Assistant Legal Director

State of Connecticut•Hartford, CT

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) has an anticipated opening for a dedicated and mission-driven Assistant Legal Director to join their growing legal team. This role offers the unique opportunity to support public health initiatives, protect community well-being, and contribute to impactful statewide policy and regulatory work. This position will report to the Agency Legal Director and have primary responsibility for the operations of the regulatory and compliance unit within the Legal Office. The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state. DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Requirements

Incumbents in this class must be a member of the Connecticut Bar.
Three (3) years of experience as an attorney with some responsibility for research, development, planning and review of legislative and/or regulatory programs.

Nice To Haves

Experience supervising and managing attorneys and paralegals
Experience with drafting proposed legislation and regulations and researching and analyzing statutes and case law
Experience interpreting and applying the Connecticut Uniform Administrative Procedure Act
Litigation experience including drafting pre-trial motions, interviewing witnesses, conducting discovery
Experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders

Responsibilities

Serve as administrative prosecutors in professional disciplinary cases, or as legal advisors to program staff in the agency’s two regulatory branches
Interpret statutes and regulations, draft proposed legislation and regulations, and coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General on pending matters as necessary
Coordinate, plan and manage the unit’s activities, review and improve processes, develop standard operating procedures, determine priorities, and provide legal advice to agency leadership and staff
Supervise and review the work of the attorneys in the unit, conduct evaluations of legal and non-legal staff, and participate in the recruitment and hiring of new staff
Perform other duties as requested by the Agency Legal Director
Assists in directing staff and operations in a legal unit
Coordinates, plans and manages unit activities
Formulates program goals and objectives
Determines priorities and oversees and reviews work
Provides staff training and assistance
Conducts performance evaluations
In consultation with Office of the Attorney General performs a variety of difficult, complex and sensitive legal work
Researches and advises Commissioner on matters pertaining to legislation, regulations and administrative policy
Conducts and assists staff in preparation for administrative proceedings including preparation of administrative record
Prepares final decisions of Commissioner in contested cases
Assists staff and Office of the Attorney General in preparation for court cases
Interprets statutes and regulations and ensures conformance with statutory purpose and authority
Advises Commissioner concerning matters which require an opinion from the Office of the Attorney General and drafts requests for opinions
Acts as liaison between Commissioner and the Attorney General
Assists staff on matters relating to enforcement orders and civil penalties
Makes recommendations regarding agency program proposals, rules and policy
Assists in developing budget proposals for consistency with statutes and regulations
Drafts proposed legislation and regulations
Provides assistance to staff in implementing newly enacted legislation
Participates in the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection
May conduct legal seminars for department staff
Performs related duties as required