Managing County Attorney III / 61014102

State of South Carolina; Cherokee Forest (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Long Term Disability

Life Insurance

15 days annual leave

15 days sick leave

13 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave

State Retirement Plan

Deferred Compensation

Job summary

The State of South Carolina’s Department of Social Services seeks a County Attorney III to provide professional legal services for county and regional offices, including Family Court representation on child protection, foster care, adoption, and related matters.

The role requires supervising attorneys in the assigned area, overseeing legal work, and ensuring timely pleadings and compliance with applicable laws. Division: Office of General Counsel / Pickens County.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor Degree from an ABA-accredited law school and five years of practice as an attorney.
• Active membership in the South Carolina Bar.
• Experience as a DSS Attorney preferred.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be able to travel; may lift 15–20 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional legal services and representation for assigned county offices, adoption offices, and licensing offices, including Family Court on child protection, foster care, adoption, and related issues.
• Supervise attorneys in the assigned area and oversee legal activity, including personnel administration.
• Prepare, file, and serve pleadings, motions, orders, and other court documents; ensure compliance with state and federal law.
• Conduct case staffing meetings and prepare cases for court, including discovery and witness preparation.
• Ensure compliance with permanency planning and termination of parental rights procedures and notice of proceedings.
• Utilize the Legal Case Management System for legal operations and documentation.

Skills

Legal research

Court representation

Team supervision

Case management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Legal Case Management System

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:

• The County Attorney III professional legal services and representation for assigned county offices, area adoption offices, and regional Day Care licensing office, including representation in Family Court on issues relative to child protection, foster care, adoption, adult protection and Economic Services.
• Serve as primary supervisor for attorneys in assigned area and supervise the legal activity in that area including, but not limited to, overseeing personnel administration. Represents the agency in all matters pertaining to emergency or non-emergency removal of children and vulnerable adults, termination of parental rights, inspection warrants, in-home protective services, permanency planning, judicial review of children or adults receiving services and any appeals resulting from such actions.
• Timely prepares, files and serves or ensures the timely preparation, filing and service of all pleadings, motions, orders, notices, rules to show cause, and other court documents related to representation of the agency in legal actions. Pleadings and proposed orders shall include all determinations required by state and federal law.
• Timely conducts case staffing meetings for the purpose of analyzing the legal status of the cases and otherwise advising staff on agency legal matters. Prepares cases for court by conducting and responding to discovery, interviewing, and preparing witnesses and reviewing agency documentation and reports from other sources.
• Complies with agency policy, state and federal law with respect to representing the agency in permanency planning hearings and termination of parental rights.
• Complies with agency policy, state and federal law regarding the provision of notice of legal proceedings to appropriate parties to agency actions.
• Utilizes or ensures the utilization of the Legal Case Management System for legal operations and documentation of legal activity in cases.
• Ensures that personal identifying information (Pll) is properly used, accessed, gathered, shared and disposed. Protects the Agency networks and applications by safeguarding systems, equipment and data.
• Establishes and maintains professional network and attends training sessions in order to enhance individual professionalism. Reviews legislation, statutory changes, and case law decisions and advises staff about the law. Participates in regular agency meetings to discuss and analyze outcomes and determine areas needed for improvement. Conducts in house training for other staff members.
• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duty or services as directed.

A Juris Doctor Degree from an ABA accredited law school and five (5) years experience as a practicing attorney.

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

Experience as a DSS Attorney preferred.

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 / Pickens County