Assistant Attorney General

Job Description - Assistant Attorney General
- Criminal Justice Habeas Corpus Unit )

Assistant Attorney General
- Criminal Justice Habeas Corpus Unit )

Attorney General

Agency Contact Name and Information: Kelly Smith, kelly.smith

Unposting Date: Feb 27, 2026, 4:59:00 AM

Primary

Location:

United States of America-OHIO-Franklin County-Columbus

Compensation: commensurate with experience

Schedule: Full-time;

Work Hours:

8:00am-5:00pm;
Union:
Exempt from Union

Attorney/Legal;
Technical

Skills:

Attorney/Legal;
Professional

Skills:

Attention to Detail, Collaboration, Negotiation, Strategic Thinking, Verbal Communication, Written Communication

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has played a vital role in shaping Ohio’s past and present and the work it does today helps chart the state’s future. The office consists of nearly 30 distinct sections that advocate for consumers and victims of crime, assist the criminal justice community, provide legal counsel for state offices and agencies, and enforce certain state laws.

In these and other capacities, staff members interact with tens of thousands of Ohioans each year.

This position is a repost. Individuals who applied to the original posting, 2600000M/26-01-002 do not need to reapply in order to be considered.

The Criminal Justice Section, Habeas Corpus Unit is seeking an Assistant Attorney General who ideally has at least 5 years of practice experience, with a preference for appellate practice experience. Prosecutorial experience is preferred. The successful candidate will have excellent legal research and writing skills and excel in appellate advocacy. The successful candidate will have sufficient experience and judgment to eventually function independently in a supervised relationship.

This position will work a hybrid in-person/remote schedule. There may be changes to this schedule based on training and operational needs. The headquarter location is our Columbus, OH Office.

Duties include:

representing the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in responding to habeas petitions filed in state court pursuant to R.C. 2725 and federal court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2244 and 28 U.S.C. 2254 and defending against claims of unlawful detention.

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.

- Licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio pursuant to Section 4705.01 of the Ohio Revised Code

- 5 years of practice experience, with a preference for appellate practice

Attorney/Legal, Collaboration, Attention to Detail, Strategic Thinking, Verbal and Written Communication, Negotiation

The Attorney General’s Office is a dynamic organization that offers career opportunities across many different disciplines to people from all backgrounds and experiences. We do not discriminate in any way. All people are equal under the law, and it is so at the AGO. This is a workplace where talent gains you entry and performance determines your career path. Staff can join and lead employee resource groups and participate in online or in-person events to learn about the experiences of others.

Employees of the Attorney General's Office must have been in their current positions for at least 12 months in order to…