervising attorney. Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are the dominant hiring hubs, where the California Department of Justice, the Attorney General's Office, and large county district attorney offices maintain substantial legal staffs. The most in-demand specialties include environmental law, healthcare enforcement, and complex civil litigation. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.
IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The Community Advocacy Public Safety Division seeks a motivated entry-level attorney eager to immerse themselves in high-volume courtroom advocacy. The ideal candidate is an aspiring litigator ready to make daily court appearances (4-5 times per week) while refining their persuasive written and oral skills. They will be a collaborative team player who can also manage independent assignments with confidence. While prior legal experience is not required, a foundational understanding of criminal law and procedure is preferred. This role is structured and budgeted strictly as an entry-level position to foster early-career development. As such, candidates with significant prosecutorial or advanced litigation experience may not be the best match for the scope of this role.
Under close supervision of a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, the Assistant City Attorney and City Attorney, the Deputy City Attorney I provides professional legal services for the City of Sacramento and its boards, commissions, officers, and departments, and performs related work.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a professional-level classification populated with multiple incumbents assigned to the City Attorney’s Office. In general, the Deputy City Attorney I incumbents' work may involve representing the City in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings including the abatement of city code violations, research, preparation and filing of court documents, appearances before judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, and education of City staff.
The Deputy City Attorney I is the entry-level to moderately experienced working level of Deputy City Attorney. As experience is gained, employees are expected to develop the capability to perform work with less supervision, and perform at a higher professional level. Incumbents are expected to use sound professional judgment and skill in performing work, which is reviewed and approved by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, and in some cases, by the Assistant City Attorney or the City Attorney. The Deputy City Attorney I is distinguished from next higher level classification of Deputy City Attorney II in that the Deputy City Attorney I works under closer supervision and on less complex legal problems.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Supervision is provided by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney. The Deputy City Attorney I does not supervise.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
TYPICAL DUTIES
- Performs legal research and prepares opinions on various legal problems for the City Council, City of Sacramento, and its boards, commissions, offices, and departments.
- Prepares and offers advice on ordinances, resolutions, contracts, leases, and other legal documents; reviews documents and offers advice as to the legal acceptability of such documents.
- Investigates claims and complaints by or against the City; gives advice on action to be taken; prepares cases for hearings; represents the City in such hearings.
- Handles civil law problems, including the preparation of cases for trial.
- Provides legal advice on City policies and procedures.
- Initiates and defends cases involving the City, prepares the required pleadings; may serve as trial counsel for the City before County, State and Federal courts at all levels.
- Initiates and defends cases involving the City, prepares the required pleadings; serves as a trial counsel for the City before State and Federal courts at all levels.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
- Municipal, state, federal and constitutional laws affecting city government.
- Methods of legal research.
- Court and administrative agency procedures, including pleading requirements and rules of court and evidentiary rules
- Ethical and other Rules of Professional Conduct that regulate the practice of law.
Skill in:
- Utilizing in a proficient manner available computer equipment and software, and other law office technology to format, prepare and process documents in reasonably efficient manner.
- Automated legal research.
Ability to:
- Acquire within a reasonable time, knowledge of City Code, City ordinances, City Charter; and other laws related to municipal legal affairs.
- Read and comprehend legal documents quickly and efficiently.
- Use sound judgment in providing legal advice
- Establish and maintain cooperative relationships
- Work well under the pressure of a heavy caseload and complete assignments within specified time limits.
- Begin to recognize issues of political sensitivity and notify supervisor of the same.
- Deal effectively and diplomatically with City officials, outside agencies and attorneys, and the public.
- Deal effectively and diplomatically with other office support and professional staff.
- Draft and present persuasive legal arguments.
- Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Research a variety of technical and legal issues and make recommendations demonstrating the exercise of sound legal advice.
- Apply legal knowledge to varied problems.
- Analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents.
- Prepare appropriate pleadings and other documents in litigation cases, and represent the City in administrative and judicial proceedings, at the trial and appellate level.
- Work effectively and cooperatively in a team environment.
- Provide general direction to support staff.
- Demonstrate skill in learning to understand varied non-legal subjects, in analyzing non-legal problems, and in relating non-legal subjects and problems to applicable law.
- Undertake and complete assigned projects on own initiative with supervision and direction.
- Inspire and impart confidence and trust.
- Perform such other duties as may be assigned by a Supervising Deputy City Attorney, the City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience:
General knowledge of the practice of law to moderate knowledge and experience in municipal law.
Education:
LLB, JD or other equivalent law degree which entitles a candidate to sit for the California Bar Examination.
PROOF OF EDUCATION
Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.
An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential's evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Member in good standing with the California State Bar Association with no record of practice related discipline; have no felony convictions and be of moral character. Qualified to practice law before all courts in California and relevant Federal Courts, including the Ninth Circuit and U.S. Supreme.
PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP
Proof of the required membership and/or license should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment . Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.
THE SELECTION PROCEDURE
Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.
1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline ;
- Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
- Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
- If applicants do not list current and past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
- If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
- Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
- Proof of certification and/or license should be submitted online with your application. Proof of certification and/or license will be required at time of appointment.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire: (Pass/Fail) - In addition to the City of Sacramento employment application, all applicants must complete and submit online responses to the supplemental questionnaire to the City of Sacramento Employment Office by the final filing deadline ;
- Responses to the supplemental questionnaire must be submitted online; paper questionnaire will not be accepted.
- Incomplete supplemental questionnaire will not pass the review process; omitted information cannot be considered or assumed.
- A resume will not substitute for the information required in the supplemental questionnaire.
- Possession of the minimum qualifications is not necessarily a guarantee for further advancement in the selection process.
3. Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail) - All applications received by the final filing deadline will be forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.
4. Interview Process: Human Resources will forward applications to the hiring department. Those determined to be the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an interview process.
5. Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass Live Scan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.
QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:
- Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/Home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
- For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Application Support at 855-524-5627.
- Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/employment ;
- Send an email to employment@cityofsacramento.org ; or
- Call the Human Resources Department at (916) 808-5726
Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.
Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
Additional Information
Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf
Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html
Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf
Closing Date/Time: 7/23/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
City of Sacramento
The City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, was founded in 1849, and is the oldest incorporated city in California. In 1920, Sacramento City voters adopted a City Charter (municipal constitution) and a City Council-City Manager form of government, which are still used today.
The City Council consists of a Mayor elected by all City voters, and Councilmembers elected to represent the eight separate Council districts in the City. Each district is a separate geographical area with a population of about 51,000 residents. Each Councilmember must be a registered voter and live in the district they represent. Elected members serve 4 year terms and elections are staggered every two years in even numbered years. (Council District Information, including summary report of population and racial statistics).
The Council establishes City policies, ordinances, and land uses; approves the City's annual budget, contracts, and agreements; hears appeals of decisions made by City staff or citizen advisory groups; and appoints four Charter Officers, a City Manager, City Attorney, City Treasurer, and City Clerk. Councilmembers serve on several working committees, such as Law and Legislation, and Personnel and Public Employees. In 2002, City voters amended the City Charter and established a Compensation Commission to set the compensation for the Mayor, Council members and public members of City boards and commissions. This Charter Amendment also established the Mayor's position as a full-time job.
The City also has a Legislative Affairs Unit; it's primary purpose is to advocate, coordinate and advance the City's legislative agenda to enhance the City's ability to govern and provide essential municipal and community services.
Deputy City Attorney I
- City of Sacramento, CA
- Sacramento, California United States View Map
- Salary: $100,386.69 - $141,254.16 Annually USD
- Posted: Jul 10, 2026
- Location: Sacramento,California
- Full Time
- Legal Services
- Other
See All 61 Deputy Attorney General Jobs in California
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Deputy Attorney General Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Government & Public Sector
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in deputy attorney general jobs across California.
- Active membership in the State Bar of California in good standing
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
- Experience handling complex civil or criminal litigation in California courts
- Strong legal research and written brief-drafting skills for appellate work
- Familiarity with California Government Code and state administrative procedures
- Ability to obtain a Department of Justice security clearance if required
Deputy Attorney General Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a deputy attorney general in California?
You must be an active member of the State Bar of California in good standing, which requires passing the California Bar Examination administered by the State Bar of California and completing the required moral character determination. A Juris Doctor from an accredited law school is the baseline education requirement. Most candidates also gain courtroom or agency litigation experience before applying to the California Department of Justice or a county office.
Which companies hire deputy attorney generals in California?
Employers hiring deputy attorney generals in California right now include United States Department of Justice, County of Santa Barbara, and County Of Mendocino, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. California's scale of state government and the size of its county justice systems mean a broader range of public-sector employers post these roles than in most other states.
Which California cities have the most deputy attorney general jobs?
San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara account for the largest share of deputy attorney general openings in California. Sacramento leads because it is the seat of state government and hosts the California Department of Justice headquarters, while Los Angeles and San Francisco generate volume through their large county district attorney offices, city attorneys, and regional enforcement bureaus serving California's biggest population centers.
Are there remote deputy attorney general jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. About 78% of deputy attorney general openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting that most of this work requires in-person court appearances, depositions, and agency coordination. The portions most suited to remote or hybrid arrangements are legal research, brief writing, and administrative hearing preparation rather than trial-stage litigation.
How can I get hired as a deputy attorney general in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is the California Department of Justice's law student intern and post-bar fellowship programs, which are designed specifically for recent graduates without full attorney experience. County public defender and county counsel offices across Los Angeles, San Diego, and Alameda counties also run associate attorney programs that accept candidates fresh from the bar. A clerkship with a California state appellate or superior court judge is widely recognized as a strong credential that opens doors at both the state and county level.
Where can I find and apply to deputy attorney general jobs in California?
You can find and apply to deputy attorney general jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your practice area and experience level, and apply directly to whichever positions fit your background.
See All 61 Deputy Attorney General Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Deputy Attorney General Jobs