Description
County Counsel
Clackamas County, Oregon
Salary: $209,184 - $282,350
Located between Mt. Hood and the Willamette River, Clackamas County, Oregon, is home to 430,421 people and 1,879 square miles of urban, suburban, rural, and wild natural beauty. The county includes the communities of Portland, Lake Oswego, the county seat Oregon City, Tualatin, West Linn, Wilsonville, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Canby, Gladstone, and many more. Clackamas County offers a rich history, food straight from the farm, and abundant recreational possibilities. The county is also home to arts festivals, historical sites, museums, cultural centers, public art, and many stunning murals.
Governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, Clackamas County has 12 departments, administered by a board-appointed County Administrator, and eight special districts, and operates with 2,513 regular status FTEs. Clackamas County’s Office of County Counsel provides quality legal services and representation to all county departments, elected officials, service districts, and employees while being responsible stewards of taxpayer resources. The office provides general counsel and advisory legal services countywide and represents the county and its agents and employees in federal, state, and tax courts, labor arbitrations, land use and administrative hearings, and in small claims. The office operates on an annual budget of $3,783,420 and a staff that includes the County Counsel, nine legal counsel staff, two paralegals, and one executive assistant.
Reporting to the Board of County Commissioners, the County Counsel oversees all legal matters of a civil nature involving the county and any of its special service districts. The roles and responsibilities of the County Counsel are set forth in Chapter 2.12 of the Clackamas County Code. Within a broad set of objectives established by the Board of County Commissioners, the County Counsel develops and implements goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the office and countywide. This position is responsible for providing legal advice and guidance to the Board of County Commissioners, other County elected officials, the twelve County departments, and other work as directed by the board.
The selected candidate must be a proven leader who can influence internal and external partners in service to the Board and the organization. The candidate must be an active member of the Oregon State Bar at the time of appointment, have admission to practice in the United States District Court, and admission to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Candidates should have a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in a comparable legal environment proving a full range of legal options and advice which would provide the knowledge and skills to perform the responsibilities of this position.
For a complete position profile, full job description, summary of benefits, and to apply online, visit Prothman at https://www.prothman.com/ and click on "Open Recruitments". For questions, call 206-368-0050. Clackamas County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Apply by September 14, 2025 (first review, open until filled).
