Senior Attorney

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
SENIOR ATTORNEY - SES 
Position Number: 79001516
Hiring Salary: $2,945.33 BIWEEKLY

** Open Competitive **

 

 

Our Organization and Mission:

License efficiently. Regulate fairly. Florida counts on DBPR to ensure many important matters are handled well. From the safety of food service and the integrity of real estate transactions to the standards of combat sports and the transparency of condominium governance, DBPR’s regulatory programs intersect with a wide range of business and professional activities in Florida.  DBPR also enforces the qualifications of licensure that ensure work requiring a skilled professional is performed safely and sufficiently. Our stakeholders include these professionals and their customers alike.

 

Under the direction of Secretary Melanie S. Griffin, the agency licenses and regulates individuals and businesses operating in the industries noted above, and many more which can be viewed on our website: myfloridalicense.com.

 

The Work You Will Do:

Under the direction of the attorney supervisor, the Senior Attorney is responsible for administrative prosecution of violations of the following chapters of the Florida Statutes:  Chapters 326 (the Yacht and Ship Brokers’ Act), 455 and 468 (community association management), 718 (condominiums), 719 (cooperatives), 721 (vacation and timeshare plans), and 723 (mobile homes), and the accompanying administrative rules.  As the team’s Senior Attorney, you will be responsible for analyzing assigned cases as determined by the attorney supervisor, and for the timely resolution of cases through effective case management. You will also participate in drafting declaratory statements, which provides a valuable opportunity to gain subject-matter expertise and to develop your writing skills. The Senior Attorney also provides guidance to assigned law clerks. The nature of the position requires you to be a self-starter who is organized, possesses excellent writing skills, and has the ability to take initiative and build strong, productive relationships. The Senior Attorney is supervised by the chief attorney and is required to function with minimal guidance while keeping the chief attorney informed of case management issues. 

Your Specific Responsibilities:

Duties include, but may not be limited to:

• Evaluating investigative reports, determining the sufficiency of evidence, and recommending appropriate action for violations of applicable statutes and administrative rules;
•  Litigating cases in the Circuit Courts and in the Division of Administrative Hearings, which includes researching, drafting, and reviewing pleadings, motions, consent orders, and other necessary documents; taking and defending depositions; and drafting and responding to written discovery requests;
• Prosecuting cases before the agency’s informal hearing officer;
• Negotiating settlements;
• Reviewing and evaluating proposed administrative rules;
• Responding to consumer and industry inquiries;
• Analyzing proposed legislation;
• Drafting emergency suspension orders and orders on petitions for declaratory statements;
• Providing legal advice to division staff; and
• Performing other duties as directed by the supervisor, OGC or Department management.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Skill in drafting legal documents;
• Skill in managing multiple complex cases;
• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel;
• Ability to prioritize work;
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment;
• Ability to communicate effectively;
• Ability to conduct legal research;
• Ability to make oral presentations in court and in large groups;
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments;
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques;
• Ability to work independently;
• Ability to manage a litigation case load;
• Ability to recognize and act on emerging issues and shifting priorities;
• Ability to adapt to changing work volume and variety and work efficiently under stressful situations;
• Ability to travel.

 

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have a valid driver's license;
• Must be a member in good standing of The Florida Bar; and
• Must have at least one year of professional experience in the practice of law.

 

Preferred: Preference will be given to applicants with knowledge of Chapters 326,  455, 468, 718, 719, 721, 723, F.S. and the accompanying administrative rules. 

 

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

 “Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• State of Florida retirement package: 3% employee contribution required.
• Nine annual paid holidays and one personal holiday
• You will receive 176 hours of paid annual leave annually as a new employee with the State of Florida
• You will receive 104 hours of paid sick leave annually.
• The State of Florida offers health insurance coverage (i.e. individual and family coverage) to eligible employees.
• The State of Florida provides a $25,000 life insurance policy to eligible employees.
• Additional supplemental insurance policies are available for dental, vision, hospital supplement, cancer, etc.
• Tax deferred medical and childcare reimbursement accounts are available.
• Tuition waiver program to attend an approved State of Florida College or University

For additional benefit information, please visit the following website: http://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com

Applicant Note: 

Applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile.  Work history, hours worked, and formal education are required to qualify for this position.  Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile. Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information.

To maintain fairness and integrity in our hiring process, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews is strictly prohibited. Applicants must provide their own, authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and recruitment process. Any candidate found using AI to assist in their answers will be disqualified from consideration

If you are the selected candidate for this position and hold a current license through the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, you may be required to place your license in an inactive status.
 
Background Screening Requirement:

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation requires all job applicants, interns, volunteers and contractors to pass a Level 2 background check as per Chapter 435, Florida Statutes which consists of fingerprinting and a check of local, state, and national law enforcement records. Employees will be retained in the state and national rap back program, providing real-time arrest hit notifications.  This check must be completed before you can start working or contracting.

Applicants are required to apply through the People First system by the closing date, by applying online.  All required documentation must be received by the closing date of the advertisement.  If you have any questions regarding your application, you may call 1-877-562-7287.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

 
The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation is committed to increasing recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and improving employment outcomes. 
 

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DBPR Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 487-2074. DBPR requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

SPECIAL REMINDERS:

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov .

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.

 The Department of Business and Professional Regulation will only hire U. S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers. Our agency participates in the E-Verify System which is a federal government electronic database available for employers to use to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.