Chief Legal Officer

State of Ohio • Columbus, OH

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Supreme Court of Ohio is seeking to fill the position of Chief Legal Officer. This position directs the legal, legislative, and policy affairs of the Supreme Court and serves as the principal advisor on legal matters affecting Court administration and the Ohio judicial branch. The position provides executive leadership and operational oversight for the Office of the Chief Legal Officer, Office of the Clerk, Office of the Reporter, and Office of Legal Resources, ensuring effective governance, statutory compliance, and coordinated service delivery. Key responsibilities include leading multidisciplinary teams of legal and professional staff, managing budgets and resources, and guiding strategic planning, policy development, records management, and public access functions. Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
• Active Ohio law license in good standing or ability to obtain within 6 months of employment
• At all times during employment with the Court, must be an attorney properly admitted to the practice of law in Ohio and be in good standing.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of increasingly responsible broad based legal experience as a bar licensed attorney.

Nice To Haves

• At least five (5) years of extensive and substantial management responsibility is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the activities of the Offices of the Chief Legal Officer, Reporter, the Clerk, and Legal Resources, ensuring alignment with the Court’s mission, statutory obligations, and operational priorities.
• Fosters collaboration and clear communication to ensure strategies and operations are aligned under a unified legal and administrative strategy.
• Coordinates efforts to drive innovation, efficiency, and consistency, enabling the Court to advance priorities.
• Develops and executes strategic goals, values, and policies across offices in alignment with the Court’s mission.
• Provides high-level leadership for court-wide initiatives.
• Supports the Chief Justice and Administrative Director in implementing organizational change, fostering innovation, and ensuring policy compliance across relevant functions.
• Provides leadership for legal, legislative, and policy matters.
• Assists the Chief Justice and Administrative Director in planning and reviewing non-judicial operations.
• Coordinates activities with other agencies and court divisions.
• Conducts special projects assigned by the Chief Justice, Administrative Director, or Deputy Administrative Directors.
• Plans, prioritizes, directs, and oversees activities of the Office of Chief Legal Officer, including legal, legislative, and policy activities.
• Develops and implements the Office of Chief Legal Officer’s budget.
• Provides legal advice to the Chief Justice, Justices, Administrative Director, Deputy Administrative Directors, managers, supervisors, and employees to ensure compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.
• Consults with managers and supervisors on various programs, policies, and regulations.
• Addresses legal issues impacting the Court or Ohio judicial branch by researching statutes, judicial decisions, and rules; drafting advisory opinions; and preparing legal memoranda and reports.
• Oversee public records requests and manage public records policies and procedures across the offices of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
• Reviews, prepares, and coordinates intergovernmental agreements, grant agreements, and contracts; advises staff on legal risks, terms, and conditions.
• Provides reference materials and training for judges and judicial branch employees.
• Directly supervises the Reporter of Decisions; Clerk of the Court; Director, Legal Resources; Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Legal and Government Affairs; Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Policy and Rulemaking; and Judicial Assignment Analyst.
• Overseeing recruitment and onboarding processes, providing coaching and feedback to team members, managing performance issues, conducting performance evaluations, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment to ensure team success.

Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS ) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation )

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree