Legal Assistant

State of Montana; East Helena (MT); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Wellness programs

Vacation and holidays

Flexible schedules

Job summary

The Montana Public Service Commission seeks a legal assistant to support our agency’s regulatory oversight of essential industries. You will work with the Legal, Regulatory, and Centralized Services Divisions to maintain filings, manage docket documents, and keep information current for stakeholders.

This non-litigating role, supervised by the Chief Legal Counsel and Commission Secretary, is a fixed-term position through June 30, 2027 with priority for applications received by Sept 13, 2026.

Qualifications

• Excellent legal writing skills.
• Excellent organization, prioritization, multitasking and time management skills.
• Excellent legal research skills, including working knowledge of electronic legal research platforms (e.g. Lexis/Westlaw) and printed research materials.
• Strong digital literacy skills, including intermediate-to-advanced skills in Microsoft Office 365 and common technologies.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and concepts.
• Ability to learn, understand, and consistently utilize the agency’s online docket management system.
• Strong sense of discretion, integrity, and professional responsibility in handling confidential and/or sensitive material.
• Strong sense of the chain of command, decorum, and professionalism.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and individually.
• Ability to maintain professionalism when critiqued.

Responsibilities

• Proofreading Certifications of Service and other service documents.
• Creating, maintaining, and updating certificate of services for PSC filings.
• Preparing coversheets for PSC rulemaking filings.
• Arranging for legal ads to be placed in appropriate newspapers.
• Creating bulletins in Gov Delivery.
• Processing third-party tariff filings.
• Opening new docket in the Commission's REDDI system.
• Finalizing PSC filings for uploading into REDDI.
• Accepting/rejecting third party filings.
• Exchanging documents with document remediation contractors.
• Monitoring deadlines for the return of documents from document remediation contractors.
• Negotiating deadlines as appropriate with document remediation contractors.
• Upload public records request information to the Commission website.
• Update rulemaking information on the Commission website.
• Handle IT matters during public Commission meetings, hearings, and listening sessions.
• Provide back-up coverage for front desk services.
• Assist with trouble shooting REDDI problems.
• Prepare training materials for using REDDI.
• Create and edit website content.

Skills

Legal writing

Organization

Multitasking

Time management

Legal research

Microsoft Office 365

Legal terminology

Docket management

Discretion

Teamwork

Communication

Professionalism

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Tools

Lexis/Westlaw

Microsoft Office 365

REDDI docket system

Job description

The Montana Public Service Commission (Commission) seeks a legal assistant to aid our agency in exercising regulatory oversight of some of the largest essential industries in Montana. The Commission works to ensure fair prices, responsible business practices, and reliable services for Montana customers. The successful candidate will join our legal team who finds the work to be interesting, meaningful, and critical to our agency’s goal of serving the citizens of Montana extraordinarily well.

The Commission is the head of the Montana Department of Public Service Regulation, a small state agency with a big impact. The Commission is composed of 5 elected Commissioners representing every region of beautiful Montana. Commonly referred to as the PSC, our agency is staffed by a team of approximately 33 professionals in the Legal, Regulatory, and Centralized Services Divisions. The PSC is responsible for supervising monopolistic industries within Montana to ensure fair prices, responsible business practices, and sustainable, reliable service for the Montana customers who rely upon them. Regulated industries currently include privately held power, water, sewer, telecommunications, sanitation, and certain commercial transportation providers. The PSC also plays a vital role in railway and pipeline safety. The agency has a clear and well-defined strategic plan to enhance our operations, work environment, and value to the public. Our team includes seasoned leaders with expertise and institutional knowledge coupled with newly elected commissioners with innovative ideas for the agency.

Works under the supervision of the agency Chief Legal Counsel and the agency Commission Secretary.

This position is a modified position effective through June 30, 2027. After this date, the position may be permanently funded or subject to termination.

Duties: Document Processing (65%)

• Proofreading Certifications of Service and other service documents.
• Creating, maintaining, and updating certificate of services for PSC filings.
• Preparing coversheets for PSC rulemaking filings.
• Arranging for legal ads to be placed in appropriate newspapers.
• Creating bulletins in Gov Delivery.
• Processing third-party tariff filings.
• Opening new docket in the Commission's Replacement Electronic Database for Docket Information (REDDI).
• Finalizing PSC filings for uploading into REDDI.
• Accepting/rejecting third party filings.
• Exchanging documents with document remediation contractors.
• Monitoring deadlines for the return of documents from document remediation contractors.
• Negotiating deadlines as appropriate with document remediation contractors.

IT Support: (30%)

• Upload public records request information to the Commission website.
• Update rulemaking information on the Commission website.
• Handle IT matters during public Commission meetings, hearings, and listening sessions.
• Provide back-up coverage for front desk services.
• Assist with trouble shooting REDDI problems.
• Prepare training materials for using REDDI.
• Create and edit website content.

Special Information

Please note that the Legal Assistant position is a non-litigating position.

Applications received by September 13, 2026, will be given priority consideration. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply early as interviews may be conducted on a rolling basis.

Benefits

• On the first day of employment, employees and eligible dependents receive health coverage with medical, dental, vision, and prescriptions including free health care provided by the Montana Health Care Center.
• Wellness programs, life insurance, and retirement plan choices are offered.
• New employees also receive prorated 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, and paid holidays including a floating holiday.
• Flexible schedules may be considered as work/life balance is healthy and encouraged.

Competencies

• Excellent legal writing skills.
• Excellent organization, prioritization, multitasking and time management skills.
• Excellent legal research skills, including working knowledge of electronic legal research platforms (e.g. Lexis/Westlaw) and printed research materials. Ability to research complex legal problems or questions and apply legal principles.
• Strong digital literacy skills, including intermediate-to-advanced skills in Microsoft Office 365 and common technologies (e.g. personal computers and office machines).
• Knowledge of legal terminology and concepts.
• Ability to learn, understand, and consistently utilize the agency’s online docket management system.
• Strong sense of discretion, integrity, and professional responsibility in handling confidential and/or sensitive material.
• Strong sense of the chain of command, decorum, and professionalism.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and individually.
• Ability to maintain professionalism when critiqued.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or Equivalent.
• One year legal or general office experience.
• Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Successful applicants will be subject to background checks relevant to the position and must pass reference checks before an offer is extended.