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Position Information

JC-529988 - Attorney, Attorney III, Attorney IV, Attorney V
Explore Attorney Careers at CalPERS Live Webinar: Join us on Wednesday, September 16 from 10 a.m to 11 a.m.for an inside look at current Attorney roles within CalPERS. Learn about the types of legal matters our attorneys support, the structure of the Legal Office, day to day expectations, and steps you can take to prepare an application. Register for the session using this link.

Anticipated Interview Dates: We anticipate holding in-person interviews beginning October 26, 2026.

The CalPERS Legal Office seeks to fill multiple Attorney vacancies across four units to represent CalPERS in litigation and provide formal and informal legal advice regarding all legal issues at CalPERS, including the areas of benefit and membership entitlement, health care, fiduciary matters, ethics, contracts, information technology, information security, data privacy, public records, operations, open meetings and investment-related matters.

1 Attorney in the Pension and Tax Unit:
Advise staff on a variety of legal issues relating to CalPERS program divisions, including Customer Services and Support, Benefit Services, Financial Office, Pension Contracts and Prefunding Programs, Actuarial Office, Office of Audit Services, Public Affairs, Legislative Affairs, and Strategy, Projects & Data Divisions.

1 Attorney III, and 1 Attorney IV in the Health, Contract Operations, and Information Security Advice Unit:
Advise leadership and program staff in the Health Policy and Benefits Branch regarding healthcare matters confronted under the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), including statutory interpretation, establishment and maintenance of contracts with Health Maintenance Organization plans, a self-funded Preferred Provider Organization administrator, the pharmacy benefit manager, the self-funded long-term care program, and health care reform.

1 Attorney in the Investments Advice Unit:
Advising leadership and team members in the negotiation of investment transactions and investment related contracts pertaining to requests for proposals.

2 Attorneys, 1 Attorney IV, and 1 Attorney V in the Litigation and Hearings Unit:
Initiates and represents CalPERS in administrative and court proceedings by preparing cases by identifying and interviewing witnesses; securing and evaluating evidence; preparing arguments; law and motion, mediation, organizing case presentations and conducting trials. *These positions may require travel to hearings.

Telework Information: This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, with up to two days of remote work and three days or more onsite, per week.

Sponsorship
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship. CalPERS does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes.

Effective July 1, 2025, The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025). PLP 2025 directs that each employee shall receive a 4.62 percent reduction in pay in exchange for 8 hours PLP 2025 leave credits, monthly. The salary range(s) included in the job advertisement do not reflect the 4.62 percent reduction in pay.

This position is eligible for a Hire Above Minimum (HAM) salary. Government Code section 19836 authorizes the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) to allow an exception to provide a rate above the established minimum salary range for selected classifications, as determined by CalHR.

Apply at this link: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=529988
 
Position: JC-529988 - Attorney, Attorney III, Attorney IV, Attorney V
Organization: CalPERS
Location: Sacramento,  CA 
United States
Salary: $7,969 - $16,883 per month
Posting Start Date: 9/15/2026
Date Posted: 9/15/2026
Requirements

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

Membership in The California State Bar.

 

Attorney III

Five years of legal experience in the practice of law*.

 

Attorney IV

Six years of legal experience in the practice of law*, one year of which must have been at a level equivalent to an Attorney III or higher.

 

Attorney V

Eight years of legal experience in the practice of law*, two years of which must have been at a level equivalent to an Attorney IV or higher.

* “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.
Status: This listing expires on: 11/14/2026
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Organization Information
Name:
CalPERS
Address:


Sacramento,  CA 95811
United States
Email:
Recruitment@calpers.ca.gov
Phone:
Fax:
Contact:
Selection Services
Become A Member

Becoming a member of NASRA offers a unique opportunity to join a community committed to the sound, efficient, and innovative stewardship of public retirement systems. Membership connects you with a network of professionals and experts, providing valuable insights into managing public retirement systems with a focus on sustainability and risk-averse strategies.

By joining NASRA, you gain the tools and resources to enhance the management of public retirement systems, ensuring their long-term success and reliability for generations to come.

What’s New at NASRA: Employee Contributions to Public Pension Plans

Employee contributions remain a central part of public pension financing, and the way those contributions are structured is subject to change depending each states' governance rules. . NASRA’s 2026 updated brief finds median employee contribution rates of 6.2 percent of pay for employees who participate in Social Security and 9.0 percent for those who do not. For employees who do not participate in Social Security, the public pension often plays a broader role in retirement security, effectively providing two of the traditional three legs of the retirement stool rather than one.

Since 2009, 41 states  increased employee contributions in at least one plan, while some states recently reduced rates for selected employees. Variable contributions are also becoming more common, with 26 plans in 17 states adjusting employee rates based on funding, plan costs, or other factors. The brief provides current trends and a state-by-state look at employee contribution requirements across public retirement systems.