Description

The County Attorney's Office is seeking an attorney with experience in complex real estate development and financing transactions, particularly projects involving affordable housing, to work in its P5 Section. In addition to complex real estate and housing matters, the P5 Section handles assignments relating to public finance, pension systems, and procurement; however, this position will focus primarily on transactional real estate and affordable housing work.

Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in negotiating and drafting legal documents associated with all phases of real estate development, including real estate acquisition, disposition, loan, and development agreements. Attorneys in this position are well versed in due diligence for development projects, including title, survey, and zoning. Experience with federal affordable housing programs (e.g., housing choice vouchers, Community Development Block Grants), landlord-tenant laws, and fair housing issues is preferred but not required. The applicant should also be generally proficient in legal research, writing, and public speaking, capable of independently managing and meeting deadlines, and enjoy a wide variety of challenging legal work.

Depending on the attorney’s years of practice, subject to HR approval, the offer may exceed midpoint of the advertised pay grade range. In addition to an excellent array of benefits, there are opportunities for promotion and career advancement. While the Office seeks an experienced candidate, we are also open to underfilling the position with a less experienced attorney who demonstrates strong potential and interest in real estate development and financing transactions.

Fairfax County's Office of the County Attorney functions as in-house counsel to the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive, department heads, division directors, and other County employees. It also serves as counsel to various boards, authorities, and commissions, including the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The Office is led by County Attorney Elizabeth D. Teare, who was appointed to the position in 2016, and is the County’s first female County Attorney. The Office has a long list of distinguished attorneys, both past and present, including multiple alumni appointed by the General Assembly to serve as judges in local courts. The attorneys are active in the various bar associations and many of our attorneys have served in official capacities in the Virginia State Bar, the Fairfax Bar, the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, and the Virginia Law Foundation. The LGA Cherin Award is named after retired Deputy County Attorney Bob Cherin for his distinguished public service. The Virginia Law Foundation’s Bobzien-Gaither Education Center is, in part, named after former County Attorney David P. Bobzien, who served as the president of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Law Foundation.

Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia with more than 1.2 million residents and more than 13,000 employees. Fairfax County government is widely recognized as a superior government organization. County employees are eligible for superb benefits. Highlights of the county's benefits packages are a defined-benefit pension plan; a deferred compensation plan (457); access to medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, and generous leave policies. all employees are eligible to access services offered by the Employee Assistance Program; and the county operates a workforce wellness program to help employees, and their families stay well during the workday and beyond.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar. Any combination of education and experience equivalent to four years of experience as a practicing attorney.

For specific, specialized County Attorney positions, at the request of the County Attorney, the Human Resources Director may approve consideration of candidates who are members of a Bar Association in a state other than Virginia. For these approved positions, membership in the Virginia State Bar must be obtained within 9 months of hire.

UNDERFILL REQUIREMENTS:

• This vacancy may be filled at the level of Assistant County Attorney III (Grade L03 – $90,315.68 to $158,052.54). The employment standards for Assistant County Attorney III are: Must be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar. Any combination of education and experience equivalent to one year of experience as a practicing attorney. Upon the successful completion of the 12-month probationary period and after reaching a total of 4 years of experience, Assistant County Attorney III employees are eligible for a non-competitive appointment to the Assistant County Attorney V level.
• Click here to view the complete details and KSAs for the Assistant County Attorney III.
• Upon completion of an underfill agreement (which will require that the employee meets the employment standards above, in addition to attaining competencies defined by the hiring agency), the employee will be elevated to the level of Assistant County Attorney V.
• Underfill candidates must be able to meet the minimum qualifications of Assistant County Attorney V within one year of the job announcement’s closing date of May 1, 2027.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
License to practice law in the state of Virginia.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.
• The appointee to the position must complete a Statement of Economic Interest form prior to starting work.
• All positions allocated to the County Attorney series are under the Fairfax County Merit System of personnel administration and are limited to full-time employment and preclude the private practice of law. However, the phrase "private practice of law" does not include the provision of pro bono public legal services in a pro bono legal services program approved by the County Attorney and in accordance with the policy of the County Attorney governing participation in an approved program.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Demonstrated experience in complex real estate and affordable housing transactional matters, affordable housing programs, fair housing matters, public financing, and general local government law.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel to various locations throughout Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, and other areas to attending meetings, conferences and court hearings.
• Ability to input, access and retrieve information from a computer. 
• Ability to communicate with others.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise. Applicants must include a writing sample attached to their application to receive full consideration.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home — including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others. We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity. 

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.  
 
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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Requisition 26-00545