Associate General Counsel

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Job Description - Associate General Counsel (260007KB)

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts’ environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.

Who We Are as an Employer

At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.

Description

EEA Office of General Counsel (“EEA Legal”) is the in-house law department for EEA. EEA Legal attorneys advise the Office of the Governor and the EEA Secretary, agency Commissioners and other leaders, and staff regarding a wide array of legal, regulatory, and policy issues, from regulatory changes to aid in the fight against climate change, to litigation to enforce environmental protection rules, to questions of tort, contract, and procurement law, to state open meeting, public records, and ethics rules. The work is challenging, varied, and critical.

Associate General Counsel

Under the direction of the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel, the Associate General Counsels will:

• Provide legal support for EEA’s exciting and impactful policy, program, and regulatory work preparing the Commonwealth for climate change and a clean, sustainable, and just environmental and energy future by assisting the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsels as assigned.
• Oversee torts, contract, regulatory, and other litigation affecting EEA and its agencies, including negotiation of settlements, coordination with outside litigation counsel and the Office of the Attorney General, and representing EEA agency personnel as witnesses in agency proceedings and deposition and trial testimony, in order to protect the interests of EEA agencies and the public.
• Administer and advise as to the Public Records Act, handling public records requests in cooperation with EEA agency counsel and press staff, the state Open Meeting Law, to ensure transparency and public access in accordance with the law.
  Advise as to procurements, grants, budget‑related issues, facilities, expendable trusts, document management, ethics, and other areas as needed.
• Assist with other key legal functions as needed.

Specific duties and responsibilities

• Provide legal research and advice to EEA staff, including the Secretary and Undersecretaries, and assist General Counsel and Deputy General Counsels with review and analysis of proposed policies, legislation, programs, regulations, regulatory proceedings, litigation, and other energy, environment, and climate‑related initiatives.
• Advise EEA staff and agency counsel and personnel regarding requests under the Public Records Act, to ensure compliance and public access / transparency as to secretariat and agency public records and serve as Records Access Officer for EEA.
• Coordinate with outside counsel regarding litigation involving the secretariat and its agencies, including regarding settlement and litigation strategy and represent EEA agency personnel as witnesses in agency proceedings and depositions / trial testimony.
• Advise EEA and its agencies as to procurement and contracts issues; compliance with the Open Meeting Law, state ethics laws, and other legal requirements; provide advice and coordinate response regarding Office of the State Auditor and Inspector General inquiries; and advise on and manage other legal and policy matters as necessary.
• Manage and monitor individual cases, assignments, and projects to ensure timely resolution of cases and to contribute to the achievement of overall Secretariat goals.
• Draft and review deeds for real property conveyances, including conservation restrictions, easements, and fee simple conveyances, and review proposals from public entities for disposition and change in use of Article 97 land.
• Advise Massachusetts Environmental Police on statutory interpretation, compliance, operations, and other matters.
• Further duties may also include: drafting administrative, court, and other legal documents (e.g. memos, contracts, pleadings, regulations, comments) to communicate information to interested parties and to record outcomes and decisions, ensuring that such documents are complete, accurate, available for future review and in compliance with law; review and analysis of conservation restrictions; representing the Office of General Counsel at meetings; responding to inquiries and correspondence from the public and municipalities.
  

Preferred Qualifications

The successful candidates will be talented all‑around lawyers eager to have an impact in the energy, environment, and climate space.

The ability to manage multiple diverse tasks in an exciting, fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment.

Strong verbal and written communications skills.

Demonstrated experience in litigation.

Ability to quickly learn and retain knowledge regarding the diverse missions of EEA's agencies and their governing law.

The ideal candidates would have either(1) 1-3 years of legal experience or (2) 2-5 years of legal experience, preferably with or related to one or more of the following practice areas: energy, environmental, and climate law; administrative law; real estate and land‑use law; law enforcement; contracts; litigation; or government/public law generally.

Special Requirements

Applicants must have a Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent degree (i.e., a non‑US Bachelor of Law degree and a US LLM) and be admitted to the Massachusetts Bar (or commit to admission to the Massachusetts Bar within one year of start date).

Minimum Entrance Requirements

Applicants must have at least (A) four (4) years of full‑time or, equivalent part‑time, professional, professional internship, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in a particular specialty (i.e. scientific, professional, or technical) and must possess current license and/or registration requirements established for the performance of the position or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

II. An Associate’s degree in a related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

III. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

IV. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required experience.

V. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience.

Employment Details

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.

Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC)may self‑select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.

Official Title

Program Manager Specialist IV

Job

Legal Services

Agency

Exec Office Of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Schedule

Full-time

Shift

Day

Number of Openings

2

Salary

81,136.31 - 124,724.48 Yearly

If you have Diversity, Affrimative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Melixza Esenyie / View email address on click.appcast.io - View phone number on click.appcast.io

Bargaining Unit

M99-Managers (EXE)

Confidential

No

Potentially Eligible for a Hybrid Work Schedule

Yes