SENIOR ATTORNEY - 71001464

Requisition No: 850378 

Agency: Department of Law Enforcement

Working Title: SENIOR ATTORNEY - 71001464

 Pay Plan: SES

Position Number: 71001464 

Salary:  $82,400.00 - $95,000.00 

Posting Closing Date: 04/21/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

SENIOR ATTORNEY

OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL

**Open-Competitive Opportunity**

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Office of General Counsel (OGC) works closely with the department’s Command Staff, regional Special Agents in Charge, and Program Directors to provide legal assistance and advice that is responsive to the specialized needs of the department, region or division.

The OGC serves the entire agency in many different capacities which include: general state agency issues, such as human resource legal issues and public records requests; FDLE-specific matters, such as advising agents regarding ongoing criminal investigations and criminal intelligence gathering, Firearms Purchase Program concerns, DNA and Crime Laboratories legal questions, and Sexual Predator / Sexual Offender Registration questions.  The OGC also handles Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) professional licensure prosecutions, agency contracts, purchasing issues and administrative rulemaking. OGC members provide training on a variety of criminal law and procedure topics for FDLE’s Special Agents.

The Department is seeking to fill a Senior Attorney position within the Office of General Counsel in Tallahassee, Florida.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The position is based in Tallahassee and serves as an administrative prosecutor handling licensure cases of Florida law enforcement, corrections, and probation officers before the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC). The CJSTC is a 19-member commission, appointed by the Governor of the State of Florida, whose mission is to ensure that all citizens of Florida are served by criminal justice officers who are ethical, qualified, and well-trained. Incumbent will be expected to work with a team of administrative prosecutors to review and manage officer discipline cases throughout the entire disciplinary process, from initial review for probable cause to case resolution.

The incumbent’s job duties include: 

• Evaluating and prosecuting violations of state law and administrative rules by certified law enforcement officers, correctional, and correctional probation officers in administrative actions before the CJSTC;
• Evaluating cases for probable cause, engage in settlement negotiations with opposing counsel, prepare the cases for formal hearings before the Division of Administrative Hearings, prepare and present cases for final action before the CJSTC;
• Provinding legal services and advice to the staff of the FDLE Criminal Justice Professionalism Program, which supports the CJSTC's efforts;
• From time to time, the incumbent will be assigned legal training and presentation responsibilities;
• Providing legislative bill analysis on matters directly effecting the incumbent’s legal area of expertise;
• Traveling occasionally in-state by car is required; and
• Must have good computer skills, in particular, Microsoft Word, use of Adobe Acrobat, and PowerPoint. 

To be considered as a potential candidate, you must meet the minimum qualifications(s) listed below. Degrees must be from an accredited college or university as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

SPECIAL NOTES:

All applicants must submit a completed State of Florida Employment Application via the People First System, specifically identifying required experience and current salary. In addition, applicants must email a legal writing sample to the attention of Phylicia Carridge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Office of General Counsel, email address: PhyliciaCarridge@fdle.state.fl.us. Incomplete submissions will not be considered

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. A member of the Florida bar for two or more years;

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Two or more years of experience as a law enforcement agency legal advisor, prosecutor, or similar criminal justice system work;

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Command of Florida criminal law and evidence;
• Ability to create and present training materials;
• Experience in administrative law; 
• Ability to effectively work under occasional stressful deadlines or circumstances;
• Ability to effective communicator both orally and in writing;
• Effective oral and written advocacy skills (courtroom hearings and trials); and
• The ability to successfully complete a background investigation to determine suitability for the position.

BASE SALARY:

• $82,400.00 - $95,000.00

HOW YOU WILL GROW:

FDLE recognizes the importance of growth and success while fostering a family-oriented work environment. We encourage our members to seek opportunities for professional growth through training, team building, and mentoring. Our four Fundamental Values of Service, Integrity, Respect and Quality will guide you as you embark on a lifelong career at FDLE.

OUR SALARY & BENEFITS:

Starting salary will be the minimum of the class pay range, unless otherwise dictated by FDLE’s pay policy. FDLE is a State of Florida Employer and offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• State of Florida Tuition Waiver Program;
• Paid holidays, vacation and sick leave;
• HMO and PPO health insurance options with premiums starting as low as $50 per month;
• $25,000 in automatic life insurance coverage;
• Multiple supplemental insurance options including: dental, vision, disability and more;
• Paid maternity leave and parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child;
• Pension and investment retirement plan options; and
• Tax deferred medical and child care reimbursement accounts.

ABOUT OUR AGENCY:

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) employs more than 2,000 members statewide – either at headquarters in Tallahassee or in one of seven regional operations centers (ROCs). Our mission is to promote public safety and strengthen domestic security. Click here for additional information about FDLE.

HIRING PROCESS:

You will be evaluated for this job based on your previous knowledge and experience. Additional reviews may be performed to screen for preferred qualifications, experience and education. Your qualifications will be based on knowledge, skills, and abilities and other elements relevant to this position supported by the information in your application. Qualifying questions will only be credited if verifiable by the information provided on your application including specifically required software/computer skills. You may be contacted to participate in a selection process which may consist of written exercises, work samples, skills tests, interviews, drug screen and fingerprinting.  You may be notified by email to participate in a selection process. Failure to reply within a designated timeframe may exclude you from further consideration. Future vacancies may be filled from this position advertisement.

BACKGROUND:

FDLE requires an extensive background process of all recommended applicants. The elements of a background include: financial credit check, criminal history of applicant and applicant’s immediate family or roommates, personal references, employment and education verifications (which includes official transcript(s)), drug screen and fingerprinting.  This information will be utilized to make the final hiring decision.

NOTES:

Preference will be given to current FDLE members who have satisfactorily completed at least six months of the probationary period for their current position.

REMINDERS:

1. 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.
2. 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 cancelled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. 

The State of Florida hires only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.

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

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.