Manatee County Seeking Attorney Applicants

MANATEE COUNTY -- Manatee County, a non-charter county, seeks applicants for the position of County Attorney. After 14 years in the position, the current County Attorney plans to retire on or about April 30, 2012. The successful candidate for replacement is expected to start approximately one to two weeks prior to that date to allow for a smooth transition.

The position is a contract position, appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the Board of County Commissioners (the BCC).  Compensation is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. (The current County Attorney is paid $168,958 per year plus a benefits package.) The County Attorney’s primary client is the BCC, and derivatively, the County Attorney provides legal services to the County Administrator, other managerial staff employed by the BCC, certain advisory committees appointed by the BCC, and in some circumstances, other constitutional officers.

The duties include supervision of litigation by and against the County, most of which is handled in house, and effective management of the County Attorney’s Office (CAO). The CAO currently employs twenty three persons, including a chief deputy county attorney, six deputy county attorneys and five employees who work for the Risk Management Division of the CAO.  The County is self-insured with some commercial excess liability and casualty insurance policies.

The successful candidate must have graduated from an ABA accredited law school, be a member in good standing of the Florida Bar and have approximately ten or more years of significant Florida local government law experience.  Successful management experience is a plus, as is Board Certification in City, County and Local Government Law.  He or she must be computer literate and able to oversee an operation that is becoming paperless.  He or she must be an effective communicator orally and in writing and must also be capable of providing sound advice to the BCC on legal questions and policy issues that have legal implications.  The successful applicant must live in or relocate to Manatee County upon undertaking his or her employment.

Applicants should not contact County Commissioners with respect to their candidacy for this position. Resumes, references and other materials in support of your application should be submitted before December 15, 2011, by mail to Tedd N. Williams, County Attorney, P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, Florida, 34206, or via email to tedd.williams@mymanatee.org.