Job Summary:
Under policies and procedures established by SCLS, a LSV-H staff attorney provides civil litigation to veterans residing in the state of South Carolina through limited and extended legal services. Individual case assignments are distributed among Unit Heads, Senior Staff Attorneys, Attorney II and Attorney I, and Entry Level Attorneys by the Managing Attorney according to case complexity and grant mandates.
Class Characteristics
Attorney I – This is the primary attorney classification level responsible for performing assignments under supervision and guidance; works with higher-level attorneys on difficult cases as training.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provides representation to veterans in non-fee-generating civil matters.
- Maintains a caseload.
- Performs legal research and prepares memoranda, pleadings, discovery, motions, appeals, and interrogatories, and keeps the Managing Attorney advised of case statuses.
- Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of cases and prepares cases for presentation in court.
- Negotiates case resolution with opposing parties, opposing attorneys, and the guardian ad litem.
- Appears in State and Federal courts for motions, trials, arguments, hearings, rules to show cause, pre-trial conferences, status conferences, roster/docket sounding, and appeals.Fills in for other attorneys as needed.
- Attends Unit meetings, advocates meetings, task forces, and program-wide meetings.
- Meet with partner agencies and local community/agency advocates. Attends required meetings and seminars.
- Consults with other attorneys and attends staff meetings and training seminars as required.
- Maintains knowledge and skills in current case decisions and legislation.
- Reviews and responds to correspondence and phone calls related to activities in the local office.
- Respond to the legal needs of clients.
- Attends training sessions on current legal updates and reads legal materials to update professional knowledge.
- May supervise paralegals assigned to the local office.
- Responds to requests for legal opinions and legal actions from the local community.
- Organizes and maintains files and records of a confidential, complex, or otherwise sensitive nature.
- Keeps informed of new rules, regulations, and legislation pertinent to the organization.
- Reviews the work of subordinates for completeness and accuracy prior to necessary action or approval.
- Coordinates, conducts, and/or participates in community outreach events.
- Completes special assignments relating to legal actions as assigned.
- Maintains an accurate follow-up system to review cases when appropriate
- Performs all other duties as may be requested by the Managing Attorney, General Counsel, Litigation Director, or Executive Director.
Education, Experience, and Special Requirements:
Requires a J. D. from an accredited law school and admission to the South Carolina Bar.
Licensing and Certification:
Attorneys must possess and maintain valid membership to the South Carolina Bar Association.
Attorneys must complete all rules and requirements as set by the South Carolina Bar and the South Carolina Supreme Court.
SCLS will pay the cost of continuing legal education (CLE) courses, the South Carolina Bar Dues, one County Bar Dues, and the CLE certification fees. However, it is the responsibility of the attorney to keep abreast of CLE hours and to ensure that membership dues are forwarded to the accounting department in a timely fashion and prior to the deadlines imposed by the Supreme Court. SCLS will not be responsible for late fees resulting from any attorney's negligence in reporting CLE hours or paying membership fees.
This description lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Attorneys may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.
Competence Required:
- Knowledge of state and federal rules, regulations, and practices.
- Knowledge of the principles of civil practice, time management, and supervisory techniques.
- Knowledge of the Rules of Civil Procedures, Rules of Evidence, Rules of the Family Court, and Rules of Appellate Procedure.
- Skill in litigation and trial advocacy.
- Skill in conducting legal research.
- Skill in legal writing, including legal briefs and memos.
- Skill in analytical problem-solving.
- Skill in decision-making in adversarial circumstances.
- Skill in document composition.
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
- Ability to maintain files, records, and reports.
- Ability to coordinate multiple tasks efficiently.
- Knowledge of basic office practices, legal forms and format, the maintenance of complex records, and the use of guides and reference materials.
- Knowledge of good human relations practices.
- Knowledge of the purposes, objectives, and organization of SCLS.
- Knowledge of basic public relations techniques.
- Ability to plan and organize workflow.
- Ability to handle numerous tasks concurrently.
- Displays a high standard of ethical conduct. Exhibits honesty and integrity. Refrains from theft-related, dishonest, and unethical behavior.
- Works and communicates with clients to meet their needs in a polite, courteous, and cooperative manner.Committed to quality service.
- Displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.
- Responds appropriately to supervision. Makes an effort to follow policy and cooperate with supervisors.
- Aligns behavior with the organization's needs, priorities, and goals.
- Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity. Fosters commitment and team spirit.
- Expresses information to individuals effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information. Listens to others and responds appropriately.