The commission shall appoint a chief counsel. The responsibilities and duties of the chief counsel shall be defined by the commission and shall include the overall supervision of the workings of the various divisions of the commission. The chief counsel shall be qualified for his or her position, shall have been licensed to practice law in the State of Nebraska for at least five years prior to the effective date of the appointment, and shall be experienced in the practice of criminal defense, including the defense of capital cases. The chief counsel shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The salary of the chief counsel shall be set by the commission.