ASSOCIATE COUNSEL - UNCLASSIFIED

State of Nevada; Carson City (NV); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Vacation

Sick Leave

Holidays

Retirement

Deferred Compensation

No Nevada state income tax

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Longevity Payments

Job summary

State of Nevada is seeking an Associate Counsel to represent the Commission’s Executive Director in ethics complaint cases and lead jurisdictional reviews. The role involves investigations, drafting recommendations, settlement negotiations, and presenting evidence at hearings.

The position requires an active Nevada license, with a Monday–Thursday, 10-hour workweek and travel up to 10%. You will collaborate with Commission Counsel and support legal operations across local, state, and federal

Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in Nevada.
• Applications from individuals pending Bar Exam results will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Represent Executive Director in ethics complaint investigations and hearings.
• Prepare legal recommendations to Commission Review Panels.
• Negotiate and draft deferral and stipulated agreements.
• Conduct legal research and draft opinions.
• Attend pre-hearing conferences and respond to motions.
• Advise on advisory opinions and litigation before courts.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral presentation

Independent work

Microsoft Office

Education

Law degree (JD)

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Outlook

Teams

SharePoint

Adobe

LexisNexis

Job description

• No Nevada state income tax.

Job Summary

This position is primarily responsible for representing the Commission’s Executive Director in Ethics Complaint cases. The Associate Counsel participates in the jurisdictional review of incoming cases, leads the investigation of ethics complaints, and prepares legal recommendations to Commission Review Panels at the conclusion of an investigation. After the investigation stage, the position represents the Executive Director in settlement conferences, stipulation negotiations, discovery, motion work, and hearing presentation leading to an final adjudicatory decision by the Commission.

Essential Qualifications

This position requires an active license to practice law in the State of Nevada. Applications for individuals pending Bar Exam results will be considered.

Monday - Thursday work week

10 hour days

10% Travel

Job Duties

COMMISSION CASES:

• Ethics complaints:
• Prepare recommendations regarding jurisdiction to investigate ethics complaints.
• Shape the scope and nature of investigations, including direction to Investigator.
• Prepare reports to the Executive Director regarding recommendations to Commission Review Panels for hearing determinations.
• Negotiate and draft proposed deferral agreements and stipulated agreements.
• Comply with scheduling orders, including discovery, drafting and/or responding to motions, requesting subpoenas, developing witness and documentary evidence, preparing pre-hearing statements and attending pre-hearing conferences.
• Represent Executive Director in presenting evidence and arguments to Commission during adjudicatory hearings.
• Assist in drafting proposed opinions.
• Orally present cases to the Review Panels or the full Commission as requested by the Executive Director.
• Requests for Advisory Opinions:
• Assist Commission Counsel to develop and research facts and prepare draft opinions, including interviewing requesters, researching relevant statutes, regulations and Commission precedent and developing legal analysis.
• Assist in drafting final opinions and abstract opinions.

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION

• Develop and analyze the scope and nature of investigations of Ethics Complaints.
• Under direction of Executive Director, assign and review workload of Investigator related to Ethics Complaints.
• Assign various administrative tasks and legal research to Senior Legal Researcher and Executive Assistant.
• Assist Executive Director and Outreach and Education Officer in responding to public inquiries, and developing training or outreach materials.
• Other projects related to the operations of the agency as assigned.

LITIGATION

Represents the Executive Director and/or assists Commission Counsel in litigation before any local, state and federal courts, including legal research and drafting legal memoranda, including, without limitation, judicial review and appellate proceedings.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Must possess superior legal research, writing, and oral presentation skills, must be flexible, and must be well-organized and capable of working independently with minimal supervision or support staff. Ability to investigate facts, collaborate with investigation and support staff, analyze applicable laws and prepare related legal memorandums. Must possess skills in effective written and verbal communication.

The Associate Counsel must be able independently to operate basic business machinery and be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including but not limited to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint as well as Adobe, LexisNexis, and general software and internet use.

The State of Nevada is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building diverse, inclusive, and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, domestic partnership, genetic information (GINA), or compensation and/or wages.

Benefits Include

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs for employees and their dependents/family are offered through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program (PEBP).
• Vacation: Accrual of three weeks of annual leave each year.
• Sick Leave: Accrual of three weeks of sick leave each year.
• Holidays: 12 paid holidays per year.
• Retirement: Participation in the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Employees do not contribute to Social Security but will contribute to PERS if their position is at 50% or more full-time equivalency. For more information on how PERS service may impact Social Security benefits, visit the SSA publication.
• Deferred Compensation: The State offers a voluntary Deferred Compensation Program.
• No Nevada state income tax.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Eligible due to public sector employment.
• Longevity Payments Eligibility: Employees who have received a performance rating of “standard” or better and have completed eight (8) or more years of continuous service are eligible for longevity pay.

Additional benefits

may apply to employees covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), depending on their designated bargaining unit. For more information, visit the Labor Relations Unit (LRU).

For more details about your rights and responsibilities as a State of Nevada employee, please review the State of Nevada Employee Handbook (PDF).

• State Holidays The holiday schedule for State employees is established by the Legislature.

The Following Are Legal Holidays

• January 1.............................................. New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January.................. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday
• Third Monday in February................ Washington’s Birthday
• Last Monday in May........................... Memorial Day
• June 19................................................ Juneteenth Day
• July 4.................................................... Independence Day
• First Monday in September.............. Labor Day
• Last Friday in October....................... Nevada Day
• November 11........................................ Veterans' Day
• Fourth Thursday in November........ Thanksgiving Day
• Friday following the Fourth Thursday in November...................... Family Day
• December 25........................................ Christmas Day

When January 1, June 19, July 4, November 11, or December 25 falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the observed legal holiday. If these days fall on Sunday, the following Monday is the observed holiday. Eligibility for holiday pay is covered by the provisions of NAC 284.255.