Introduction
Are you an Attorney looking to advance your career by making a difference in the public sector, working in the field of regulated public utilities?
If so, we invite you to discover this unique opportunity with the State of Connecticut!
Position Highlights
- The incumbent will work out of PURA's
headquarters at Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT within the Adjudications
Unit.
- This position is 40 hours per week, generally
Monday through Friday, but must be flexible based on the agency's need.
- PURA's attorneys are involved in almost every aspect of PURA’s regulatory mission which is focused on advancing the state’s energy, economic, and environmental goals. Staff attorneys provide legal advice to commissioners and staff, act as hearing officers, conduct complex legal research, and draft, edit and review decisions issued by PURA.
- After completion of three (3) years of successful and
satisfactory performance as a Staff Attorney 2 in the same agency, an incumbent
will be moved to the Staff Attorney 3 classification (on the first pay period following
the completion of the three (3) year requirement).
State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes:
- NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
- Sick and personal leave.
- We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.
Discover the opportunity to:
- To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- Engage in a rewarding career.
- Assist our employees so they can achieve success.
- Make a difference in the public sector.
- Work together in a collaborative team environment.
About Us
At DEEP, we are dedicated to conserving, improving and protecting our natural resources and the environment as well as increasing the availability of cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy.
PURA is statutorily charged with ensuring that Connecticut's investor-owned utilities, including the state’s electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies, provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable utility service and infrastructure. PURA’s mission is essential to advancing the state’s energy, economic, and environmental goals and is critical to maintaining public health and safety as well as a robust economy.
PURA is a quasi-judicial agency that interprets and applies the statutes and regulations governing all aspects of Connecticut’s utility sector. Among other things, PURA sets the rates charged by investor-owned utilities, advances the modernization of the electric distribution system, regulates the retail electric supplier market, implements federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety, ensures adequate water system infrastructure investments, reviews mergers and acquisitions, provides education and outreach for consumers, and regulates the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure.
To learn more about working for the State of Connecticut, please watch this video below:
Selection Plan
Before you apply, make note of the following:
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
- All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
Important information for after you apply:
- This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
- Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
- Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
Questions about this position should be directed to Nick Naples via email at Nicholas.Naples@ct.gov.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In a state agency this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in the legal work of the agency.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Performs advanced and complex legal work of an agency; researches, interprets, analyzes and applies complex and conflicting laws and regulations, case law and legal principles; acts as hearing officer or represents agency in formal administrative and public proceedings on a full range of cases involving complex legal and technical issues; negotiates and drafts settlement agreements; drafts advisory opinions, rulings, decisions, recommendations, findings, legislation, statutes, regulations, publications and other related legal documents; assists in the preparation and presentation of trials and appeals; consults with the Office of the Attorney General on legal issues; researches complex legal issues; conducts investigations and enforcement proceedings; prepares comprehensive reports for use in administrative and court proceedings; prepares pleadings and other court papers; interprets and applies complex or conflicting laws and regulations, case law and legal principles; participates in the conduct of various educational activities; provides legal guidance when duly authorized; provides input into policy formation; may testify at or monitor legislative proceedings; may represent agency in court when authorized; reviews court decisions, new and proposed laws and regulations to determine impact on agency operations; prepares and maintains precedent manuals; reviews legal and other related documents for legal sufficiency; performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
Considerable knowledge of legal principles, practices and procedures in Connecticut; considerable knowledge of legal research techniques; considerable knowledge of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act; considerable knowledge of and the ability to interpret and apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes, regulations and legislation; considerable knowledge of relevant agency policies and procedures; knowledge of the rules of evidence; knowledge of criminal and constitutional law and legislative process; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable ability to apply judicial decisions to the interpretation of statutes; considerable ability to comprehend, analyze and organize technical data and coordinate elements of legal cases.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
STAFF ATTORNEY 2: Two (2) years of experience in the practice of law.
STAFF ATTORNEY 3: Three (3) years of experience in the practice of law at the level of Staff Attorney 2 in the same state agency.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience or college-level
coursework in economics, accounting, or finance;
- Experience or college-level coursework in utility or energy law;
- Experience practicing with or before an administrative or regulatory agency;
- Experience writing memoranda of law or legal briefs for judicial or
administrative proceedings;
- Experience writing decisions, rulings, or opinions for judicial or
administrative proceedings;
- Experience providing oral arguments in judicial or administrative
proceedings;
- Experience conducting discovery and motion practice in judicial or
administrative proceedings;
- Experience managing two or more cases or proceedings simultaneously;
- Experience responding to Freedom of Information Act requests;
- Experience conducting and updating legal research using commercial databases;
- Experience with Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, SharePoint and
Teams.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Must be admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut.
2. May be required to travel.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.