Title: Senior Assistant Attorney General/Team Leader
State Role Title: Sr Asst Attorney General
Hiring Range: Commensurate with Experience
Pay Band: UG
Agency: Attorney General & Dept of Law
Location: Office of the Attorney General
Agency Website: https://www.oag.state.va.us/
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
Chief Objective:
The Assistant Attorney General/Team Leader Position in Criminal Appeals is responsible for supervising three to four attorneys. The Team Leader serves as primary reviewers of their appellate briefs involving criminal appeals and habeas corpus pleadings. This includes providing feedback via editing of pleadings and guidance related to court appearances in state and federal courts. The team leader will also continue to carry a substantial caseload.
Work Tasks and Duties:
• Reviews on a daily basis (and modifies as necessary) drafts of briefs and habeas corpus and other post-conviction pleadings prepared by their team of attorneys in CAS. The primary purpose of this review is to monitor the quality of the work, and the reviews also provide for consistency of legal positions taken by the Section.
• Advises attorneys in the Section on a daily basis regarding viable positions and arguments to be made concerning the preparation of briefs, pleadings and oral arguments.
• Monitors the performance of attorneys at oral argument in a representative number of appellate cases. Makes suggestions for improvement when appropriate. Participates in moot court arguments for section attorneys as needed; attends and participates in team leader meetings.
• Frequently responds to informal telephone inquiries of prosecutors on criminal and appellate matters and assigns those throughout the section. Occasionally responds to such inquiries from judges and clerks.
• Periodically — as time permits — presents lectures on criminal law and procedure matters to prosecutors and other law enforcement entities in the Commonwealth. Also, as time and the workload permits, may occasionally attend or speak at the Commonwealth’s Attorneys Services Council meetings, programs on appellate practice and procedure sponsored by the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia State Bar or Virginia Bar Association and similar seminars.
• Monitors the need for legislation relating to criminal and habeas corpus matters and the appellate process. Drafts or reviews such proposed legislation or assigns attorneys in the Section to fulfill that duty.
• Counsels members of CAS team on conduct and performance issues as needed. Completes performance evaluations and ensures that team members meet deadlines for briefs and pleadings; approves leave requests for team.
• Acts as a gatekeeper to ensure an appropriate flow of decision-making issues to the Section Chief and Deputy Section Chief and makes final decisions where appropriate.
• Handles significant caseload of criminal appeals and habeas corpus litigation, including legal research, drafting and editing briefs and pleadings, presents oral argument in the appellate courts, and conducts trials and arguments in state and federal court in habeas matters as necessary.
Minimum Qualifications
• The ideal candidate will have minimum of 5-10 years of relevant litigation experience with a background in criminal trial or appellate experience
• Knowledge of the preparation of briefs and presentation of arguments for cases before state, federal, and appellate courts, along with instances of other adjudicative bodies; knowledge of habeas corpus and other post-conviction law.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to use judgment, tact and discretion.
• Ability to quickly assimilate oral and written data, to analyze facts, and draw logical conclusions.
• Strong editing skills
• Ability to provide clear direction to other attorneys.
• Ability to organize work, establish priorities, and maintain good interpersonal relations and communications with other attorneys and support staff as well as effective working relationships with government officials, outside consultants, and the general public.
• Demonstrated ability to carry significant caseload, maintain case files, records, and prepare reports and correspondence related to the work, and meet deadlines.
• Computer literacy to include proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Worldox, LawBase, etc.
• Virginia Bar license, Admitted in EDVA, WDVA, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Special Instructions
Kindly utilize the Virginia Jobs website (https://www.jobs.virginia.gov) to submit your application. Applications sent to the Recruitment email address will not be reviewed for the hiring process. We do not entertain phone calls or emails inquiring about application status; instead, please login to the PageUp/RMS system for updates on your application's status.
Contact Information
Name: OAG Recruitment
Phone: 804-786-2071
Email: recruitment@oag.state.va.us
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.
