What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Legal Counsel [Deputy Director] position at Ohio Ethics Commission?
The Opportunity: As the Chief Legal Counsel, you will serve as the primary legal advisor to the Director, providing high-level counsel to Deputy Directors, Superintendents, and agency administrators. You will lead the Division of Legal Services and the Bureau of Records & Sentence Computation, ensuring that all agency operations, policies, and youth-related decisions are grounded in legal integrity and constitutional standards.
The Ideal Leader: We are seeking a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio with a proven track record of executive leadership and an unwavering commitment to the ethics of public service.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Legal Advisor
Job Skills: Attorney/Legal
Organization
Youth Services - Central Office
Agency Contact Name and Information
Kelly.East@dys.ohio.gov
Unposting Date
Apr 12, 2026, 11:59:00 PM
Work Location
William Green Building
Primary Location
United States of America-OHIO-Franklin County-Columbus
Compensation
Negotiable based on education/experience
Schedule
Full-time
Classified Indicator
Unclassified
Union
Exempt from Union
Primary Job Skill
Attorney/Legal
Technical Skills
Attorney/Legal
Professional Skills
Decision Making, Leading Others, Confidentiality
Agency Overview
JOIN OUR TEAM!
About Us…
Our mission at the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is to improve Ohio's future by habilitating youth and empowering families and communities. We believe that all youth will be given an opportunity to live up to their greatest potential and staff are our greatest resource.
DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.
Our Guiding Principles…
The Ideal Leader: We are seeking a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio with a proven track record of executive leadership and an unwavering commitment to the ethics of public service.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Legal Advisor
- Executive Counsel: Provide advice and counsel to the Director, executive leadership, and agency staff on legal, ethics, and operational matters; guide enterprise legal strategy; and serve as executive risk manager.
- External Liaison: Serve as the agency’s primary representative in legal matters with the Attorney General’s office, outside counsel, juvenile court judges, prosecutors and local law enforcement.
- Litigation Management: Oversee litigation in federal, state, and local courts, including supervising settlement negotiations for pending litigation.
- Regulatory Oversight: Interpret federal and state statutes to design, develop, and execute legal policy that aligns with agency goals.
- Chief Ethics Officer: In addition to providing advice and counsel to agency leadership and staff, DYS Chief Legal Counsel is responsible for facilitating agency’s compliance with the Ohio Ethics Laws (R.C. Chapter 102; 2921.42/2921.43) and acting as a liaison with the Ohio Ethics Commission.
- Juvenile Justice Research: Manage ongoing research into youth rights and juvenile justice legislation to ensure agency directives remain compliant with current laws.
- Constitutional Integrity: Monitor the delivery of legal services to youth committed to DYS to ensure all constitutional requirements are met.
- Sentence Computation: Direct the development and implementation of policies used for youth sentence calculations and respond to legal inquiries regarding release dates.
- Public Records Management: Oversee complex public records requests, ensuring compliance with Ohio law and managing required documentation.
- Chief Records Officer: Oversee agency records management and retention, including youth records.
Job Skills: Attorney/Legal
Organization
Youth Services - Central Office
Agency Contact Name and Information
Kelly.East@dys.ohio.gov
Unposting Date
Apr 12, 2026, 11:59:00 PM
Work Location
William Green Building
Primary Location
United States of America-OHIO-Franklin County-Columbus
Compensation
Negotiable based on education/experience
Schedule
Full-time
Classified Indicator
Unclassified
Union
Exempt from Union
Primary Job Skill
Attorney/Legal
Technical Skills
Attorney/Legal
Professional Skills
Decision Making, Leading Others, Confidentiality
Agency Overview
JOIN OUR TEAM!
About Us…
Our mission at the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is to improve Ohio's future by habilitating youth and empowering families and communities. We believe that all youth will be given an opportunity to live up to their greatest potential and staff are our greatest resource.
DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.
Our Guiding Principles…
- Demonstrate staff are our greatest resource
- Treat everyone with respect
- Cultivate a trauma responsive environment for staff and youth to thrive
- Provide the best support and services for youth and families
- Advance our culture of inclusion through understanding and appreciating staff and youth differences
- Commit to and encourage collaboration and continuous improvement to produce better outcomes for those we serve
- Celebrate collective successes and support one another through opportunities to improve