Assistant General Counsel

State of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

46d

About The Position

The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as Assistant General Counsel (Counsel II). This position will provide legal support to the Office of the General Counsel on a variety of public law issues. The legal support will include drafting and interpreting Medicaid Waiver language, and providing advice to the Department's senior managers regarding regulatory compliance with federal (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)) regulations, rules and policies; promulgation of regulations and regulatory interpretation, providing support to information technology personnel concerning federal and state criminal background checks, conducting appeals of matters related to the investigation of abuse and mistreatment, representing the department in administrative appeals and audits, manage and support agency litigation, response to requests for public records, legal memoranda and correspondence as needed. Manage and support Departmental litigation including complex public law class actions; assign work to and review/edit work of paralegal staff, provide advice to the Department's senior managers regarding informational privacy and security compliance and respond to requests for data and information. In addition, the attorney in this position would work closely with the General Counsel and other Central Office attorneys to respond to day-to-day legal issues as needed and assigned by the General Counsel.

Requirements

Applicants must have a Juris Doctor (JD) degree
Admission to the Massachusetts Bar
At least three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in the practice of law.
Incumbents may be required to have a current and valid Motor Vehicle Drivers License at a Class level specific to assignment.

Nice To Haves

Current Massachusetts bar license.
Ability to represent the department in court, before administrative bodies, on committees, workgroups, and at meetings (internal and external);
Ability to prepare technical and general reports, memoranda, and opinions, ability to work under pressure and to produce professional results, and experience in the field of human services and working with individuals with disabilities.
Ability to travel statewide as required to attend court or administrative hearings and meetings.

Responsibilities

Provide legal consultation and advice to the Department's senior managers, executive and field staff regarding issues relevant to the administration of a public agency
Maintain a broad knowledge of disability law, Medicaid law, relevant case law and regulations, as well as health care administration with a particular emphasis on the proper handling of confidential information. Develop knowledge and understanding of the different services provided by the Department and how confidential information is used to service individuals.
If a privacy breach occurs, work with the Department Investigations Unit to document circumstances and, if necessary, initiate changes to privacy/policy to avoid recurrence.
Recommend, plan, implement, and monitor privacy improvements; work with EOHHS on a privacy compliance process to the extent that EOHHS presents a plan to establish uniform compliance policies and procedures across all covered entities in the state health care system.
Work with internal and external auditors to resolve or eliminate exceptions to what may be considered standard privacy procedures.
Remain up to date on HIPPA Privacy Rule compliance requirements and take all necessary steps to achieve and maintain compliance with state and federal laws, regulations and policies related to privacy and confidentiality of information.
Maintain organized and accessible file systems.
Support and assist information technology and operational processes in accordance with relevant law and regulations
Manage and support Departmental litigation including complex public law class actions and legal compliance activities and assist Attorney General's Office in the preparation of cases in which the Department is a party.
Provide advice regarding the state administrative procedures act, the Massachusetts tort claims act, the conflict-of-interest law, the public records law, state contracting procedures, and other issues relevant to the administration of a public agency
Conduct activities related to the promulgation of regulations
Serve as appeals officer for 115 CMR 9.00 investigation appeals
Respond to requests for public records, data and information and all aspects of public records management; respond to general correspondence and inquiries, conduct legal research, legal memoranda, letters, etc.
Represent the Department at administrative hearings, in court, and at internal and external meetings.
Performs other duties as directed and required by the General Counsel. Travel throughout the state as required

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.
Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

Stand Out From the Crowd

Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.

Upload and Match Resume