Asst Attorney General

State of Maine•Bangor, ME

12h

About The Position

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking a full-time appellate attorney for its Child Protection Division. The attorney will handle sophisticated and complex appellate work, primarily before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, including approximately 60 to 80 briefs and several live-streamed oral arguments per year. Work may also include administrative appeals in the State’s Superior Courts, responses to Petitions for Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, and district court litigation as needed. The attorney must be able to develop arguments that balance children’s rights to safety, parents’ fundamental rights, and the State’s interests in protecting children from abuse and neglect. This is the most visible position in the Child Protection Division and may provide opportunities to deliver training and participate in workgroups, panels, and committees. The position requires exceptional writing, editing, oral advocacy, case-tracking, and time-management skills. The attorney must be able to work efficiently with extensive trial court records and lengthy transcripts, prepare precise and effective motions and briefs, use the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure, and build appendices. Strong workflow practices and the ability to meet deadlines are essential.

Requirements

Be fully admitted to the Maine Bar and in good standing.
Have experience as a writer and oral advocate.
Have impeccable writing, editing, case-tracking, and time-management skills.
Demonstrate exceptional writing and oral advocacy skills suited to appellate work.
Be comfortable with the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure and the mechanics of building appendices.
Be able to work efficiently through voluminous trial court records and lengthy transcripts.
Be able to complete tasks by their deadlines.

Responsibilities

Write approximately 60 to 80 appellate briefs per year, primarily for the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Present several live-streamed oral arguments per year.
Work through extensive trial court records and lengthy transcripts.
Prepare precise and effective motions and briefs and build appendices under the Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Handle administrative appeals in the State’s Superior Courts and, occasionally, responses to Petitions for Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court.
Conduct district court litigation as needed.
Craft arguments that balance children’s rights to safety, parents’ fundamental rights, and the State’s interests in protecting children from abuse and neglect.
Meet deadlines using effective workflow, case-tracking, and time-management practices.

Benefits

13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and more than three weeks of annual vacation leave; vacation accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
The State pays 85% to 95% of employee-only health insurance premiums, depending on salary.
A health insurance premium credit that reduces employee-only premiums by 5% for participants who meet program requirements.
The State pays 100% of employee-only dental insurance premiums.
State contributions to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
Gym membership reimbursement of up to $40 per month.
Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Eligibility for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness through the State’s qualified-employer status.
Living Resources employee assistance program.
Six weeks of fully paid parental leave for employees welcoming a child, including fathers and adoptive parents; additional unpaid leave may be available under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Voluntary pre-tax deferred compensation through a MaineSaves 457(b) account.