Deputy Section Chief, Criminal Appeals

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Richmond, VA

About The Position

Chief Objective: The Deputy Section Chief of the Criminal Appeals Section is responsible for assisting the Section Chief of the CAS in the direction, supervision and management of the conduct of the criminal appeals, habeas corpus proceedings, and other litigation assigned to CAS. The Section Chief and Deputy Section chief supervise approximately 50 lawyers and 13 secretaries. Among the attorneys, there are eleven Team Leaders. In addition, this position is responsible for determining the means, methods and standards of quality necessary to ensure the successful operation of a major legal section. Work Tasks and Duties: • Reviews on a daily basis (and modifies as necessary) drafts of briefs and selected major pleadings prepared by attorneys in CAS. 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. • Reviews new cases that come into the section. Assigns work within the Section, including appeals, habeas corpus litigation, 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. Assists and directs staff with case management duties. • Participates in interviews for hiring new attorneys and secretaries as needed, conducts reference checks and reviews hiring documents as required, prepares new hire forms and attorney move/promotion forms as required. • 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 eleven Team Leaders on a daily basis. Works with each Team Leader and other attorneys in the section to develop experience and abilities. Coordinates with team leaders to prepare training materials for new attorneys and existing attorneys as needed. • 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. • 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 forwarding to the Opinions Counsel. • 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. • Periodically assigns for review and evaluates requests of other states for amicus support in criminal cases before the United States Supreme Court. • Supervises the Senior Secretary of the Section on a daily basis regarding administrative and personnel matters of the Section. Also supervises the other eleven legal secretaries in the section. • 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 and secretaries in the CAS. • Assists Section Chief in preparation of periodic evaluations on all Team Leaders and a secretary 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 Division Deputy and the Section Chief on a regular basis concerning the status and operation of CAS. Informs the Division Deputy and Section Chief 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. • Acts as a gatekeeper to ensure an appropriate flow of decision-making issues to the Division Deputy and the Section Chief and makes final decisions on issues where appropriate. • Handles reduced 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.

Requirements

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.
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 supervisory and leadership skills
Prior Supervisory Experience
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.
Ability to maintain case files, records, and prepare reports and correspondence related to the work.
Computer literacy to include proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Worldox, LawBase, etc.
Virginia Bar license, Admitted in EDVA, WDVA, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Responsibilities

Reviews on a daily basis (and modifies as necessary) drafts of briefs and selected major pleadings prepared by attorneys in CAS.
Reviews new cases that come into the section.
Assigns work within the Section, including appeals, habeas corpus litigation, other post-conviction litigation and the myriad other tasks, to attorneys in the Section on a daily basis.
Participates in interviews for hiring new attorneys and secretaries as needed, conducts reference checks and reviews hiring documents as required, prepares new hire forms and attorney move/promotion forms as required.
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 eleven Team Leaders on a daily basis.
Monitors the performance of attorneys at oral argument in a representative number of appellate cases.
In consultation with the Deputy of Criminal Justice & Public Safety Division, assigns official opinions and “tracked letters” referred to CAS by the Deputy.
Frequently responds to informal telephone inquiries of prosecutors on criminal and appellate matters and assigns those throughout the section.
Periodically — as time permits — presents lectures on criminal law and procedure matters to prosecutors and other law enforcement entities in the Commonwealth.
Monitors the need for legislation relating to criminal and habeas corpus matters and the appellate process.
Periodically assigns for review and evaluates requests of other states for amicus support in criminal cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Supervises the Senior Secretary of the Section on a daily basis regarding administrative and personnel matters of the Section.
Reviews (and notes approval, as appropriate) requests for equipment and services for CAS before submission of those documents to the Deputy Attorney General.
Reviews (and notes approval, as appropriate) travel vouchers submitted by personnel of the Section.
Approves annual leave requests from Team Leaders and secretaries in the CAS.
Assists Section Chief in preparation of periodic evaluations on all Team Leaders and a secretary in the Section, and reviews other CAS evaluations.
Consults with the Division Deputy and the Section Chief on a regular basis concerning the status and operation of CAS.
Counsels CAS members on conduct and performance issues as needed.
Acts as a gatekeeper to ensure an appropriate flow of decision-making issues to the Division Deputy and the Section Chief and makes final decisions on issues where appropriate.
Handles reduced 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.