Legal Office Director

State of Connecticut - DEEP Commissioner's Office; Hartford (CT); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Connecticut, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) seeks an Office Director (Legal) for the Office of Legal Counsel to guide environmental statutes, regulations, and enforcement matters. This is a senior role directing a legal team in a major state agency.

The Director provides legal guidance, drafts regulatory and statutory documents, and leads enforcement strategies across Air, Water Protection and Land Reuse programs, ensuring compliance and funding

Qualifications

• Experience guiding legal issues in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to draft memos, briefs, decisions for proceedings.
• Proven leadership in legal teams and project management.
• Familiarity with administrative procedures and regulations.
• Experience in state or federal proceedings.
• Ability to collaborate with subject matter experts to achieve objectives.
• Experience drafting or reviewing contracts.
• Experience drafting legislation or regulations and engaging stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance to support program goals in air, water, waste, and climate initiatives.
• Draft and implement statutes and regulations affecting health and environment.
• Manage overlapping federal/state jurisdiction to maintain funding eligibility.
• Assist with permitting and enforcement matters for consistent application of requirements.
• Communicate with Governor, AG, OPM and agencies on policy and strategy discussions.
• Support enforcement efforts including consent orders and negotiations.
• Manage a team of attorneys with similar responsibilities.

Skills

Legal leadership

Regulatory drafting

Contract negotiation

Team management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Connecticut Bar Admission or eligibility

Job description

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), has an exciting opportunity for an Office Director (Legal) position with the Office of Legal Counsel.

DEEP is charged with conserving, improving and protecting the natural resources and the environment of the state of Connecticut as well as making cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy available for the people and businesses of the state. The agency is also committed to playing a positive role in rebuilding Connecticut’s economy and creating jobs – and to fostering a sustainable and prosperous economic future for the state.

The Office Director (Legal) for DEEP’s Environmental Quality (EQ) branch focuses on supporting the Commissioner, the EQ Deputy Commissioner, and the about 370 staff members in the branch’s Bureaus of Air Management (Air), Water Protection and Land Reuse (WPLR), and Materials Management and Compliance Assurance (MMCA). This director, along with the legal staff the legal director oversees, plays a key role in providing legal support on both state and delegated federal environmental programs; addressing and resolving enforcement cases; assessing legal issues that arise in permitting matters; providing DEEP support in administrative proceedings; reviewing petitions for declaratory rulings and drafting responses and decisions; drafting and reviewing regulations and legislation; and fielding day to day legal questions that arise. This is an appointed position and serves at the pleasure of the DEEP Commissioner.

What We Can Offer You:

Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!

Professional growth and development opportunities.

A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday, hybrid schedule.

Location: Hartford, CT.

Specific Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Providing legal guidance to and representing the agency to help achieve programmatic goals of clean water, clean air, waste minimization, remediation of pollution and adaptation to climate change;
• Reviewing, drafting and implementing statutes and regulations that have direct impacts on human health and the environment, including discharges to water, emissions to air, coastal issues, and management of both solid and hazardous waste;
• Understanding overlapping federal and state jurisdictional issues and ensuring that state programs delegated by the federal government remain eligible for federal funding. This work includes, but is not limited to, the state’s water, air, PCB, underground storage tank, and hazardous waste programs;
• Assisting with a variety of permitting programs and enforcement matters to help ensure consistency in the application of administrative and programmatic requirements;
• Communicating with other offices within state government, such as the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Policy and Management, and various agencies, to provide notice of significant matters, evaluate and seek direction on significant policy and legal strategy discussions, and collaborate on initiatives;
• Supporting the Bureaus’ enforcement efforts to include drafting, negotiating and reviewing consent orders, and
• Managing a team of attorneys with similar responsibilities as listed above.

For an inside look at what it's like to work as an employee for the State of Connecticut, please watch the video below!

Purpose of Job Class (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Office of Consumer Counsel and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority this class is accountable for directing the staff and programs of an office.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with principals and subject matter experts through legal issues in a fast-paced environment;
• Experience preparing written legal communications entailing legal research and analysis, including memoranda of law, legal briefs, decisions or opinions for judicial or administrative proceedings;
• Experience leading teams and managing projects, including the review and oversight of the work product and performance of legal personnel;
• Experience with administrative processes and the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act, including drafting or promulgating regulations, participating in or adjudicating contested case proceedings, or participating in administrative appeals;
• Experience in administrative or judicial proceedings in state or federal forums;
• Experience collaborating with subject matter experts to achieve a client's objectives;
• Experience independently preparing, reviewing, and revising contracts;
• Experience drafting, reviewing or implementing legislation or regulations to include engagement with internal personnel as well as external stakeholders.

Special Requirements

Incumbents in this class must be admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut OR meet the qualifications and requirements for admission in accordance with Section 2-13 of the Connecticut Practice Book and obtain membership in the Connecticut Bar within six (6) months of appointment.

This employer may participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Acknowledgement

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.