Criminal Justice Counsel

What You'll Do:
The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Assist the director of the OCSC in preparing Commission work product, facilitating Commission and committee meetings and general duties of the office.
• Monitor trends developed through case law and promising practices relative to criminal justice issues and disseminate pertinent information to the commission director, the commission and its advisory committee, interested parties and justice system partners. Track bills in the Ohio Legislature and prepare written and oral updates for the Commission.
• Conduct legal and non-legal research.
• Write memos and other documents on criminal justice issues for the Commission and provide legal advice on Commission matters, as needed.
• Make presentations on the work of the OCSC, its advisory committee, other working committees and criminal justice issues at seminars, judicial and court personnel courses, and other meetings and sessions.
• Write and edit Commission documents, including legislative drafting.  
  May serve as liaison to the General Assembly, administration and other interest groups as designated by the Commission Director.  
• May provide work direction as it relates to specific tasks and/or projects to administrative staff and/or interns placed at the OCSC.
• Performs other duties as assigned.   
• Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance is required.

STAFF SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

What we’re looking for…

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Requires a law degree, membership in good standing of the Ohio bar.
• Requires two or more years relevant experience in the criminal justice field; prior experience in the Ohio Court System strongly preferred.
• The position also requires exceptional organization, communication and interpersonal skills and requires demonstrated understanding of the Commission's work, procedures, and research.
• Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information.
• The position also requires the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts & draw valid conclusions; the ability to prepare meaningful, concise & accurate reports; the ability to distill and simplify complex statutes; the ability to work with diverse groups on policy development; proficiency in the use of legal research methods, performing complex analyses and exceptional writing skills; and good communication skills.
• Requires a high level of proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint; the Internet, and Westlaw or Lexis and other legal-research resources.
• Requires occasional travel within Ohio and occasional out of state travel and the ability to work non-standard work hours when appropriate.  
• Requires the ability to perform all aspects of the job with fairness, equity, patience, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Must possess proven skills to demonstrate strong public speaking and sound grammar/writing abilities.
• Special Requirements\:  This position is regularly exposed to sensitive information and the employee is expected to keep any such information strictly confidential. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 
This position operates in a professional office environment. Travel on Commission business, including the possibility of some overnight travel, is expected and required. This role routinely uses standard office equipment, such as computers and phones.

This is a largely sedentary role; however, the employee may also be required to move about the office and building, and other locations while traveling on Commission business. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to communicate and exchange information.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Requires ability to work extended hours as needed and to travel on Court business is required, including overnight stays. Valid driver’s license required

COMMISSION EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEE 
In completing the duties and responsibilities of the position, the Commission expects the employee will adhere to all Commission policies, guidelines, practices and procedures; act as a role model; exhibit a professional manner in dealing with others; and work to maintain constructive working relationships. In addition, the Commission expects the employee to maintain a positive and respectful approach with superiors, colleagues, and individuals. Further, the Commission expects the employee to demonstrate flexible and efficient time management, the ability to prioritize workload, the ability to perform duties in a timely, accurate and thorough manner, and to communicate regularly with the incumbent’s supervisors about work-related issues. 

Supplemental Information\:  
This is an exempt unclassified position that reports to the Director, Criminal Sentencing Commission. The salary range is $89,627 - $128,045.

Application Process
Formal consideration of interested applicants responding to this job announcement will begin on March 23, 2026. To be considered for this position, candidates must submit an application online at www.careers.ohio.gov or deliver an application by April 22, 2026, to the Supreme Court of Ohio, 65 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215 and attach or enclose all of the following:

1. Complete application 
2. Resume or CV
3. Cover letter with salary requirements
4. Three professional references
5. One writing sample

Only completed applications will be considered.  Interviews will be scheduled as soon as practical. We will contact you if you are selected for an interview. Additional details are available to candidates interested in applying, by contacting the Office of Human Resources – Recruiting at recruiting@sc.ohio.gov.

At-Will Employment
The Supreme Court of Ohio is an at-will employer that seeks to attract, employ, and retain highly skilled and motivated individuals, attempts to maintain staff continuity for the efficiency of its operation, and desires to foster and maintain an ethical, professional, and impartial work environment. Pursuant to Adm. P. 4 (At-Will Employment), no person shall be offered or denied a position of employment with the Court, and no employee shall have the employee's employment terminated based solely upon political party affiliation, political activity permitted under Adm. P. 17 (Employee Code of Ethics), or other partisan considerations. Further, no employee shall have the employee's employment terminated with or without cause unless upon the concurrence of a majority of the Court.

The Supreme Court of Ohio is an equal employment opportunity employer that supports an alcohol and drug-free, and a weapons and violence free, work environment.

Background Check Information:
The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check.  Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position.  An individual assessment of an applicant’s prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The Criminal Sentencing Commission is seeking to fill the position of Legislative Criminal Justice Counsel in the Criminal Sentencing Commission. The Criminal Justice Counsel assists the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission (OCSC) in researching, developing, and recommending effective strategies relative to criminal justice issues, e.g., sentencing, diversion, access to justice, community supervision, etc. Assists the Criminal Sentencing Commission in its work to revise Ohio’s criminal statutes, to prepare summary materials designed to make the law more workable for practitioners, and to assist the Commission in responding to routine inquiries.