STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Staff Attorney 2

Recruitment #240205-0088AR-001

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Introduction


Are you an attorney seeking to make a difference in state service? If so, read below and apply today!

 The State of Connecticut, Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), has an exciting opportunity for a Staff Attorney 2 in our New Britain office.

The Staff Attorney 2 will have the opportunity to work on and participate in cases in both administrative and judicial settings. As an attorney in an independent state agency this includes the potential to litigate cases in state and/or federal appellate courts. OCC has had an extensive litigation docket representing the interests of consumers in appeals of PURA decisions, including four Connecticut Supreme Court cases in the past year. 

This position will primarily focus on OCC's litigation work, as well as supporting OCC’s core mission of advocating for fair and equitable electric, water, and gas utility rates and reliable, quality utility service before PURA.  

This position is full time on first shift, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
In addition, the State puts an emphasis on:
  • Providing limitless opportunities;
  • Hiring for diversity and fresh perspectives;
  • Performing meaningful work and;
  • Encouraging a healthy work/life balance!
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS
Responsibilities of the Staff Attorney 2 may include:
  • Working and participating in cases in administrative and judicial settings, including the opportunity to serve as lead counsel on matters involving a variety of advanced and complex legal issues related to OCC's statutory responsibilities;
  • Representing the OCC in regional and national forums on issues of reliability, resiliency, and energy planning;
  • Serving as a team member of a small, highly-skilled staff dedicated to the mission of consumer advocacy;
  • Working independently and creatively to solve complex problems;
  • Corresponding with subject-matter experts on contested and uncontested matters;
  • Collaborating with the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, and other state agencies on legal issues, policy development, deployment of federal and state funding, or resource procurements;
  • Providing legal guidance to the Consumer Counsel;
  • Litigating, and negotiating and drafting settlements related to multimillion dollar utility issues;
  • Developing, reviewing, and providing opinion on legislative proposals;
  • Working with members of OCC and represent OCC before the legislature and other state and federal agencies or entities on cutting edge policy initiatives;
  • Other related duties as deemed necessary.

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 three (3) year requirement).

ABOUT US
The OCC is an independent State agency that acts as the advocate for consumer interest in matters which may affect Connecticut consumers relating to electricity, natural gas, water, and telecommunications. The OCC works on cutting edge energy policy issues as the voice of the consumer. We are a statutory party to all proceedings before the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and are authorized to appear and participate in any regulatory or judicial proceedings, federal or state, in which the interests of Connecticut utility consumers may be involved. Appellate litigation to protect consumer interests in regulatory proceedings has become a growing and critical part of OCC's mission.

In addition to representing consumer interests before PURA, the OCC:
  • Participates in proceedings before federal agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); and
  • Promotes the interests of consumers at the Connecticut legislature and in regional and national forums and conferences. 
The OCC serves as a voting member of New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), as the representative of Connecticut ratepayers. 

Our work covers a wide range of topics, including:
  • Energy infrastructure (e.g., electric transmission lines, non-wires alternatives)
  • Renewable energy, distributed generation, and grid modernization
  • Energy efficiency and demand response
  • Wholesale and retail electric and gas markets and rates
  • Water rates, infrastructure, and resource planning
  • Utility service quality and storm response
  • Electric vehicles and energy storage
  • Telecommunications service, service quality, and infrastructure, broadband access, and telecommunications policy

             

Selection Plan

TO APPLY
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this 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 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.
For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from branch to branch but it does not impact your state service credit.

For technical questions regarding the filling of your application, please contact Benjamin Beaudry at Benjamin.Beaudry@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; 
  • 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; 
  • May testify at or monitor legislative proceedings; 
  • May represent agency in court when authorized; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • legal principles, practices and procedures in Connecticut; 
    • legal research techniques; 
    • the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act; 
    • and the ability to interpret and apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes, regulations and legislation; 
    • relevant agency policies and procedures; 
  • Knowledge of
    • the rules of evidence; 
    • criminal and constitutional law and legislative process; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills; 
  • Considerable ability to
    • apply judicial decisions to the interpretation of statutes; 
    • comprehend, analyze and organize technical data and coordinate elements of legal cases.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of experience in the practice of law.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience in appellate litigation;
  • Experience in court, including oral advocacy on complex issues;
  • Experience with administrative agency processes and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act, including administrative hearings or administrative appeals;
  • Experience with legal research and writing;
  • Experience interpreting and applying state and/or federal laws;
  • Experience with one or more of the following: energy, natural gas, water, telecommunications, utility, finance, economics, environmental, or other related technical field;
  • Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team setting, including with technical experts.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class must be admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut.
  • Incumbents in this class 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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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