Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Policy & Rulemaking

Closing Date: 12th November, 2025

Description:

The Supreme Court of Ohio is seeking to fill the position of Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Policy and Rulemaking in the Office of the Chief Legal Officer. The Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Policy and Rulemaking provides legal and policy counsel for the Supreme Court of Ohio, focusing on administrative policy and rulemaking. The role supports the Chief Legal Officer in managing the full lifecycle of policy and rule amendments, ensuring proposals are legally sound and aligned with Court priorities. The role also serves as the Court's lead authority on rulemaking, serves as liaison to the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence, the offices of Building Services, Court Security, Law Library, Human Resources, and Information Technology, and handles special assignments from the Administrative Director, Chief Justice, and Justices. In the Chief Legal Officer's absence, this role ensures continuity of administrative policy and rulemaking operations.

Job Description:
What You'll Do:

• Strategic Planning and Leadership: Partners with the Chief Legal Officer to shape the strategic direction of the Office by contributing to long-term planning, aligning initiatives with organizational goals, and identifying emerging. Provides organizational leadership for Office projects, establishing goals, priorities, and managing strategic plans in collaboration with staff. Performs the duties of the Chief Legal Officer in the Chief Legal Officer's absence related to all Office responsibilities.
• Office Management: Manages and leads assigned staff; develops and executes office goals and objectives; collaborates with internal and external leaders to align efforts with long-term Court priorities. Assists the Chief Legal Officer with overall office management and operations, ensuring activities align with administrative, policy, and financial guidelines.
• Legal Advice: Provides legal and policy counsel to the Chief Justice, Justices, Court leadership and staff regarding a wide variety of programs, policies, and regulations. Collaborates with other Supreme Court policy, legal, and research personnel.
• Legal Research & Analysis: Researches, analyzes, appraises, and interprets laws, court decisions, rulings, advisory opinions, regulations, statutes, and pending legislation to determine an appropriate outcome. Drafts advisory opinions, memoranda, and reports on legal issues affecting the Court.
• Public Records: Reviews, prepares, and coordinates public records requests; updates policies and procedures.
• Judicial Assignment Function: Supervises the Judicial Assignment Analyst who oversees administrative operation of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court's Judicial Assignment Program.
• Agreements & Contracts: Reviews and coordinates intergovernmental agreements, grants, and contracts; advises on legal risks and terms.
• Training & Education: Researches and prepares reference materials and provides training for judges and quasi-judicial employees. Presents to judges, judicial branch personnel, peers and colleagues at educational events.
• Liaison: Serves as staff liaison and backup counsel to Court advisory bodies, including rule commissions and the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence. Serves as OCLO liaison to various Supreme Court offices.
• Rule Drafting & Counsel: Provides legal counsel and rule drafting for Supreme Court advisory bodies.
• Procurement Policy: Assists with the implementation of Supreme Court procurement-policy requirements; prepares, evaluates, recommends, and coordinates a variety of intergovernmental agreements, grant agreements, and contracts in accordance with policy; and advises staff on status, legal risks, and proper terms and conditions.
• Personnel Policy: Assists with the implementation of Supreme Court personnel policy requirements and compliance with federal and state employment laws, including the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Policy Development: Serve as lead drafter and coordinator for all administrative policy and rule amendments submitted to the Court. Prepares and presents proposed amendments for Administrative Conference.
• Communication and Documentation: Oversees the dissemination and implementation of approved amendments to rules and policies, including updates to CenterSource, internal binders, and staff communications. Maintain comprehensive records of all policy and rule changes, including historical versions and approval documentation.
• Legislation: Assists with preparing, drafting, analyzing, monitoring, and implementing legislation.
• Compliance: Ensures compliance with Court rules, procurement, personnel policies, and federal laws (e.g., ADA, FLSA, FMLA).
• Consultation: Advises managers and Court personnel on programs, policies, and regulations. Serves as liaison to the offices of Building Services, Court Security, Law Library, Human Resources, and Information Technology
• Project Management: Provides organizational leadership for Office projects, establishing goals, priorities, and managing strategic plans in collaboration with staff. Conducts special projects as assigned by the Chief Justice, Administrative Director, Deputy Administrative Directors, or Chief Legal Officer. Leads cross-functional project teams.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position directly supervises the Judicial Assignment Analyst and Legal Analyst. As a supervisor, this position is responsible for 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.

Why Work for the State of Ohio
At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• 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)
• Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Qualifications:
What We're Looking For…
Qualifications & Experience:
Requires a JD degree, admittance to the bar and in good standing. Juris Doctor from an accredited law school required. At all times during employment with the Court, must be an attorney properly admitted to the practice of law, be in active and in good standing. This is typically acquired through a minimum of seven years of legal experience directly related legal experience in the public or private sector.

Competencies:

• Legal Knowledge (Advanced): Demonstrates deep legal expertise and strategic thinking. Leads complex legal analysis, influences policy, and mentors others in legal reasoning and compliance.
• Judgement: Ability to make sound decisions based on evaluating information.
• Advisory Skills: Ability to offer practical recommendations based on knowledge and experience to improve operations, processes, or strategies.
• Communication: Demonstrates exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively.
• Legal Research: Proficiency in analyzing statutes, case law, and regulations.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to assess complex issues logically.
• Problem Solving: Ability to troubleshoot, think critically, and solve issues independently.
• Policy & Legal Drafting: Ability to draft policies, rules, legislation, public records procedures, and contracts; knowledge of court procedural operations.
• Independence and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or part of a team.
• Work Under Pressure: Capable of working under pressure with professionalism, discretion, patience, and confidentiality.
• Interpersonal Skills: Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations.

Physical Requirements:
This position operates in a professional office environment. Occasional travel on Court business may be required. This role routinely uses standard office equipment, including but not limited to computers and phones. Primarily a sedentary role; this position requires the ability to lift files and documents and involves constant operation of computer or other office equipment. Regular duties include communicating and exchanging information, as well as moving about the office and building as needed.

Court Expectations of Employee
In completing the duties and responsibilit

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