Retirement Staff Attorney
Job Details
- Description
The Retirement Staff Attorney provides legal advice and counsel to SCERA staff regarding the administration ofretirement benefits and the interpretation of retirement laws. They are a key member of SCERA’s management team,supporting disability retirement and benefit appeal cases. This position collaborates closely with Member Services andworks directly with the Board of Retirement and external partners. While not a supervisory role, it offers significantinfluence in case strategy and organizational planning. Additional responsibilities include:
- Providing legal advice on retirement benefit administration and interpretation of applicable laws
- Researching and applying federal and state laws impacting public pension systems, including County EmployeesRetirement Law of 1937 (CERL), Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), and disabilityretirement law
- Preparing legal documents and representing SCERA in administrative hearings and related court proceedings
- Analyzing medical, employment, and system records to support disability retirement and benefit appealdeterminations
- Advising the Board of Retirement, collaborating with Member Services on case strategy, and supportingorganizational planning
- Consulting with the Assistant Chief Executive Officer/Chief Legal Counsel on complex matters to ensure alignmentwith organizational policies and legal strategy
As the ideal candidate to join the SCERA team, you will demonstrate strong strategic and creative thinking abilities.While not mandatory, experience practicing law within a public agency, administrative, or governmental environment ishighly desirable. Additionally, you will possess many of the following:
- The ability to interpret and apply public pension and retirement law, including CERL, PEPRA, and other publicagency statutes, such as relevant provisions of the Labor Code or the Brown Act
- Experience preparing and presenting cases in administrative hearings, mediations, or litigation, including analysisof medical and employment records for disability-related matters
- The ability to advise government agencies or boards and communicate complex information in a clear, compellingmanner
- Strong legal research and writing abilities, including using major research tools and producing well-craftedmemoranda, briefs, motions, and hearing documents
- Analytical skills to interpret complex statutes, case law, medical evidence, and large volumes of documentation
- Job ID
- 379
- Job Title
- Retirement Staff Attorney
- Application Deadline
- 05/13/2026
- Salary Range
- $151,879.00 - $184,605.00
- Job Location
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Website
- https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sonoma
Contact Information
- Name
- Cristina Hess
- Phone Number
- (707) 565-8100
- cristina.hess@sonomacounty.gov
- Best Method of Contact