Contracts Attorney

State of Connecticut • Hartford, CT

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Staff Attorney 2 to join our Office of Legal Counsel, Regulations and Administrative Hearings as a Contracts Attorney. In this role, you will provide critical legal support and advice to the Commissioner and DSS leadership while helping advance the agency’s mission to deliver essential services and programs to Connecticut residents. As a key member of the legal team, you will provide counsel on a wide range of complex agreements and contractual matters, including Personal Service Agreements, Consultant Agreements, permits, licenses, grants, and other contractual arrangements supporting DSS operations, projects, and initiatives. You will conduct sophisticated legal research and analysis, interpret statutes, regulations, policies, contracts, grants, and funding requirements, identify potential conflicts in applicable laws, and evaluate court decisions and case law. You will also work closely with the DSS Agreements Unit, collaborate with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) when appropriate, and provide support to other members of the DSS legal team. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who enjoys solving complex legal issues, managing a diverse and high-volume workload, and working collaboratively with colleagues and partners across government. If you bring strong organizational skills, sound legal judgment, and a collaborative approach, and want your legal expertise to help shape and support programs that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Connecticut residents, we encourage you to apply today!

Requirements

• Two (2) years of experience in the practice of law
• Incumbents in this class must be admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut

Nice To Haves

• Experience drafting and negotiating complex contractual agreements and statements of work related to large data systems or professional services agreements in healthcare-related industries
• Experience drafting and negotiating licensing or software agreements
• Experience drafting or negotiating agreements involving the transfer of State and federal funding to contractual subrecipients
• Experience drafting and negotiating cooperative agreements, such as memoranda of understanding or memoranda of agreement
• Experience working with or supporting government or corporate contract or procurement units

Responsibilities

• Performs advanced and complex legal work of an agency
• Researches, interprets, analyzes and applies complex and conflicting laws and regulations, case law and legal principles
• Acts as hearing officer or represents agency in formal administrative and public proceedings on a full range of cases involving complex legal and technical issues
• Negotiates and drafts settlement agreements
• Drafts advisory opinions, rulings, decisions, recommendations, findings, legislation, statutes, regulations, publications and other related legal documents
• Assists in the preparation and presentation of trials and appeals
• Consults with the Office of the Attorney General on legal issues
• Researches complex legal issues
• Conducts investigations and enforcement proceedings
• Prepares comprehensive reports for use in administrative and court proceedings
• Prepares pleadings and other court papers
• Interprets and applies complex or conflicting laws and regulations, case law and legal principles
• Participates in the conduct of various educational activities
• Provides legal guidance when duly authorized
• Provides input into policy formation
• Reviews court decisions, new and proposed laws and regulations to determine impact on agency operations
• Prepares and maintains precedent manuals
• Reviews legal and other related documents for legal sufficiency
• May testify at or monitor legislative proceedings
• May represent agency in court when authorized
• Performs related duties as required

Benefits

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level