Legal Vacancies

Caltrans Legal is a full service, in-house law office with statewide singular responsibility for meeting Caltrans' diverse litigation and transactional law needs. Caltrans Legal is unique in the state in this regard. The Legal Division represents Caltrans in Superior, Federal and Appellate courts, and before the Office of Administrative Hearings and the State Personnel Board. Utilized by all programs within Caltrans to provide legal representation in a variety of transactional areas, the Legal Division also advises on federal and state statutes, regulations and judicial case-law authority, and how those laws impact Caltrans' policy makers, operational needs, and associated risks.

Legal Experience Wanted

Below is a list of classifications, pay scales, and minimum qualifications required to compete in all current legal specific vacancies for Caltrans.  Important: Prior to applying, interested applicants must set up or login to a Calcareer Account and apply and pass the appropriate examination(s) as shown below.

Classification
Pay Scale
Minimum Qualifications (Required Education/Experience)
 Legal Secretary  $3,810.00 - $5,160.00

 Either I: Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Senior Legal Typist, Range B.

Or II: Experience: Two years of experience in a private law firm, corporate law office, or a legal program in a governmental agency performing a full range of legal secretarial duties, which requires the preparation of legal documents for filing and service. [(1) Academic education above the 12th grade may be substituted for six months of the required experience on the basis of either (a) one year of the general education being equivalent to three months of the required experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of the required experience; or (2) Completion of a certificated legal secretarial program at either a regionally accredited college or a business school approved by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools may be substituted for one year of the required experience.]

(Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement for this class will be admitted to this examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

(In addition to meeting one of the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Legal Secretary examination)

Legal Analyst
 $4,819.00 - $6,214.00

 Either I: Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Legal Assistant. (Applicants who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement for this class will be admitted to the examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.) and Education: Successful completion of six semester units of paralegal or undergraduate legal courses, with at least three units of which must be in legal research. (Candidates who have completed three semester units of paralegal course work necessary to fulfill the education requirements will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion of the required six units before they can be considered for appointment.)

Or II: Experience: Two years of experience performing paralegal duties in a law firm, corporate law office, governmental or public law office, nonprofit organization, educational institution, court, or other entity under the direction and supervision of a licensed attorney or judicial officer and Education: Twelve semester units in a legal or paralegal curriculum or equivalent to graduation from college.

(In addition to meeting one of the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Legal Analyst examination)

Senior Legal Analyst
$5,793.00 - $7,472.00

Either I: Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of Legal Analyst.

Or II: Four years of progressively responsible paralegal experience performing duties in one or a combination of the following specialty areas: Litigation and trial preparation, administrative law and procedures, criminal law and procedures, corporate and business law, medical malpractice, estate and tax law, environmental and land use law, antitrust, labor and consumer law. (Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include one year performing the duties of Legal Analyst.)

(Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement for this class will be admitted to the examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

(In addition to meeting the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Senior Legal Analyst examination)

Deputy Attorney, Caltrans
$6,979.00 - $10,572.00

Membership in The California State Bar. (Applicants must have active membership in The California State Bar before they will be eligible for appointment. Applicants who are not members of The California State Bar but who are eligible to take The California State Bar examination or are in their final year of law school will be admitted to the examination but will not be considered eligible for appointment until they are admitted to The California State Bar.)

(In addition to meeting one of the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Deputy Attorney, Caltrans examination)

Deputy Attorney III, Caltrans $9,976.00 - $12,798.00

Membership in The California State Bar and Six years of experience in the practice of civil law*, at least three years of which shall have included functioning in a lead capacity involved in complex litigation including extensive appellate practice before State and Federal appellate courts. (Applicants who have completed five years and six months of the required experience will be admitted to the examination but must complete two years of such experience before they will be eligible for appointment.)

(In addition to meeting one of the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Deputy Attorney III, Caltrans examination)

Deputy Attorney IV, Caltrans
$11,020.00 - $14,149.00

Membership in The California State Bar and Ten years of legal experience in the practice of law*, four years of which must have been at a level of responsibility equivalent to a Deputy Attorney III, Caltrans. (Applicants who have completed nine years and six months of required total legal experience including three years and six month of the required experience comparable to the Deputy Attorney III, Caltrans, class will be admitted to the examination but must complete the required ten years' total legal experience. 

(In addition to meeting one of the required qualifications above, applicants must pass the Deputy Attorney IV, Caltrans examination)

* Experience in the "practice of law" or "performing legal duties" is defined as: (1) only that legal experience acquired after admission to any State Bar, or (2) experience as a judicial clerk for a federal court, California's state courts, or any other state's courts, or (3) legal experience acquired while practicing under a provisional license to practice law issued by the State Bar of California's Provisional Licensure Program, to constitute experience in the practice of law. For an individual's judicial clerkship to qualify as experience in the practice of law or performing legal duties, the experience must have been gained after receipt of a Juris Doctor or equivalent degree.

All employees shall have general qualifications as described by California Code of Regulations, title 2, Section 172

For additional information regarding The State Bar of California, visit https://www.calbar.ca.gov