Senior Regional Trial Attorney / 61128778

State of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Long-term disability

Life insurance

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

The South Carolina Department of Social Services is seeking a Senior Regional Trial Attorney to provide professional legal services and represent the agency in high-level DSS cases. The role focuses on litigating complex family court matters to pursue timely permanency for children in foster care.

Responsibilities include preparing pleadings, conducting discovery, coordinating case staffings, protecting PII, and handling appeals when needed.

Qualifications

• Must possess Juris Doctor Degree or equivalent from an accredited law school.
• Ten (10) years of experience as a practicing attorney, or five (5) years as a DSS attorney.
• Must be a member of the SC BAR.

Responsibilities

• Senior Regional Trial Attorney under limited supervision, provides professional legal services and representation for high-level DSS cases, litigating contested and complex cases to pursue permanency for children in foster care.
• Represents the agency in complex family court litigation pursuing timely permanency for children, focusing on termination of parental rights and pre-adoptive resources.
• Represents the agency in complex family court litigation involving foster care or out-of-home placement, including multi-day trials and potential appeals.
• Timely prepares, files and serves pleadings, motions, orders, notices, and other court documents; ensures determinations meet state and federal law.
• Conducts case staffing meetings to analyze legal status and advise staff; prepares for court through discovery, witness prep, and reviewing reports.
• Ensures proper handling of PII and protects agency networks and data.
• Performs other duties as assigned; participates in emergency shelter duties if directed.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and may be required to travel, including some overnight travel.

Education

Juris Doctor Degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Responsibilities

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 Senior Regional Trial Attorney under limited supervision, provides professional legal services and representation for high-level DSS cases. The purpose of this position is to litigate contested and complex cases, maintaining aggressive and appropriate pace of processing such cases in order to pursue permanency for children in foster care.
• Represents the agency in complex family court litigation pursuing timely permanency for children. Position will have a focus on litigation wherein agency is pursuing a plan of termination of parental rights and wherein children have an identified pre-adoptive resource. In order for children to become legally free for adoption, attorney aggressively pursues statutory requirements as set forth in SC Code of Law §63-7-2530 and permanency within 24 months of entry into foster care. If necessary, this will include litigating appeals that may result from the trial litigation.
• Represents the agency in complex family court litigation involving children in foster care or out of home placement and particularly cases for which multi-day trials are anticipated. If necessary, this will include litigating appeals that may result from the trial litigation.
• 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 cases and otherwise advising staff on agency legal matters. Prepares case for court by conducting and responding to discovery, interviewing, and preparing witnesses and reviewing agency documentation and reports from other sources.
• Ensures that personal identifying information (PII) is properly used, accessed, and gathered, shared and disposed. Protects the agency networks and applications by safeguarding systems, equipment and data.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.
• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duty or services as directed.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

Must be currently employed with the Department of Social Services and 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.

Please Note: A writing sample must be submitted with your application.

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

SPECIAL NOTICE: Resumes may be submitted in lieu of filling out the work experience of the online application. The following sections are required for consideration: personal information, preferences, agency-wide questions and job specific supplemental questions.

Additional Comments

This application for employment with the SC Department of Social Services must be completed in its entirety. A resume may be included; but shall not be substituted in lieu of the completion of this application in part or in whole. "See Resume" is not acceptable information for the completion of any part of the requirements of this application. If such is submitted, this employment application will be considered incomplete and may not be forwarded as eligible for consideration to hiring managers.

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 / Charleston County