SC Supreme Court Commission on CLE and Specialization
Application
Details
Posted: 24-May-23
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Attorney
Required Education:
Juris Doctor
The SC Supreme Court Commission on CLE and Specialization is currently seeking a highly qualified attorney to join its collaborative team as the Specialization Coordinator. Under the direct supervision of the Executive Director, the position will involve working in a dynamic office that administers the SC Supreme Court’s Continuing Legal Education and Specialization Programs. The ideal candidate will have experience or familiarity with the operations of the SC Judicial Branch. The Specialization Coordinator manages the daily operation of the Specialization Program to include the SC Supreme Court’s specializations and the approved specializations of Independent Certifying Organizations (ICOs). The Commission has six (6) permanent staff members, and seasonal temporary staff as needed.
Key Duties
Review, verify, and process applications and fees from attorneys seeking specialization certification and recertification in the SC Supreme Court’s specialization programs; draft Court Orders and correspondence
Track certification timelines to ensure specialists make application for recertification in a timely manner. Issue recertification materials to specialists six (6) months prior to the date their current 5-year certification period expires
Assist the Specialization Advisory Boards and the Executive Director in the preparation, administration, and grading of specialization examinations. Responsible for coordinating with the chairs and members of the Specialization Advisory Boards for the preparation and finalization of each specialization written examination
Assist the Executive Director in preparing and distributing written materials for the annual Specialization Advisory Board meetings. Prepares detailed CLE compliance charts for original certification applicants
Advise and assist certified specialists as to the CLE specialty credit hours needed to establish annual CLE compliance and recertification compliance; assists prospective specialists with the CLE specialty credit requirements for original certification
Prepare, process, and verify receipt of Annual Statements for specialists. Assess all Annual Statements for adherence to the regulations for legal specialization. Report any irregularities to the Executive Director and conduct follow-up with specialists as appropriate
Enter, maintain, and update lawyers’ specialization status in the membership computer system; Enter and update data regarding original certification and recertification dates; Enter attendance records for specialists who have obtained specialty CLE credit; Maintain and update the specialists’ annual specialty CLE records to ensure compliance with the five-year recertification CLE requirements
During the compliance reporting period, provide comprehensive administrative assistance to include processing the annual compliance reports and payments; answering telephone calls; contacting non-compliant Bar members to provide detailed assistance to establish compliance
Assist the Accreditation Coordinator with evaluating continuing legal education courses for specialty credit
Assist the Assistant Director, Computer Programmer, and Accreditation Coordinator to generate, test, and review interim and final CLE compliance reports for certified specialists, including those certified by ICOs
All phases of management of independent certifying organizations: Serve as the primary contact for ICOs; Manage the application process for ICOs seeking approval from the Commission and those seeking renewal of their approval; Assess ICO applicants’ compliance with applicable regulations and report the evaluation of ICO applications to the Executive Director; Maintain membership directories of the SC attorneys licensed as specialists by ICOs approved by the Commission; Invoice ICOs for authorization and triennial approval fees
Other duties as assigned
Education & Qualifications
A law degree and a license in good standing to practice law
Minimum of 2 (two) years’ experience in a law office or law-related organization
Required skills
Excellent professional communication skills and strong writing skills
Strong intellectual ability and interpersonal skills
Proficient computer skills that include all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Adobe/Acrobat and SQL
About SC Supreme Court Commission on CLE and Specialization
The SC Supreme Court Commission on CLE and Specialization (Commission) is a small group of dedicated professionals who work together as a team in a highly effective and collegial fashion. The Commission is a regulatory body of the SC Supreme Court having general jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) for all South Carolina lawyers and judges. The Commission also has jurisdiction over all matters related to attorney specialization certification. The Commission is not a state government agency.
Subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the SC Supreme Court, the Commission directs a staff headed by an Executive Director. The Commission staff administers the MCLE program, accredits all CLE courses, maintains the individual MCLE records for all Bar members, processes and has oversight responsibility over the mandatory annual compliance reports filed by SC Bar members including the certified specialists, and the judiciary. Additionally, the Commission administers the SC Supreme Court’s legal specialization certification programs in each of its areas of specialization and has jurisdiction over all issues related to attorney specialization in South Carolina.
