Attorney General Job Description: What Recruiters Must Know

Recruiters looking to hire an attorney general need to have a thorough understanding of the position's requirements and responsibilities. To make the recruitment process easier, we've created a comprehensive attorney general job description template that covers all the key areas you need to consider when hiring for this important role. Whether you're looking for a seasoned legal professional or a rising star in the field, our template can help you find the ideal candidate for your organization.

What Is an Attorney General?

The attorney general is the government's top legal officer, tasked with representing the state or federal government in legal matters. Their crucial role is to ensure that the government operates within the boundaries of the law and upholds justice for all citizens.

Where to Find Them?

To identify and attract qualified attorney general candidates, consider these sourcing channels:

• Senior trial or appellate lawyers in top law firms, especially those with large government, regulatory, or constitutional practices.
• Deputy or assistant attorneys general/solicitors general already working within state or federal AG offices.
• Law professors or scholars with public law, constitutional law, or regulatory law backgrounds and reputations.
• Judges or magistrates (state or federal) with a strong track record.
• High-ranking public servants in government legal departments, international organizations, and NGOs with legal enforcement roles (like regulatory agencies and human rights commissions).

Attorney General Job Description

Attorney General Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice to the executive branch, legislature, boards, and departments.
• Supervise the prosecution of criminal cases (depending on jurisdiction).
• Protect consumers and enforce environmental, antitrust, civil rights, and other regulatory laws.
• Oversee a large legal staff, assistants, deputies, and investigators.
• Manage external litigation involving the government.
• Issue legal opinions on proposed legislation or executive policy.
• Represent the government in appellate courts or the Supreme Court, where applicable.

Required Qualifications

• Must have a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Must have a valid law license in the state or federal jurisdiction in which they are practicing.
• Have experience in legal practice, preferably in a government or public sector setting.
• Have strong ethical standards and adhere to the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.

Required Skills

• Must have a deep understanding of the law and legal procedures and must keep up-to-date with any changes to legal policies and regulations.
• Able to communicate complex legal concepts and information to government officials and members of the public clearly and concisely.
• Able to analyze complex legal issues and come up with effective solutions.
• Must be an effective leader, capable of managing a team of attorneys and legal staff and providing guidance and direction when needed.

Challenges in Hiring an Attorney General

• Scarcity of skilled senior legal talent: Employers report that 96% ****of legal hiring leaders say it’s challenging to find skilled talent. For Attorney general-level roles, which require very high qualifications, the candidate pool is even narrower
• Political and public scrutiny: Attorneys general are public-facing and subject to elections or appointment processes, confirmation, and ethics investigations. This means hiring must include vetting not only legal competence but also political alignment, public reputation, and integrity.
• Workload and role complexity: Rapidly changing law (cybersecurity, climate, civil rights, health) plus litigation against large institutions and the government itself mean the AG must manage diverse portfolios with a large staff, high public expectations, and often limited resources.
• Compensation and retention pressure: Government AG offices often struggle to pay to compete against private sector or large firm salaries. Public service legal work typically yields lower salaries than private, yet the work is intense. For example, attorneys in civil legal services earn substantially less than their counterparts in government AG offices—sometimes 21-38% less, ****depending on geographic area and years of experience.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire

• Salary & Compensation: The US Attorney General's salary is US$250,600. State AG salaries vary widely (often lower or higher, depending on the state).
• Search Firm / Executive Recruiting Fees: Retained executive search firms usually charge 30-35% of the candidate’s first-year total cash compensation (salary + bonuses)
• Alternative Fee Models: Contingency search firms might charge 20-30% of the first year's salary
• Other Costs: Travel and lodging for candidate interviews, background checks, vetting, political vetting, relocation, signing bonuses or perks, office setup, and staff support. Can add tens of thousands depending on candidate location and expected prestige.

Conclusion

The role of attorney general is vital in any legal system. The outlined job description template emphasizes the crucial responsibilities and qualifications required for this position. A successful attorney general must possess a solid legal background, superior communication skills, and effective leadership abilities. This template serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to fill this significant position in their organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should this role be elected or appointed?

A: That depends entirely on your jurisdiction’s laws. Some attorneys general are elected, some appointed; recruiters must understand the legal and political framework first.

Q: Is remote or hybrid work viable for an attorney general?

A: Generally, no, due to the need for presence in courts, government meetings, media, and public duties. But some advisory or administrative functions might be handled remotely.

Q: What political or ethical vetting is needed?

A: Background checks, past litigation or political positions, public writings or speeches, any conflicts of interest, and, in some jurisdictions, an investigation into financial disclosures.

Q: Should we use a retained or contingency search firm?

A: For this level, retained search is preferred—though more expensive, it focuses exclusively on your search, ensures confidentiality, and secures top passive candidates.

Q: How flexible should the compensation package be?

A: Flexible enough to include bonuses, housing or relocation, benefits, and perhaps car or security allowances. Some jurisdictions may include immunity, pension, or travel allowances.