Legal Counsel-State Hospitals

Important Recruitment Information for this vacancy

• Job Posting closes: Open until Filled
• Required documents uploaded by: All required documents listed below must be attached to your application within 2 days of applying for your application to be considered complete.

Agency Information:

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

Protecting Kansans, Promoting Recovery and Supporting Self Sufficiency

https://www.kdads.ks.gov/

About the Position

Who can apply: Anyone

Classified/Unclassified Service: Unclassified

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Work Schedule: M-F

Eligible to Receive Benefits: Yes

Veterans' Preference Eligible: Yes

Disability Preference Eligible: Yes

Search Keywords: Legal Counsel State Hospitals

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  Salary can vary depending upon education, experience, or qualifications.

Employment Benefits

Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage

Sick & Vacation leave

Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave

Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)

Fitness Centers in select locations

Employee discounts with the STAR Program

Retirement and deferred compensation programs

Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information…

Position Summary & Responsibilities

Position Summary:

This position exists to provide legal counsel and advice to the Secretary, the agency, and agency personnel and to provide defense to the agency and its administration of programs in all types of litigation. This position is assigned primarily to provide counsel and advice to Osawatomie State Hospital, Larned State Hospital, Kansas Neurological Institute, Parsons State Hospital, and South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital.

Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

Legal Advice and Counsel:

The incumbent provides and supervises the provision of legal advice to hospital superintendents and administrators of the programs at the state hospitals. Confers with agency, commissioners, directors, and others in investigating and researching factual and legal disputes related to the administration of the state psychiatric hospitals. Counsels and advises agency personnel on the status of the law with regard to their duties, obligations and potential liabilities. Identifies legal issues that require or would benefit from review by or assignment to other legal division attorney staff. Coordinates case and issue assignments of hospital legal workflow including but not limited to the state security program, sexual predator treatment program and psychiatric services programs at Larned State Hospital to ensure all deadlines and external expectations by Agency partners including courts, law enforcement, prosecutors, corrections, patient’s legal counsel, CMHCs and others are timely met. Duties may also include training programs for agency personnel concerning legal matters, providing written memorandums, conducting legal research, attending meetings as assigned by the KDADS Chief Counsel in an advisory capacity, and similar duties to further the work of the agency. Areas of concentration may include risk management, interpretation of hospital and program policies. Reviews, drafts and updates hospital policies and procedures as assigned or as advisable based on rulings, legal precedents, or enactments as encountered in performing other job functions. The work product is reviewed by KDADS Chief Counsel for results and the attorney may be given wide latitude as to how the task assignments are completed. Travel might also be included.

Administrative, General, Litigation

The attorney represents KDADS before administrative law judges and boards, state appeals committee, district courts, and appellate courts. Conducts and completes legal research related to cases or issues involving the Agency. Mentors and assists other legal counsel as directed by Chief Counsel with the following: drafts and correspondence, pleadings, petitions, answers, motions, briefs, reviews documents, interviews witnesses, conducts depositions, completes discovery, and attends hearings and trials. Cases assigned vary widely and range in difficulty from simple to complex. Case types may include care and treatment, guardianship, sexual predator treatment program, Medicaid waiver fair hearings, abuse, neglect and exploitation, licensure revocations, penalty enforcement, civil service and other litigation including appellate work. The attorney exercises independent professional judgment in the processing of assigned cases. This includes decisions concerning the various aspects of litigation such as prehearing or pretrial tactics, negotiations, fact stipulations, recommendations concerning settlement offers, and recommendations whether to appeal adverse decisions. Cases may be assigned to the attorney specifically, or as a member of a team. Team leadership will vary from case to case. The attorney has contact with agency staff, private attorneys, administrative law judges, district judges and staff during the course of processing assigned cases. The work product is reviewed by KDADS Chief Counsel for results and the attorney may be given wide latitude as to how the task assignments are completed. Travel might also be included.

Special Tasks as Assigned:

Completes special tasks as assigned by the KDADS Chief Counsel, including appointment to special project teams.

Minimum Requirements:

• Law degree in good standing is required with at least 3 years litigation experience.
• Travel required.

Preferred:

• Individual with experience with cases involving care and treatment, guardianship, criminal commitment for mental health evaluation and or treatment.
• Civil litigation trial experience, including drafting and arguing motions in State and Federal courts.
• Prefer individual with above average judgment, positive attitude, detail oriented with a good command of grammar, writing and proofreading skills, communication skills, adaptability, flexibility, and assertiveness.

Recruiter Contact Information

KDADS – Human Resources Recruiter

503 S. Kansas Ave

Topeka, KS 66603

Phone: 785-296-0463

Fax: 785-368-6688

Email: KDADS.APPLY@ks.gov

Job Application Process

First Sign in or register as a New User.

Complete or update your contact information on the Careers> My Contact Information page. *This information is included on all your job applications.

Upload required documents listed below for the Careers> My Job Applications page. *This information is included on all your job applications.

Start your draft job application, upload other required documents, and Submit when it is complete.

Manage your draft and submitted applications on the Careers> My Job Applications page.

Check your email and My Job Notifications for written communications from the Recruiter.

Email – sent to the Preferred email on the My Contact Information page

Notifications – view the Careers> My Job Notifications page

Helpful Resources at jobs.ks.gov: “How to Apply for a Job – Instructions” and “How to Search for a Job – Instructions"

Required Documents for this Application to be Complete

Upload these on the Careers - My Job Applications page

• Transcripts
• DD214 (if you are claiming Veteran’s Preference)

Upload these on the Attachments step in your Job Application

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Helpful Resources at jobs.ks.gov: “How, What, & Where do I Upload Documents”

How to Claim Veterans Preference

Veterans' Preference Eligible (VPE): Former military personnel or their spouse that have been verified as a "veteran"; under K.S.A. 73-201 will receive an interview if they meet the minimum competency factors of the position. The veterans' preference laws do not guarantee the veteran a job. Positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determine by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Veteran’s Preference

How to Claim Disability Hiring Preference

Applicants that have physical, cognitive and/or mental disabilities may claim an employment preference when applying for positions. If they are qualified to meet the performance standards of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, they will receive an interview for the position. The preference does not guarantee an applicant the job, as positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determined by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Disability Hiring Preference

PLEASE NOTE: The documentation verifying a person's eligibility for use of this preference should not be sent along with other application materials to the hiring agency but should be sent directly to OPS. These documents should be sent either by fax to (785)296-7712, scanned and emailed to Gustavo.Victoriano@ks.gov, or can be mailed/delivered in person to:

ATTN: Disability Hiring Preference Coordinator
Office of Personnel Services
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson, Rm 401
Topeka, KS 66612

Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of Kansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential elements that create and foster a welcoming workplace. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, political affiliation, disability or any other factor unrelated to the essential functions of the job.

If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request an accommodation, please address the request to the agency recruiter.