Staff Attorney

State of Main; Water Street (PA); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Work Schedule

Professional Development

Inclusive Culture

Job summary

The Maine Public Utilities Commission is seeking a Staff Attorney to serve as a legal advisor in the Legal Division, handling dockets, ratemaking, investigations, rulemaking, and procurements for renewable energy.

The role involves presiding over proceedings, ensuring due process, and collaborating with utility analysts to shape Maine’s energy future. Hybrid work arrangement is available for Maine residents.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience practicing law as a licensed attorney.
• Preference for experience in public utility sector and/or administrative law.
• Strong legal writing skills and ability to communicate complex issues clearly.

Responsibilities

• Advise Commission and Staff: provide oral and written legal advice, draft and issue recommended decisions.
• Preside Over Administrative Proceedings: serve as presiding officer in formal settings, manage discovery and hearings.
• Appellate Advocacy: opportunities to appear as counsel on appeals to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
• Rulemaking: draft rules, notices of rulemaking, and orders adopting rules.
• Collaborative Evaluation of Utility Filings: work with utility analysts to review filings and write staff analyses.

Skills

Legal Experience

Critical Thinking

Attention to Detail

Intellectual Curiosity

Clear Communication

Collaboration

Time Management

Proactive Initiative

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Job description

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: (including but not limited to)

• 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.

This position offers attorneys a unique opportunity to get hands-on with a range of administrative law challenges and to directly contribute to the decision-making process that affects ratepayers and Maine’s energy sector.

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. The following skills and traits are equally necessary:

• 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

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• 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 ($12,213.60-$13,650.48 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
  • Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by up to 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes a percentage of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre‑tax to help pay for out‑of‑pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including non‑birthing and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre‑tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for part-time employment.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. Reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Information provided during the application, interview and selection process will be verified.

We look forward to hearing from you!

For more information or questions, please contact Tanya M. Lavoie, Maine Public Utilities Commission, at [e-mail] or 207-287-1360.