(a) The Attorney General may not employ special counsel in any case except pursuant to either of the following:
(1) Article 3 (commencing with Section 12540).
(2) Article 4 (commencing with Section 12550).
(b) Subdivision (a) does not affect the right of the Attorney General to employ counsel to represent, or to assist in the representation of, a state agency as defined in Section 11000, including the Attorney General or the Department of Justice, or to represent a state employee if that representation meets any of the standards set forth in paragraph (3), (5), (7), (8), (9), or (10) of subdivision (b) of Section 19130.