Lead Attorney (DOH/OGC#13437)

New Mexico Department of Health; Santa Fe (NM); Sur place; USD 96 000 - 154 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

New Mexico Department of Health is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to provide dedicated legal support to the Public Health Division's CHSC. The role focuses on disease prevention, maternal and child health, WIC operations, and infectious disease programs, blending law with public health practice.

The ideal candidate will have a Juris Doctorate, NM licensure or eligibility for a limited license, strong advocacy, and an interest in public health law.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree and two years of experience in the practice of law.
• Licensed as an attorney by the NM Supreme Court or eligible for a limited law license within six months of hire.

Responsabilités

• Provide legal opinions and recommendations based on research and analysis.
• Represent the agency in adjudicative hearings and rulemaking proceedings.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate legal considerations into program design and delivery.

Connaissances

Advocacy

Litigation

Communication

Caseload management

Public Health Law interest

Formation

Juris Doctorate degree

Description du poste

Salary

$46.33 - $74.12 Hourly

$96,358 - $154,173 Annually

This position is a Pay Band C12

Posting Details

This is a continuous posting and may close at any time. Applicant lists may be screened more than once.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is the primary public health governmental agency of the state of New Mexico. The Department of Health is composed of various organizational units with different functions and activities. The NMDOH Office of General Counsel is the office of in-house attorneys who represent the agency and advise agency staff in their work. While the main Office of General Counsel is located in Santa Fe, NM there is opportunity to work partly out of the NMDOH offices in Albuquerque, NM.

This Assistant General Counsel position provides dedicated legal support to the Public Health Division's (PHD) Center for Healthy and Safe Communities (CHSC), advising a broad portfolio of public health programs that serve families, communities, and vulnerable populations across New Mexico. This role offers the opportunity to apply legal skills directly to public health practice supporting disease prevention, maternal and child health services, WIC operations, harm reduction efforts, and statewide infectious disease programs. The ideal candidate brings strong legal analytical abilities along with interest in public health systems, community-based programs, and the intersection of law, health equity, and population wellbeing.

Why does the job exist?

• Interpret regulations governing public health practices, service delivery, and funding.
• Enable programs to implement evidence based interventions without unnecessary legal barriers.
• Support compliance, accountability, and transparency in public health operations.
• Assist programs in addressing health disparities and improving outcomes for New Mexico families and communities.

How does it get done?

• Providing legal opinions and recommendations based on legal research and analysis.
• Analyzing, drafting, and editing rules, policies, legislative proposals, legal memoranda, and other materials.
• Representing the agency in adjudicative hearings, as necessary, and rulemaking proceedings.
• Advising program leadership on legal issues related to their operations, including prevention of chronic disease, improvement of maternal and child health, WIC operations, infectious disease control, improving adolescent health, and harm reduction.
• Reviewing program policies, operational plans, data-sharing practices, contracts, and partnerships to ensure compliance and mitigate risk.
• Supporting rulemaking and legislative work, including statutory interpretation and analysis of bills impacting CHSC programs.
• Representing the agency in adjudicative hearings and rulemaking proceedings.
• Helping programs implement innovative models of care, public health interventions, and community partnerships within legal boundaries.
• Providing training and routine guidance to CHSC staff regarding privacy requirements, reporting obligations, grant conditions, and regulatory standards.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams; including epidemiologists, clinicians, nutritionists, community health workers, and administrators; to integrate legal considerations into program design and delivery.
• Assisting the General Counsel with other matters as directed.

Who are the customers?

The Assistant General Counsel serves a wide array of internal customers within the Department of Health and CHSC.

Ideal Candidate

• Be licensed to practice law in New Mexico (or be pending NM licensure);
• Have strong advocacy and litigation skills;
• Be effective at communicating complex legal issues to lay persons;
• Have the ability to manage a significant and complex case load; and
• Have an interest In Public Health Law.

Minimum Qualification

Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law and two (2) years of experience in the practice of law. Must be licensed as an attorney by the Supreme Court of New Mexico or obtain a limited law license within six (6) months of hire (See Rule 15-304 NMRA). Individuals pursuing the limited law license may not engage in the practice of law until the limited law license has been granted.

Employment Requirements

Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office setting with exposure to visual/video display terminal (VDT) and extensive computer and cellular telephone usage. Must be able to lift 25 pounds. Use of state vehicle is required.

Supplemental Information

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Agency Contact Information

Jacob Clark [phone] Email

Bargaining Unit Position

This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.