Virginia Office of the Attorney General · 19 hours ago
Senior Assistant Attorney General/Section Chief, Criminal Appeals
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/ExecutiveThe Virginia Office of the Attorney General is seeking a Senior Assistant Attorney General to serve as the Section Chief for Criminal Appeals. This role involves directing and managing criminal appeals, supervising attorneys, and ensuring the quality of legal work within the section.
Law Practice
Responsibilities
Reviews on a daily basis (and modifies as necessary) drafts of briefs and selected major pleadings prepared by attorneys in CAS. The Team Leaders and Senior Assistant Attorneys General in the Section assist in the review of briefs and pleadings. The primary purpose of this review is to monitor the quality of the work, and the reviews also insure the propriety and consistency of legal positions taken by the Section
Assigns all work within the Section, including appeals, capital cases, habeas corpus litigation, petitions for writs of actual innocence, other post-conviction litigation and the myriad other tasks, to attorneys in the Section on a daily basis. Also, makes adjustments in assignments or redistributes work as necessary where assigned cases become more complex or time-consuming than initially anticipated
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
Supervises the seven Team Leaders, one of whom is Director of the Capital Unit, on a daily basis. Works with each Team Leader and other attorneys in the section to develop experience and abilities
Monitors the performance of attorneys at oral argument in a representative number of appellate cases. Makes suggestions for improvement when appropriate
In consultation with the Deputy of Criminal Justice & Public Safety Division, assigns official opinions and “tracked letters” referred to CAS by the Deputy. Assists the attorneys to whom the opinions are assigned in the process of researching, formulating, and drafting the opinion or any memoranda relating to it. Reviews the final draft of the official opinion before submission to the Deputy and forwarded to the Opinions Counsel
Frequently responds to informal telephone inquiries of prosecutors on criminal and appellate matters. 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 Association meetings, programs on appellate practice and procedure sponsored by the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia State Bar and similar seminars of the Committee on Continuing Legal Education
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
Periodically assigns for review and evaluates requests of other states for amicus support in criminal cases before the United States Supreme Court
Reviews (and notes approval, as appropriate) requests for equipment and services for CAS before submission of those documents to the Deputy Attorney General. Works with the Deputy regarding anticipated expenditures, the budget of the Section, and determination of personnel, equipment and library needs of the Section
Reviews (and notes approval, as appropriate) travel vouchers submitted by personnel of the Section
Approves annual leave requests from Team Leaders, the Secretaries, and the paralegal
Prepares periodic evaluations on all Team Leaders, secretaries, and the paralegal in the Section, and reviews other CAS evaluations. Makes promotion or salary recommendations to the Deputy concerning all personnel of the Section
Consults with the Deputy on a regular basis concerning the status and operation of CAS. Informs the Deputy of significant matters and especially those which are likely to receive more than routine media attention
Counsels CAS members on conduct and performance issues as needed
Assists the Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section in management and investigation of Elected Official investigations, which includes assignment of an EO to a member of CAS and review of the results of the attorneys work
Qualification
Required
Significant experience in criminal and civil litigation, a strong foundation in criminal law and procedure, and a demonstrated ability to analyze and manage complex cases
Ability to work well under pressure and adjust to multiple and competing priorities
Experience supervising attorneys and non-attorney staff
Admission to Virginia State Bar, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Company
Virginia Office of the Attorney General
The Virginia Office of the Attorney General is the Commonwealth's law firm.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Broadus Pettiford, CEH, CISM, CISSP, PMP
Chief Information Officer
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