Assistant General Counsel for Health Promotion ...

Closing Date: 4th June, 2026

Description:

Job Responsibilities:
Careers at DPH: Work that makes a difference!

Embracing Service, Inspiring Innovation, Promoting Teamwork, Pursuing Excellence, and Advancing Equity

At the South Carolina Department of Public Health (“DPH”) , you will do meaningful work contributing to our mission to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of everyone in South Carolina.

Consider joining the DPH Office of General Counsel (“OGC”), where you will have the opportunity to work in a collaborative and supportive environment where people come first, where we encourage a healthy work-life balance, and where you will become part of a dedicated team of attorneys who advise the state's first stand-alone public health agency in 50 years.

Under the supervision of the agency's Chief Counsel for Health Promotion and Services (HPS), the attorney will provide legal advice and support to all HPS programs. This role involves working closely with program directors and staff engaged in specialized areas of health care delivery and public health initiatives. The attorney will assist with the promulgation of regulations and advise HPS staff on state and federal health privacy, statutory, and regulatory matters, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).

The attorney will conduct complex legal research and prepare legal opinions and memoranda. They will also participate in public speaking engagements by creating and delivering educational and informational presentations both within and outside the Department. Additional responsibilities include supporting the development of Department policies, procedures, training, and compliance efforts; drafting and reviewing contracts prior to release; and representing the agency and its HPS programs in meetings, negotiations, and responses to inquiries from the public, community stakeholders, and opposing legal counsel.

On a limited basis, the attorney may represent the agency and its HPS programs in litigation before probate, family, state, administrative, and federal courts. The position also requires participation in the agency's Incident Command Structure during emergencies, as needed. The attorney will review and advise HPS programs on changes in statutory law, regulations, significant case law, and agency policy. They will draft, review, and revise legal documents to ensure accuracy, proper content, and appropriate form and grammar. Any candidate hired for this position will also be responsible for providing legal support for complex and highly sensitive public health investigations and interventions.

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:

• Have at least five (5) years of experience as a practicing attorney (which may include judicial clerkships);
• Possess a Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school;
• Be a member in good standing of the South Carolina Bar;
• Possess and maintain a valid driver's license; and
• Have completed trial experiences as required by Rule 403; S.C. Appellate Court Rules.

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 a strong working knowledge of the laws of South Carolina, with the ability to explain legal issues in simple, direct, and easily understandable terms;
• Possess strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work in a team environment and interact professionally and collaboratively with all levels of internal staff, courts, opposing counsel, government agencies, entities, and the public;
• Demonstrate strong legal writing skills (a résumé legal writing sample must be submitted with your application);
• Possess strong organizational skills; and
• Possess a commitment to professionalism, ethics, and public service.

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. Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in public health law, education in public health-related curriculum, or training and experience in healthcare compliance or a health-related industry.
• Experience with the state process for regulation promulgation.
• Experience in litigation.

Additional Comments:
EEO: The Department of Public Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.

Reasonable Accommodation: Applicants needing accommodation for medical reasons or a sincerely held religious belief may submit a request for accommodation. A reasonable accommodation may be granted if it doesn't impose an undue hardship or pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others.

State Disaster Plan: In accordance with the State's Disaster Plan, which includes hazardous weather, Department of Public Health employees may be required to work in times of an emergency or disaster.

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.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health offers an exceptional benefits package for FTE positions that includes:

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