Assistant General Counsel - DPS Legal Division

State of Oklahoma; Oklahoma; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15 days vacation (first year)

15 days sick leave (first year)

11 paid holidays/year

Maternity leave for eligible employees

Competitive benefits package

Longevity bonus

Job summary

State of Oklahoma seeks an Assistant General Counsel in the DPS Legal Division for a full-time, regular Government role. Compensation ranges from $65,000 to $90,000 commensurate with experience.

The position provides varied in-house practice across civil, administrative, contract, and regulatory matters, advising division leaders and law enforcement staff. Travel may be required. Eligibility includes Oklahoma Bar membership and a JD with licensure.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• License to practice law in Oklahoma.
• Active membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Responsibilities

• Analyzes factual and legal issues; conducts legal research.
• Advises agency leaders on federal and state law and agency policies.
• Drafts, reviews, and advises on agency policies and procedures.
• Drafts, reviews, and advises on proposed legislation, administrative rules, and regulatory changes.
• Prepares legal opinions, memoranda, and other written guidance for the agency.
• Develops and presents legal training for personnel.
• Represents the agency in administrative hearings and litigation as assigned.
• Writes briefs, motions, orders, and other litigation documents.

Skills

Legal research

Written and oral communication

Analytical thinking

Policy & regulatory analysis

Contract drafting/review

Education

Juris Doctor degree

License to practice law in OK

Active Oklahoma Bar Association

Job description

Assistant General Counsel - DPS Legal Division

Agency

585 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Supervisory Organization

Dept. of Public Safety

Job Posting End Date

Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous if date is blank. Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the posting end date above.

Full/Part-Time

Full time

Job Type

Regular

Compensation

$65,000 - $90,000 commensurate with experience.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE WORKING HERE

The legal division provides a full range of legal services to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP). We take a practical, service-oriented approach to advising clients across the agency. On any given day, our attorneys may counsel a division director or member of the OHP command staff, respond to a trooper calling from the roadside, advise on policy or legislation, or handle an administrative or litigation matter.

We value sound judgment, responsiveness, teamwork, and clear communication—and we pair challenging, meaningful work with an excellent work-life balance. Our day-to-day experience is best described as “Never a Dull Moment.”

The legal division’s practice spans general counsel services; employment and administrative law; administrative rules, policy, and legislative matters; contracts; litigation and adversarial proceedings; training; and agency-wide projects. The breadth of the practice gives attorneys substantial opportunities to develop new skills, assume responsibility, and grow into new practice areas over the course of a career.

Eligible employees receive a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Generous state-paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums
• A wide choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations
• Flexible spending accounts for health care expenses and/or dependent care
• A Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match
• 15 days of paid vacation and 15 days of sick leave for full-time employees the first year
• 11 paid holidays a year
• Paid maternity leave for eligible employees
• Employee discounts with a variety of companies and vendors
• A longevity bonus based on years of service

Job Summary

Under the direction of the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel, the Assistant General Counsel provides practical legal advice and representation to DPS and OHP’s civilian and law enforcement divisions. The position offers a varied in-house government practice that may include policy and procedure development, legal research and counseling, contract negotiation and drafting, legislative and regulatory analysis, training, administrative proceedings, and litigation.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Analyzes factual and legal issues; conducts legal research
• Advises agency leaders and personnel on federal and state law, administrative rules, agency policies and procedures, and other legal or regulatory requirements affecting agency operations
• Drafts, reviews, and advises on agency policies and procedures
• Drafts, reviews, and advises on proposed legislation, administrative rules, and regulatory changes
• Prepares legal opinions, memoranda, and other written guidance for the agency
• Develops and presents legal training for civilian and law enforcement personnel
• Collaborates with other counsel and agency stakeholders to evaluate legal issues, strategies, and recommendations
• Represents the agency in administrative hearings and as assigned, litigation and other adversarial proceedings
• Writes briefs, motions, orders, and other documents in preparation for or incidental to a matter in litigation or administrative adjudication
• Supports and as assigned, leads agency projects requiring legal, organizational, or cross-functional coordination
• Performs related work as required and assigned
• Provides training, guidance, and support to agency personnel, as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And Competencies

Knowledge of

• Methods and techniques for conducting legal research
• Legal principles and their application
• Civil procedure and rules of evidence
• Trial and hearing procedure

Strong Skills In

• Critical thinking
• Conducting legal research
• Written and oral communication
• Microsoft 365 applications
• Using technology effectively in legal practice and agency operations
• Attention to detail
• Project management

Ability to

• Analyze, interpret, and apply various laws, rules, regulations, agency policies, and procedures
• Clearly and logically articulate legal analysis and recommendations in written and oral form
• Present statements of fact and law
• Develop briefings, presentations, and reports
• Represent the division and agency with professionalism and integrity
• Solve problems collaboratively in a team environment
• Advocate persuasively while exercising sound professional judgmentBuild consensus among stakeholders with differing perspectives

Minimum Qualifications

Level I

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
• A license to practice law in the State of Oklahoma
• Applicants who sat for the July 2026 Oklahoma bar examination may apply. Any offer of employment will be conditioned on admission to practice law in Oklahoma by December 31, 2026.
• Active membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association

Level II

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
• A license to practice law in the State of Oklahoma
• Active membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association
• At least two years of legal or adjudicative experience

Level III

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
• A license to practice law in the State of Oklahoma
• Active membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association
• At least five years of legal or adjudicative experience

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience in a prosecutorial or law enforcement role

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time. Exhibit manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to operate a computer, keyboard, photocopier, telephone, calculator and other office equipment. Ability to see and read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids. Ability to hear and understand speech at normal levels, with or without aids. Ability to communicate clearly. Physical ability to lift up to 15 pounds, to bend, stoop, climb stairs, walk and reach. Duties are normally performed in an office environment with a moderate noise level.

Special Requirements

Travel may be required for this position. Applicants must have reliable transportation and be willing and able to perform all job-related travel. Possession and maintenance of a valid Oklahoma State Driver’s License is also required.

Additional Notes

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

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.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub.