Assistant Attorney General (Attorney IV) Capital and Collateral Litigation

About Capital and Collateral Litigation

Performs under limited supervision professional legal work in preparing briefs, pleadings, and opinions and in representing assigned State agencies. Performs under general supervision professional legal work for the State, its subdivisions, and officials.

• Performs under limited supervision professional legal work for the State, its subdivisions, and officials. Primarily assigned to the Capital Litigation Section involving the handling of murder appeals to the South Carolina appellate courts; direct appeals of death penalty convictions to the South Carolina Supreme Court; state collateral actions involving death penalty cases in the circuit and appellate courts; and federal habeas corpus litigation involving various South Carolina crimes in the federal court system.
• Performs under limited supervision professional legal work relating to capital litigation and murder appeals in the South Carolina Supreme Court, including the reading of trial transcripts, research of legal issues, drafting of briefs, preparation of pleadings, and presentation of oral arguments before the South Carolina appellate courts. This duty involves communication with trial counsel and appellate counsel, travels to other locations to examine appropriate trial exhibits, coordination of appellate work with trial counsel, ordering of trial transcripts, and calendaring and scheduling of work to conform with the court dates. This duty involves complex death penalty litigation as well as murder appellate litigation.
• Performs under general supervision professional legal work relating to post-conviction relief in death penalty convictions. Research legal issues, prepare pleadings and responses to applications for post-conviction relief involving death penalty convictions, and prepare returns, briefs, and oral arguments for appeals from the state court hearing. Makes required arrangements for transportation pertaining to witnesses and death row inmates. Represents the State in the Court of Common Pleas and in South Carolina appellate courts on appeal.
• Performs under general supervision professional legal work relating to federal habeas corpus relief proceedings in the Federal District Court, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Research legal issues, prepare pleadings and responses to petitions for federal habeas corpus relief, prepare motions and responses to filings, and make professional decisions on the handling of the case and appeal. Briefs issues before the United States Court of Appeals and completes oral arguments, if necessary. This job duty involves both death penalty matters as well as non-death penalty federal habeas corpus actions.
• Represents assigned State agencies as required by the South Carolina Attorney General. Communicates with and advises agencies, including travel to other locations for meetings or hearings. 
• Performs related duties required and assigned by the Division Director and Chief of Staff, such as handling cases outside primary duty assignment.

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility.
• Paid parental leave (effective October 1, 2022).
• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouses, and children.
• Fifteen days of annual (vacation) per year.
• Fifteen days of sick leave per year.
• Thirteen paid holidays.
• State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Programs.

Juris Doctorate Degree and ten or more years of practicing experience.

Necessary Requirements: Must be a member and in good standing with the South Carolina Bar. Must satisfy Rule 403 requirements. 

Additional Requirements:

• Position may be required to travel overnight.
• Position may be required to travel and transport files.

• Must be organized and be able to work independently in meeting deadlines.
• Have working knowledge of Adobe, Word, and Westlaw.

DRUG SCREENING, CREDIT CHECK, DELINQUENT TAX CHECK, SLED BACKGROUND CHECK, AND GRIEVANCE CHECK ARE REQUIRED.
 
THIS OFFICE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.
 EEOP Utilization Report available upon request.