Assistant General Counsel

Oklahoma State Government; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Oklahoma State Government is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to provide legal representation and advice in various government-related areas. This role involves conducting legal research and navigating administrative and court processes effectively.

The ideal candidate will have a Juris Doctor degree, a valid license to practice in Oklahoma, and two years of legal experience. You'll engage in complex legal issues around regulatory compliance and litigation while mentoring junior staff.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
• Ability to analyze, interpret, and apply various laws.
• Two years of legal or adjudicative experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and provide legal advice.
• Prepare and present legal documents in court.
• Mentor lower-level staff and oversee legal projects.
• Advise agency directors on legal issues.

Skills

Critical thinking

Conducting legal research

Written communication

Oral communication

Attention to detail

Sound judgment

Education

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school

License to practice law in Oklahoma

Active membership of the Oklahoma Bar Association

Tools

Microsoft Office – Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel

Westlaw

Lexis/Nexis

Fastcase

Job description

Assistant General Counsel

Positions in this job family conduct legal research and provide legal representation and advice to clients in government-related areas of expertise (e.g., oil and gas, public utility, and transportation, regulatory compliance, rulemaking, employment/labor, ethics, health and human services, or other areas of law as may be applicable).

Typical Functions

• Participates or assists in the resolution of employee complaints, disciplinary actions, and appeals through the State's administrative process, other regulatory bodies, or court appeals when required. This may include, but not limited to, complaints or allegations by employees regarding discrimination, wage and hour disputes, and unemployment.
• Conducts or assists in the enforcement of agency rules, including action taken against licensees when in violation of agency rules.
• Advises agency directors, managers, and other relevant staff on internal employee complaints, administrative, and operational rules, laws, and procedures to include but not limited to agency policy, federal and state personnel laws, and other regulatory mandates required for the agency to conduct business.
• Prepares or presents letters, memoranda of law, briefs, contracts, pleadings, motions, orders, consent, and other relevant or related documents. This may include preparing or presenting appeals to district, civil, supreme, or other court proceedings in writing or orally, to Boards and Commissions and their members, and other court proceedings as directed.
• Prepares and presents the agency’s case in administrative hearings and trial litigation, pre-trial or pre-hearing conferences, and argues the agency motion/position before the court, commission, hearing officer, or Administrative Law Judge. Conducts discovery; examines and cross-examines witness, negotiates in support of the agency.
• Reviews, edits, and approves litigation filings when appropriate. This may be for lower-level attorneys, or litigation that is significant or complex.
• Mentors or oversees lower-level staff and projects within an assigned area in an effective and professional manner, reviews and provides guidance of cases including cases involving litigation; may recommend or provide training, guidance, motivation, and support of staff.

Level Descriptor

This is the career level of the job family, where incumbents are largely responsible for performing a full range of professional legal activities or at a full performance level. May provide training or assistance to lower-level employees. Assignments are prescribed, but the methods are not typically reviewed nor controlled while the work is in progress.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Knowledge, skills, and abilities required at this level include knowledge of applicable state and federal laws; applicable regulations; constitutional law and the Oklahoma Constitution; agency policies and procedures; trial and hearing procedures; rules of evidence; methods and techniques for conducting legal research and writing. Skills required include critical thinking; conducting legal research and written and oral communication; Microsoft Office – Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; attention to detail; sound judgment and decision making. Abilities required include presenting statements of fact and law; clearly and logically articulate position in written and oral form; analyze, interpret, and apply various laws, rules, regulations, agency policies, and procedures; direct and/or perform independent and difficult research, analyzing, appraising, and applying legal principles and precedents to difficult legal or factual problems; conduct legal research on Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis, Fastcase, the Oklahoma State Court Network, and printed or internet-based legal resources; meet timelines while following the Oklahoma statutes; represent the agency in a professional manner; train lower-level employees, provide leadership in the absences of the agency General Counsel.

Education and Experience

Education and experience requirements at this level consist of a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school, a license to practice law in State of Oklahoma; an active membership of the Oklahoma Bar Association and two years of legal experience or adjudicative experience.

Special Requirements

• Two years of experience as a public sector Administrative Law Judge is preferred.
• Must abide by the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Some agencies may require the incumbent to function or comply with the Oklahoma Statutes, in particular Title 68: Revenue and Taxation, and the Oklahoma Administrative Code, Title 710: Oklahoma Tax Commission.
• Information and records of the agency are subject to the confidentiality provisions in 68 O.S. § 205.
• Federal tax information (FTI) received by the agency must be protected as directed by 26 U.S.C. § 6103.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.