Staff Attorney 2

Hybrid

Recruitment # 240830-0088AR-001

Location New Britain, CT

Date Opened 9/4/2024 09:00:00 AM

Salary $99,570 - $127,418/year *Employees new to State service start at minimum of salary range

Job Type Open to the Public

Close Date 9/17/2024 11:59:00 PM

Go Back Apply View Benefits (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=Benefits)

• Introduction

  Are you an attorney who would like to make a difference in your career?

  If so, we invite you to check out this opportunity!

  The State of Connecticut (https://portal.ct.gov/) , Office of Consumer Counsel (https://portal.ct.gov/OCC) (OCC), has an exciting opportunity for a Staff Attorney 2 (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=0088AR&R1=&R3=) in our New Britain office.

  WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=Benefits) page!

• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 (https://portal.ct.gov/das/press-room/press-releases/2023/forbes-state-of-ct-ranked?language=en_US) - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.

• Professional growth and development opportunities.

• A healthy work/life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6n9M1Qd5fo) balance to all employees.

  POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• This is a full-time, 40 hours per week position. Schedule is Monday-Friday on first shift.

• The Staff Attorney 2 will have the opportunity to work on and participate in cases in both administrative and judicial settings, and to engage in policy advocacy and outreach to inform and educate state leaders and the public about complex energy sector issues.

• This position will support OCC’s core mission of advocating for fair and equitable electric, water, and gas utility rates and reliable, quality utility service before PURA and other venues, and will also more broadly support OCC's analytical, research, and policy advocacy work.

• Responsibilities of this position may include, but are not limited to: 

• 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; 

• 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, or resource procurements; 

• Providing legal guidance to the Consumer Counsel and managerial team; 

• Developing, reviewing, and providing opinion on state legislative proposals;

• Working with members of OCC on cutting edge policy initiatives at the state, regional and federal level; 

• Developing consumer information guides and public materials explaining utility regulation, energy rates and costs, and utility consumer protection issues;

• 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 (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=0089AR&R1=undefined&R3=undefined) 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.

  In addition to representing consumer interests before PURA and the courts, the OCC: 

• Participates in proceedings before federal agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); 

• Promotes the interests of consumers at the Connecticut legislature and in regional and national forums and conferences; 

• Serves as a voting member of New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), as the representative of Connecticut ratepayers.  

• Promotes and supports public transparency and understanding of complex regulatory and ratemaking concepts.

  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.

• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.

• For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69 (https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/act/pa/pdf/2021PA-00069-R00SB-00056-PA.pdf) , 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.

• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.

• 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 .

  FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING

• Please read (https://www.jobapscloud.com/ct/sup/applicanttips2023november.pdf) or watch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8sOb10qYXQ) our Applicant Tips on How to Apply .

  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.

• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.

• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=IT&preview=1) .

• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

  CONNECT WITH US

• Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Nick Naples 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;

• 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 regulatory proceedings or court, including oral advocacy on complex issues; 

• Experience with administrative agency processes and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act, including administrative hearings or administrative appeals; 

• Strong legal research and writing skills; 

• 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. 

• Ability to explain complex information to various and diverse audiences, orally and through written materials.

• Experience and interest in researching and analyzing policy issues related to energy, consumer protection, water, and telecommunications.

  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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