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Job Responsibilities

Careers at DHEC: Work that makes a difference! Embracing Service, Inspiring Innovation, Promoting Teamwork, Pursuing Excellence, and Advancing Equity

ALTERNATE WORK SCHEDULE!!! An alternate work schedule with every other Friday off is available after 12 months of employment.

NO BILLABLE HOURS / WORK-LIFE-BALANCE!!! Are you tired of being evaluated by how many hours you bill or how many fees you collect? Did you become a lawyer because you wanted to make a difference? Would you like to be part of a team dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play? If so, then you should consider becoming the next public health attorney for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, soon to be the brand-new Department of Public Health!

On July 1, 2024, DHEC will be restructured into two new and independent agencies, including the Department of Public Health. The applicant chosen to fill this position will join a dedicated group of public health attorneys that will have the unique opportunity to advise the state’s first stand-alone public health agency in 50 years.

This position offers great state benefits, including 15 days of annual and sick leave per year or more, depending on applicable state service, as well as the option of an alternate work schedule with every-other Friday off following one full year of employment . RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ATTORNEY III: We are looking for an attorney who is passionate about public service and who shares our core values: embracing service, inspiring innovation, promoting teamwork, pursuing excellence, and advancing equity. If hired, you will:

• Work under supervision of the Chief Counsel for Public Health and the agency’s General Counsel, providing legal advice and counsel to the Board, the agency’s Director, the Director of Public Health, and to the agency’s public health programs;
• Work closely with program directors, administrators and staff engaged in specialized areas of health care delivery, health care policy, and public health services and initiatives;
• Draft and review contracts prior to Department release;
• Assist with the promulgation of public health regulations;
• Advise Department staff on state and federal health privacy, statutory and regulatory matters, including HIPAA and HITECH;
• Engage in public-speaking opportunities, including creating and delivering educational and informational presentations in and outside the Department;
• Provide assistance in the development of Department policies and procedures, training and compliance;
• On a limited basis, represent the agency’s public health programs before the Board and in litigation in the probate, family, state and federal courts; and
• Conduct complex legal research and draft legal opinions and memoranda. Any candidate hired for this position will be responsible for providing legal support for complex and highly sensitive public health investigations and interventions.

Who We Are The Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) is the legal team for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, providing representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible state issues. OGC’s Public Health Law team supports the development and implementation of the Department’s public health programs, and it prides itself on providing the highest quality legal services to the Department. Public health attorneys have the opportunity to have an immediate and present impact on public health and law across the state as they serve as counselors to the Department’s major public health programs, including the Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, the Bureau of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, and the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health, among several others. OGC offers a collegial and intellectually challenging work environment with daily exposure to new and ever-evolving legal issues.

Minimum And Additional Requirements State Minimum Requirements: A juris doctor degree or its equivalent from an accredited law school and experience as a practicing attorney. Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Agency Additional Requirements: To qualify as a candidate for this position, you must:

• Have at least three years’ experience as a practicing attorney (which may include judicial clerkships);
• Possess a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school;
• Be admitted and authorized to practice law in South Carolina;
• Possess and maintain a valid driver's license; and
• Have completed trial experiences as required by Rule 403, S.C. Appellate Court Rules.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: The successful candidate must:

• Be trustworthy, self-motivated, and reliable;
• Possess a strong work ethic and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills;
• Possess the ability to work well with other lawyers and public health program staff in a team environment;
• Possess a commitment to professionalism, ethics and public service;
• Possess excellent legal research and communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal issues in simple, direct, and easily understandable terms to non- lawyers, lawyers, hearing officers and judges;
• Demonstrate strong legal writing skills (A legal writing sample must be submitted with your application); and
• Possess strong public-speaking skills.

Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application may upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency will require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring. Preferred Qualifications The following qualifications are preferred, but not required:

• Experience in public health law, education in public health-related curriculum, or training and experience in healthcare compliance or a health-related industry;
• Experience in litigation.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: The successful candidate must:

• Be trustworthy, self-motivated, and reliable;
• Possess a strong work ethic and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills;
• Possess the ability to work well with other lawyers and public health program staff in a team environment;
• Possess a commitment to professionalism, ethics and public service;
• Possess excellent legal research and communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal issues in simple, direct, and easily understandable terms to non- lawyers, lawyers, hearing officers and judges;
• Demonstrate strong legal writing skills (A legal writing sample must be submitted with your application); and
• Possess strong public-speaking skills.

Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application may upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency will require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring. Additional Comments DRIVING RECORD: If this position requires the applicant to possess a valid driver’s license to operate a state vehicle or personal vehicle, any applicant being considered in the final stages of selection for the position will be required to provide a certified copy of a 10-year driving record. SC DHEC is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employing agency. We are committed to a diverse workforce. SC DHEC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. This position is part of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of General Counsel. The work performed supports DHEC’s mission to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians by protecting and promoting the health of the public and the environment. Effective July 1, 2024, this position will transfer to the South Carolina Department of Public Health created by Senate Bill 399 which provides for the creation of the Department of Public Health to assume the public health-related functions of DHEC. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control offers an exceptional benefits package for FTE positions 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

ALTERNATE WORK SCHEDULE: An alternate work schedule with every other Friday off is available after 12 months of employment.