Staff Attorney

Quasi-Independent Agencies; Hallowell (ME); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Paid holidays

Vacation leave

Sick leave

Job summary

Maine Public Utilities Commission is seeking an experienced Staff Attorney for its Legal Division in Hallowell, ME. The role combines advisory work, presiding over hearings, and drafting decisions within an administrative law context.

The Staff Attorney will manage dockets, participate in rulemaking, and collaborate with utility analysts to evaluate filings and provide actionable legal guidance. Hybrid work schedule available. JD required; Maine bar admission preferred.

Qualifications

• Must hold a JD and be admitted to practice in Maine.
• Strong legal writing and analytical reasoning required.
• Experience in public utilities or administrative law is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Advise Commission and staff on legal matters and precedent.
• Draft decisions and recommendations for Commission deliberation.
• Preside over administrative proceedings and manage dockets and hearings.
• Engage in settlement negotiations when appropriate.
• Appear as counsel in appeals or other proceedings as needed.
• Draft rules and notices per Maine Administrative Procedure Act.
• Collaborate with utility analysts on filings and staff analyses.

Skills

Legal writing

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Time management

Collaboration

Communication

Initiative

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Staff Attorney

Staff Attorney Code: YC02 Confidential

Opening date: October 3, 2026

Closing date: October 23, 2026

Location: Hallowell, Maine (Hybrid Work Schedule Available)

Salary: $90,000 +

About Us

The Maine Public Utilities Commission plays a pivotal role in shaping Maine's energy landscape. We are committed to serving the public interest by balancing access to safe and reliable utility services with rates that are just and reasonable for customers and public utilities, while minimizing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

We are seeking an experienced Staff Attorney to join our Legal Division and help us tackle in an administrative law context some of the most important issues facing public utilities in Maine. If you are intellectually curious about public utilities, have strong legal writing skills, and have a professional drive for solving complex problems in a dynamic and collaborative work environment, this is a great opportunity to meaningfully serve the public interest in an impactful public service career.

The Legal Division is looking for attorneys who thrive on combining their legal skills with critical thinking and evaluative analysis to help shape the future of Maine's energy systems.

The Role

As a Staff Attorney at the Commission, you will serve as a legal advisor to Commission leadership and staff on a wide range of public utility matters. As presiding officer, Staff Attorneys manage the Commission’s dockets, which include ratemaking proceedings, formal and informal investigations, rulemaking proceedings, and competitive procurements for renewable energy. Staff Attorneys may also represent the Commission in an appellate capacity before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, or as counsel in other state and federal judicial forums. At the Commission, Staff Attorneys play a key role in a professional teamwork environment. They preside over the Commission’s proceedings, including evidentiary hearings, and ensure due process is provided in all matters. Staff attorneys work closely with the Commission’s utility analysts to conduct case and technical conferences, evaluate utility filings, review and analyze technically complex evidence and legal argument, and help shape important decisions that affect Maine’s energy future.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise Commission and Staff. Research, interpret, and apply applicable laws, rules, policy, and Commission precedent.
• Provide in‑house oral and written legal advice, and draft and issue recommended decisions, recommending findings of fact and conclusions of law for public deliberation by the Commission.
• Preside Over Administrative Proceedings. Interact with attorneys, witnesses, and parties as the presiding officer in formal conference and hearing settings in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, including with respect to discovery and evidentiary disputes.
• Facilitate settlement negotiations when appropriate.
• Appellate Advocacy. Opportunity to appear as counsel for the Commission on appeals of final orders, which go directly to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
• Rulemaking. Draft rules, notices of rulemaking, and orders adopting rules, all in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.
• Collaborative Evaluation of Utility Filings. Work directly with utility analysts in a team environment to review filings from public utilities, such as requests for rate changes, grid planning proposals, interconnection requests, and requests for approvals of reorganizations, financing, and other regulated activities. Assist utility analysts in writing staff analyses of complex financial, operational, and/or technical evaluations addressing whether utilities are operating effectively and efficiently.
• Assist with related administrative duties and tasks as needed, providing legal expertise to support the Commission’s mission.

Why This Role is Exciting

Your role as a Staff Attorney will put you in the middle of critical energy discussions, where your legal work will have real‑world consequences for the ratepayers of the State of Maine.

Your efforts will help ensure Maine’s energy systems are reliable, sustainable, and affordable for consumers. If you enjoy applying your legal skills to solve complex problems, this is a great fit.

Additionally, we offer:

• Hybrid Work Flexibility: As docket schedules allow, work remotely 3 days a week and spend 2 days a week in our office in Hallowell. (Must reside in Maine).
• Professional Development: Access to in‑house and professional training and growth opportunities to support your career advancement.
• Inclusive Culture: Work in a collaborative and inclusive environment, where diverse perspectives are necessary and valued.

Who We Are Looking For

We’re looking for candidates who have experience in the public utility sector, preferably including experience with ratemaking methods and procedures, have an administrative law background, can organize thoughts and argument into clearly written legal analyses, and are intellectually curious, proactive, and able to timely manage assigned dockets and workload.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and able to work independently and as part of a team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates must have obtained a Juris Doctor degree from a recognized school of law and be admitted to the practice of law in the State of Maine.
• Legal Experience: A minimum of 2 years’ experience practicing law as a licensed attorney. Preference will be given to attorneys with experience in the public utility sector and/or administrative law.
• Critical Thinking & Analytical Reasoning: The ability to dissect law and regulations.
• Attention to Detail: The ability to pay close attention to detail and to organize and analyze information to make sound recommendations.
• Intellectual Curiosity: A natural inclination to dive deep into unfamiliar topics, seek out new information, and continuously learn. We want someone who is not afraid to ask questions and tackle complex regulatory issues, and someone who thrives on solving difficult problems.
• You will need to be comfortable with ambiguity.
• Clear and Effective Communication: The skill to communicate complex ideas clearly, in writing and verbally to technical and non‑technical and legal and non‑legal audiences. Strong legal writing skills are a necessity.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Strong interpersonal skills, the ability to maintain professional working relationships, and the ability to work effectively independently and in teams.
• Time Management & Organizational Skills: The ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects. You will need to demonstrate the ability to work independently, stay organized, and meet deadlines without compromising quality.
• Proven Initiative: We want someone who takes ownership of their work and is proactive in addressing challenges. Your ability to seek out solutions and ask insightful questions will be a key part of your success.

Benefits of working for the State of Maine

• Work‑Life Fit - Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime‑exempt employees receive personal leave. When you or immediate members of your family are ill, utilize 12 days of sick leave per year.
• Health Insurance Coverage - The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee‑only premiums ($12