(1) Any assistant district attorney general who has prior experience as an assistant district attorney, a district attorney general, a criminal investigator for the district attorneys general, a United States attorney, an assistant United States attorney, an assistant attorney general representing the state in criminal litigation, an elected judge of a court with criminal jurisdiction, an attorney that served as a law clerk for an appellate or trial judge of a court with criminal jurisdiction, a district public defender, an assistant district public defender, or one who as a commissioned officer worked as a military attorney in the field of criminal prosecution while on full-time active duty in the judge advocate general's corps of any of the armed services of the United States, shall be eligible to receive year-for-year credit upon the recommendation of the hiring district attorney general, and subject to the approval of the executive committee of the Tennessee district attorneys general conference.
(2) The executive director of the Tennessee district attorneys general conference may certify prior service credits for prior practice of law but not exceeding the assistant's experience as a licensed practicing attorney and, in no case, shall year-for-year credit exceed twelve (12) years.