Senior Counsel (Attorney III)
About the DFPI
The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) is California’s financial regulator, working to protect consumers by examining and licensing financial activities and taking action against unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices. We oversee state-chartered banks, credit unions, student loan servicers, and more. The DFPI has office locations in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco. The DFPI offers benefit packages, competitive salary, a robust training program and opportunities for advancement.
Position Details
Job Code #:
JC-491925
Position #(s):
410-103-5795-219
410-103-5795-201
410-103-5795-215
Working Title:
Senior Counsel
Classification:
ATTORNEY III
$10,852.00 - $15,325.00 A
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
3
Work Location:
Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Job Description and Duties
Candidates hired into the Attorney III (Range A) classification at the minimum of the pay range will receive a pay differential added to their base salary. This pay differential brings the monthly gross salary to $11,695, before the 2025 PLP 4.62 percent pay reduction discussed further below.
The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) is recruiting for three Permanent, full-time Attorney IIIs within its Legal Division. These positions may be based in the Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego offices. This recruitment may be used to fill subsequent vacancies of these positions within the next 180 days
The DFPI is a California state agency that protects California consumers, small businesses, and investors, and administers multiple state licensing laws relating to financial services. Industries that the DFPI regulates include digital asset businesses; state-chartered banks, credit unions, and money transmitters; mortgage and student loan servicers; state-licensed lenders; investment advisors; and debt collectors. The DFPI often considers legal and policy issues presented by emerging financial technologies, and develops strategies that protect consumers and investors while encouraging financial innovation that benefits all Californians. The Legal Division is a team of attorneys and professional staff that draft regulations, legal opinions, and legislative analysis, and coordinate the DFPI’s responses to subpoenas and Public Records Act requests.
Under the general direction of the Assistant Chief Counsel of the Legal Division, the Attorney III will draft regulations to enhance consumer protections and encourage positive financial innovation, provide legal opinions, analyze pending legislation, and work on other related tasks to support the DFPI’s regulatory responsibilities. Depending upon business needs, the attorney may join a team of more senior attorneys responsible for implementing the Digital Financial Assets Law and may focus initially on implementation of that law.
The attorney will promulgate regulations to implement legislation pursuant to the California Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking process. The attorney will analyze current legal developments and industry practices for purposes of drafting regulations; initiate or lead projects that involve analysis of legal, economic, regulatory, and social trends that may result in changes in the policies and interpretations of the Commissioner; initiate or lead special projects to implement Department laws and policies; consult with industry and public interest representatives and other state, local, and national agencies to formulate new regulations; and work with third-party vendors to perform studies to justify rulemaking decisions. The attorney will lead or participate in internal task forces formed to implement new laws and serve as a subject matter expert and main point of contact and liaison to other state and federal agencies.
Effective July 1, 2025, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025). PLP 2025 directs that each full-time employee shall receive a reduction in pay in exchange for PLP 2025 leave credits, monthly. The salary range(s) included in the job advertisement do not reflect the reduction in pay. All Bargaining Unit 2 classifications will receive a 4.62 percent reduction in pay in exchange for 8 hours of PLP 2025 per month.
Final Filing Date: 10/13/2025
Examination Information
Applicants will need to take and pass the online Attorney III exam/assessment to be eligible to apply for the Attorney III positions. Please visit: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1580
Minimum Qualifications
All Attorney Levels
All classifications require active membership in The California State Bar. (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 State Bar.)
Applicants who are six months from meeting the required legal experience will be admitted to the examination, but must meet the total required years of experience prior to appointment.
Attorney III
Five years of legal experience in the practice of law*.
* “Legal experience in the practice of law" 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 “legal experience in the practice of law," the experience must have been gained after receipt of a Juris Doctor or equivalent degree.
Consider a rewarding and challenging career with the DFPI!
DFPI Website: www.dfpi.ca.gov