Executive Director Judicial Review Council

The State of Connecticut, Office of the Judicial Review Council is recruiting for their Executive Director position located at 505 Hudson Street in Hartford.  The part-time position of Executive Director is limited to 960 hours per year. The hours of work will vary weekly, depending on the number of complaints to be investigated, the administrative tasks to be performed, and the hearing schedule of the Council.  Office hours are 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday.

All applicants must include a resume within the "Resume Tab" of their application.  (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, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. State employees currently holding the above title or those who have previously attained permanent status in this class may apply for a lateral transfer.

Please ensure that your application is complete.  You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State of Connecticut.  Candidates who submit an untimely, incomplete or inaccurate application will not be considered for this employment opportunity. 

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Mitch Samal at mitchell.j.samal@ct.gov.  

This class is accountable for planning, directing and administering the day-to-day operations of the Judicial Review Council.

The Judicial Review Council is established by section 51-51k of the General Statutes and is responsible for receiving and investigating complaints against judges, workers' compensation commissioners, and family support magistrates involving conduct prohibited by statute or the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The Executive Director's duties are:

• plans and directs administrative operations on behalf of the Council
• reviews all initial complaints and prepares summary of documentation for submission to the Council
• investigates complaints about judges, workers' compensation commissioners and family support magistrates and presents evidence to the Council
• drafts letters, charges, notices and other documentation as directed by the Council
• prepares and presents evidence at hearings
• monitors legislative activity that may impact operations

More specifically, the position of Executive Director of the Judicial Review Council (hereinafter "Council") is filled through appointment by the Governor. It is currently funded for 960 hours per calendar year, with a pay rate of $50.00 an hour. The holder of the position must be a Connecticut attorney in good standing at the bar with sufficient courtroom experience, and a working familiarity with the Connecticut rules of evidence. The position of Executive Director requires competence in a variety of areas, especially ethics, law and legal procedure. It presumes familiarity with court procedure, the role of judges, legislative procedure, statutory interpretation, and various governmental functions. The Executive Director also oversees the administration of the Council's office at 505 Hudson Street in Hartford. This includes ensuring the required filing of administrative reports (budget, payroll, etc) to the oversight agencies, interacting with other state agencies, responding to phone calls and emails sent to the office, preparing the annual report of the Council, ensuring that complaints of misconduct, investigative reports, etc. are distributed in a timely manner to Council members, preparing the agenda for and attending the Council's monthly meetings, issuing the notice and response letters to complainants and judges, and other administrative tasks necessary to the running of an important government agency.

The Executive Director is assisted in these administrative tasks by a fulltime administrative assistant, the only other staff members for the Judicial Review Council. The Executive Director is solely responsible for the review and investigation of every complaint of judicial misconduct filed with the Council. The Executive Director must review, investigate and write an investigative report on each complaint, and present these reports to the Council at its monthly meetings. If the Council determines that a probable cause hearing is needed on a particular complaint, the Executive Director will prepare for the hearing on that particular case, including doing research and investigation, interviewing witnesses, and preparing the evidence gathered. The Executive Director conducts the prosecution of all hearings, including the examination and cross-examination of witnesses.

Considerable knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable knowledge of law and legal process, principals and practices, administrative law, constitutional law and rules of evidence; considerable knowledge of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act; knowledge of and ability to apply management and business principals and techniques; knowledge of the legislative process; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills.

Ten (10) years of experience in the practice of law trying cases in all Connecticut courts. Note: No incumbent can be affiliated with any law firm that currently practices or could practice before Connecticut courts.

• Licensed attorney with the Connecticut bar, who will not otherwise be engaged in the practice of law
• Familiarity with Connecticut court procedures and the role of judges
• Experience with prosecutions, trials, and/or administrative hearings
• Understanding of legal ethics and familiarity with legal codes of conduct for judges and attorneys
• Legal research and writing skill
• Administrative or supervisory experience

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.