Job Description
Who We Are:
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is the state agency responsible for overseeing investor-owned electric power, natural gas, and water companies in Massachusetts, regulating the safety of bus companies, moving companies, and transportation network companies and overseeing the safety of natural gas pipelines.
Who We Serve:
Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to combine energy and environmental agencies under one Cabinet secretary. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) serves Commonwealth residents interested in outdoor recreational activities, clean energy solutions and those who work with animals and livestock. Equally, EOEEA works with energy consumers, power companies, clean energy providers and farmers to delicately balance the interaction with environmental protection laws and regulations while being a cornerstone for our economic prosperity.
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Job Opening:
The Department of Public Utilities seeks applicants for a Deputy General Counsel to perform the following duties:
Position Overview:
The primary purpose of the position of Deputy General Counsel is to assist the General Counsel in managing all legal and policy matters affecting an agency of over 200 persons. The Deputy General Counsel will work closely with the following Divisions of the Department: Electric Power, Legal, Natural Gas, Rates and Revenue Requirements, Regional and Federal Affairs, and Siting. The technical staff includes attorneys, engineers, inspectors, economists, accountants, and analysts. The Deputy General Counsel assists the General Counsel in developing policy, assisting in the review of cases, and managing the Legal Division. As assigned by the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel conducts final legal review of cases prior to Commission review, and the Deputy General Counsel assists the Chief Deputy General Counsel in supervising the Assistant General Counsels. As assigned, the Deputy General Counsel may be the primary personnel supervisor of Assistant General Counsels and Hearing Officers.
Duties and Responsibilities:
In managing legal and policy matters, the Deputy General Counsel must have a thorough technical understanding of the electric, natural gas, water and steam industries, including engineering aspects of distribution systems and networks, and familiarity with economic and financial principles. Specifically, the Deputy General Counsel performs the following duties:
- Assist in the formulation of policy for the electric, gas, water, and steam industries in order to provide safe, reliable, secure, equitable, and affordable service to consumers in the Commonwealth, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- Assist in setting case priorities for the agency;
- Interview and recommend for hire, assign, train, manage, direct, and evaluate work performed by approximately 20-25 staff attorneys, one to two paralegals and one to three legal intern(s), including hearings, written decisions, settlements, and negotiations, to ensure prompt and fair handling of all types of matters brought before the agency such as gas and electric ratemaking, including divestiture and other compliance proceedings, review of municipal aggregation and competitive suppliers, affiliate transaction issues; performance-based incentive regulation, merger, financing, and rate cases;
- Review cases and make final legal and overall policy recommendations on matters decided by a three-member Commission appointed by the Governor, including adjudications, rulemakings and general legal matters;
- Manage administrative matters concerning the processing of documents related to case matters and communications from legislators, cities and towns, and consumers;
- Coordinate work with other internal divisions related to case-tracking procedures, docketing procedures and the content and management of the Department's website;
- Confer with the Office of the Attorney General on certain Department cases appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court and
- Federal District Court;
- Confer with other federal and state agencies and regulatory associations on issues of interest to the Department;
- Perform legal research and administrative tasks assigned by the General Counsel and;
- Perform all of the Chief Deputy General Counsel's duties as needed in their absence.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Thorough knowledge of general laws relating to utilities, related state and Federal law, administrative law, constitutional law, and the Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure.
- Ability to analyze complex legal issues and to recommend their disposition.
- Ability to communicate effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing.
- Ability to manage legal and technical teams to work effectively together, meet deadlines and resolve complex, often novel legal, technical, and policy issues.
- Ability to manage policy initiatives that affect the manner in which citizens of the Commonwealth will be provided utility and telecommunications services.
- Ability to problem solve.
- Knowledge of economic principles.
- Ability to handle novel and far-reaching cases that impact all citizens.
- Ability to negotiate and obtain consensus from groups with conflicting interest.
- Ability to supervise and manage a diverse group of staff and attorneys, with varying levels of experience and expertise.
EXPERIENCE NECESSARY:
- Member of the Massachusetts Bar.
- Five years of experience as a practicing utility, energy or telecommunications attorney with substantial administrative law experience.
- Experience selecting, training, and developing the skills of attorneys.
- Experience managing a staff of attorneys.
- Experience reviewing performance and evaluating work of attorneys.
- Experience with resolving complex issues that require both technical and legal knowledge.
- Experience with creative problem solving.
- Experience with managing major policy initiatives from inception to reality.
Qualifications
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must have at least (A) six (6) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in a particular specialty (i.e. scientific, professional, or technical) and must possess current license and/or registration requirements established for the performance of the position, of which (B) at least two (2) years must have been in a supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.
Substitutions:
I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.
II. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience
III. A Graduate degree or higher in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.
IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.