Attorney IV / 61012815

State of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Annual leave

Sick leave

Paid holidays

Parental leave

State retirement plan

Job summary

South Carolina Department of Social Services seeks a senior attorney to lead the county legal operations within the Office of General Counsel. You will supervise attorneys, paralegals, and contract attorneys, ensure LCMS use, and oversee staff training and recruitment across the assigned county region.

You will provide legal guidance to Regional Directors on child welfare and adult protection, stay current on laws, and manage staffing, audits, and hearings as needed.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school and ten years as a practicing attorney or five years as a DSS attorney.
• Must be a member of the SC Bar.
• Valid driver's license required and ability to travel or work after hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead county legal operations, supervise attorneys and paralegals in assigned area, and manage recruitment and training.
• Develop and maintain protocols for county offices; ensure LCMS compliance and timely documentation of legal activities.
• Provide legal advice to Regional Directors for Human Services and County Directors in child welfare and adult protection.
• Evaluate operations, conduct on-site visits, audit LCMS and CAPSS data for quality assurance, and monitor performance.
• Appear in court as needed to support the legal offices; foster relationships with community partners.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic planning

Coaching & mentoring

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Tools

LCMS

Job description

Do you have a passion to provide meaningful contributions to your community? Would you like to be part of an organization whose central mission is helping to protect, stabilize and strengthen the lives of South Carolina's children, families, and vulnerable adults? If so, the SC Department of Social Services has the right job opportunity for you!

Job Duties:

• Under the general supervision of the appropriate attorneys in the Office of General Counsel, the Attorney IV leads the hiring, training, mentoring and supervision function of the county legal operations with assigned area, including county attorneys and paralegals. Communicates, develops and maintains protocols for county attorneys, paralegals and administrative staff. Engages in general legal operations management and ensures the Legal Case Management System (LCMS) is consistently and correctly utilized. Ensures hearings are completed in a timely manner, including, e.g. Permanency Planning Hearings, TPR hearings, Probable Cause and Removal Hearing and other hearings Ensures county offices are properly staffed and appropriate supplies.

• Serves as primary supervisor for attorneys in assigned area and supervise the legal activity in that area including, but not limited to, overseeing personnel administration involving county attorneys within the assigned area; supervise the recruitment, retention, training, and payment of county contract attorneys in the assigned area; and, supervise paralegal staff for the assigned regional office.

• Ensures LCMS compliance and timely training for new employees in LCMS. Utilize and ensure others utilize LCMS for documentation of legal activity in cases.

• Provides legal advice to Regional Directors for Human Services and County Directors in assigned region in the areas of child welfare and adult protection; work in collaboration with the Regional Director toward achieving objectives for human services. Timely attendance at all required meetings and CLEs. Review legislation, statutory and case law updates to remain current on applicable law, regulation, procedure and policy and disseminate information and director appropriately to ensure that supervised county legal offices likewise remain current.

• Evaluates the in-court and out-of-court activities of county attorneys using system data, conduct consistent periodic on-site visits of county legal offices; audit paper files and electronic LCMS files for compliance and quality assurance; monitor and analyze LCMS and CAPSS activity reports.

• Oversees and take primary responsibility for the recruitment, training, retention of FTE county attorneys and contract attorneys when applicable.

• Conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis of county legal operations management, caseload ratios and performance standards; monitor and provide leadership in all cases being appealed from the assigned area.

• Appears in Court in assigned area as needed to support the legal offices under incumbent's supervisor.

• Establishes and maintain collegial professional relationship with local community partners, i.e. clerks of court Guardian ad Litem Programs, review boards, foster parents and other child welfare agencies

• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duty or services as directed.

A Juris Doctor Degree or its equivalent from an accredited law school and ten (10) years experience as a practicing attorney or five (5) years of experience as a DSS attorney.

Necessary Special Requirement: Must be a member of the SC BAR.

Must possess a valid driver's license. The employee must be able to communicate effectively (written and orally) and write legibly. May be required to work after hours and/or some overnight travel and must be able to lift approximately 15-20 lbs.

If you certify, by completion and submission of this application, that you possess educational credentials that qualify you for the available DSS positions, you will be required to provide a certified official transcript, if you are selected for job offer.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services offers an exceptional benefits package that includes:

• Health, Dental, Vision, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Programs

Division: Office of General Counsel / Richland County