Job Details

District Counsel

Position Number: 7276283
Location: San Jose, CA
Position Type: Law and Legal Studies

District Counsel

Valley Water

Salary: See Position Description

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 01996-U

Location: 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA, CA

Department: Office of District Counsel

Closing: 8/9/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

Description

District CounselValley Water Annual Salary: $353,745.60 - $449,176.00 DOE/DOQ PLUS an Excellent Benefits Package!
The district counsel is Valley Water's chief legal officer and oversees approximately 11 employees within the District Counsel's Office and associated Risk Management functions.
Who We Are:
To learn how Valley Water provides safe, clean water and environmental stewardship for the Santa Clara community, please click here

QUALIFICATIONS
A minimum of eight years of recent experience actively practicing law in California is required. Of these, at least five years of progressively responsible experience in public agency/municipal law is required, including two years supervising management, professional, or paraprofessional staff. Executive management experience, including advising elected officials and working in a political environment, departmental budgeting, and litigation valuation, are all preferred. Knowledge of law and principles related to flood protection, water resource management, modern water law, and state and local water history is desirable. Candidates must be active and in good standing with the State Bar of California.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The next district counsel is a confident, highly competent, qualified, and experienced local government attorney with high integrity, unassailable character, unquestionable ethics, and sound legal judgment. Although the position reports to the board of directors, a strong, collaborative working relationship with the CEO and the Clerk of the Board, the chief operating officers, and all business units, is essential. The preferred candidate listens actively and is positive and approachable.

The preferred candidate has a strong foundation in as many of the following practice areas as possible: the Brown Act, major capital projects and related construction contracting, constitutional law (e.g., due process, first amendment, etc.), contracts, departmental budgeting, the District Act, eminent domain, elections, employment law, environmental law, ethics (including conflicts of interest, confidentiality, privilege, etc.), finance, labor relations (including collective bargaining), negotiations, Open Meeting Act, procurement, Public Records Act, real estate transactions, risk management (risk mitigation, litigation avoidance), and state-level water issues. Experience with federal, state, and local agencies and their related regulatory environments is also preferred. The next District Counsel must possess the judgment, experience, and leadership necessary to protect Valley Water's legal interests and effectively manage complex legal risks.

The ideal candidate is a clear and concise writer and speaker (no "legalese"), who can communicate complex legal topics succinctly and simply to anyone, regardless of their experience level or sophistication. The successful candidate must be diplomatic and politically astute, but apolitical, with strong situational awareness. The next district counsel must also be able to stand their ground and manage the expectations and pressure inherent in this role.

The ideal candidate will have the strength, experience, and skill to advise the strong-minded members of the board of directors effectively, speaking truth to power with respect and tact, maintaining a productive, collaborative relationship with all directors. The preferred candidate is committed to providing the board with legal options consistent with their policy priorities, explaining their lawful choices and the attendant risks. The board wants an attorney with a solutions-oriented mindset, a creative problem-solver, whose default answer is not "no."

The successful candidate is intelligent, both intellectually and emotionally, with grit, thick skin, common sense, and good judgment. The preferred candidate is comfortable in a multicultural environment, values diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is able to provide evidence of these traits in their professional history.

The ideal candidate is highly skilled at building and maintaining effective relationships with federal, state, regional, municipal, and local agencies, and with Silicon Valley's major stakeholders. The next district counsel is comfortable operating in complex legal and regulatory environments (Congressional offices, CEQA, FERC, NEPA, permitting, etc.) and managing contract legal counsel with an appropriate level of involvement.

Finally, the district counsel is an effective leader, who understands the executive-level nature of the position and has the legal department management experience to run the office effectively, including an appropriate level of delegation. The ideal candidate is deeply committed to the highest levels of customer service and enthusiastic about building and maintaining an efficient, responsive team, developing all attorneys and staff to their greatest potential.

View the full recruitment brochure here

HOW TO APPLY:
To be considered for this excellent professional opportunity, please email only your cover letter and resume to
apply@columbialtd.com, naming your files Last.First.CL and Last.First.Resume. Receipt of your submittal will be acknowledged within two business days. All applicants will be updated on their status following the Recommendation of Candidates.

If you have any questions regarding the recruitment process, or this opportunity, please feel free to call Andrew Gorgey directly at (970) 987-1238. For more information, visit the Columbia ltd website: https://columbialtd.com.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/5392555/district-counsel