Attorney IV

State of North Carolina

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians. The Department connects businesses with the site locations, workforce and infrastructure they need to succeed in one of the nation's top states for business. We also connect local communities with the grants and funding they need to attract new business and ensure future prosperity. The NC Utilities Commission is looking for an Attorney IV. This position is assigned to the Commission’s Legal Division. The Commission regulates the rates charged and service provided by approximately 3,000 public utilities operating in the State. The Legal Division is currently comprised of 9 attorneys, including the General Counsel and Deputy, plus 4 paralegals, 1 legal assistant, and 5 other employees in the records management and court reporter sections. The Attorney IV serves as a legal advisor to the members of the Utilities Commission and its professional staff. The Attorney IV is responsible for the most advanced, difficult, and important matters of legal interpretation, counsel, and litigation in the highly complex and specialized field of public utilities regulation. They regularly advise Commission members and professional staff on matters in the Commission’s jurisdiction and in matters involving the decision-making process in contested cases, rulemaking proceedings, and other public policy related proceedings.

Requirements

• Licensed to practice law by the North Carolina State Bar
• Four years of progressively responsible professional legal experience.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research and analyze the law in highly complex issues.
• Demonstrated ability to provide independent legal advice and counsel.
• Demonstrated ability to express highly complex legal concepts and related facts in a clear, concise, and organized manner, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate, facilitate, and participate in a collaborative approach to complete assignments.
• Knowledge of laws and regulations governing public utilities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating the proceedings before the Commission.
• Analyzing and making recommendations for Commission action on the most advanced, difficult, and complex legal issues presented in these proceedings. These proceedings include general rate cases and other cost recovery proceedings, rulemaking proceedings, certification proceedings, complaint cases, show cause proceedings, and special investigations.
• Working under minimal supervision to analyze facts, research and comprehend legal issues, and make recommendations to the Commission, either alone or with other Commission staff members, such as accountants, engineers, and policy analysts.
• Ensuring the lawfulness of decisions issued by the Commission.
• Coordinating case management timelines and the order writing process among various Commission staff to ensure that orders of the Commission are timely, well-written, legally sound, and accurately reflect decisions made by the Commission.
• Preside over a legal proceeding, develop a record, make a sound decision based on law applied to the findings of facts, and draft a clearly written decision that is well-reasoned and accurate.

Benefits

• 12 Annual Paid Holidays and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave.
• North Carolina State Health Plan administered by Aetna.
• Supplemental Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident Insurance, Cancer & Specified Disease, Critical Illness, Dental, and Vision.
• NC State Retirement (TSERS), 401(k), and 457 savings plans.
• WeSave Employee Discounts.
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
• health insurance
• retirement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed