General Counsel

Job Description

Description - MOD General Counsel

Annual Salary Range: $98,861.85 - $135,000 with full benefits

BACKGROUND

The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) is a dynamic agency, with just under 20 employees, within the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance that provides information, guidance, and training on disability-related civil rights and architectural access. The agency's employees work to help people understand their disability rights and obligations, how regulations apply to the specifics of their situation, and practical steps they can take to assert their rights and comply with the law.

MOD provides support for:

• Individuals with disabilities by hosting the state's federally funded Client Assistance Program (CAP), which provides information and advocacy for people with disabilities who have concerns about vocational rehabilitation and independent living services in Massachusetts.
• The general public by providing information, guidance, and training on legal rights and obligations under disability civil rights laws and architectural access guidelines.
• Municipalities through guidance and training for municipal ADA Coordinators and Commissions on Disability and Municipal ADA Improvement Grant funding for accessibility planning and projects; and
• The Executive Branch through information and guidance on ADA compliance obligations, training for ADA Coordinators, free digital accessibility consulting, and a reasonable accommodation capital reserve account for funding employee reasonable accommodations.

• Along with the Executive Director, the General Counsel promotes a quality of life which emphasizes dignity and self-determination for persons with disabilities. This position advocates for full accommodation and access for persons with disabilities as mandated by statute. Responsibilities include:

• To understand and be able articulate issues impacting the disability community in Massachusetts.
• Provide senior government officials with accurate, timely information on disability issues and concerns.
• Interpret civil rights laws for agency staff, answering legal questions about disability rights law for other state agencies' legal departments and ADA Coordinators.
• Respond to legal inquiries from the Executive Director, Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Legislature, Attorney General's Office, Governor's Office, and other agencies.
• Provide education, training, technical assistance and guidance to state and municipal government entities, the legislature, the media and the general public regarding compliance with laws, rules and regulations impacting individuals with disabilities.
• Along with the MOD Executive Director oversee and coordinate efforts to ensure that the Commonwealth is following the ADA, as well as other state and federal disability rights laws.
• Serving as a primary resource within the Commonwealth for technical assistance and project management regarding the impact of disability laws on the acquisition, deployment and utilization of information technology.
• Drafting legislation and recommending revision and changes to state and federal laws, policies and regulations regarding disability issues.
• Providing litigation support for the Attorney General's Office or other entity representing MOD in court or other proceedings.
• Directly supervising the MOD Legal Counsels and any legal interns.
• Acting as a designee for the Executive Director on various boards, commissions and committees as assigned.
• Serving as the ADA Coordinator for the Commonwealth's Executive Branch and oversees the training and appointment of all agency and secretariat ADA Coordinators pursuant to EO 592.

• Applicants must have admission to the Massachusetts Bar.
• Substantial experience in public administration with a deep understanding of disability rights, a track record of organizational leadership, management of social and/or health service programs and knowledge of policy development.
• Broad knowledge of both the practical and legal aspects of disability policies and program development.
• Ability to shape and implement public policy and programming.
• Skill in public communication and presentation.
• Knowledge of the legislative process.
• Managerial experience demonstrating ability to manage any and all assigned staff include an in-house counsel.
• Leadership experience demonstrating ability to represent senior state officials while serving as the Commonwealth's chief advocate for individuals with disabilities.

• Be passionate and demonstrate commitment to and experience with disability-related civil rights.
• Have strong legal drafting, negotiation and management skills.
• Be able to identify potential legal issues, make independent decisions and implement recommendations of proposed solutions.
• Be skilled in exercising a high degree of initiative, judgment, discretion and decision making to achieve objectives and resolve problems.
• Have excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication, presentation, analytical and problem-solving skills and experience.
• Be actively goal-driven, creative, forward-looking, and pre-emptive of questions.
• Be extremely organized and highly motivated and able to manage multiple complex tasks at the same time with a small legal unit as well as detail-oriented and able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office products including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel and comfortable with and able to quickly pick up new technology/digital tools.