County attorney asks commissioners to approve assistant county attorney-in-training job description; commission approves

The Ellis County Commission on June 3 unanimously approved a job description to create an assistant county attorney in training position intended to fill a staffing gap when a new hire has a juris doctor degree but is not yet licensed to practice in Kansas.

Aaron Cunningham, who presented the proposal on behalf of the county attorney’s office, said the role would allow an individual with a juris doctorate to perform most attorney tasks under supervision while awaiting bar licensure. ‘‘The Kansas Supreme Court rules allow for us to take someone with a juris doctorate degree who’s awaiting to take the bar exam, and under a Supreme Court rule, they can practice law under direct supervision of an attorney,’’ Cunningham said. He described the position as handling roughly ‘‘80% of the work’’ of an assistant county attorney, with licensed attorneys providing final signatures on pleadings.

Cunningham said the office would exclude certain sensitive case types — specifically child-in-need-of-care or care-and-treatment cases — from the training position because of timing and substantive complexity. He also said the role was intended as a temporary bridge until the employee becomes fully licensed; if the candidate fails licensure the county would likely end that appointment and seek another candidate.

A commissioner moved to approve the attached assistant county attorney-in-training job description. The motion was seconded and passed 3-0.

The county attorney’s office said it currently employs three licensed attorneys and that the new classification will give the office greater hiring flexibility when recruiting candidates who are between law school graduation and bar admission.