Assistant Attorney General – PUC Litigation

Details

Section:
Revenue & Utilities
Position Number:
LAA 09125
Salary Range:
$7,100.00 - $9,000.00 Monthly
Apply By:
Monday, July 25, 2022, 11:59 pm
FLSA:
Exempt
Work Unit:
PUC
Job Location:
1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
Release Date:
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Employment Type:
Full-Time
Position Type:
Non-Classified

Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Litigation Unit is looking for an energetic attorney to serve as litigation counsel to the Trial Staff of the Public Utilities Commission. Most of the Unit’s cases involve important cutting-edge Colorado environmental issues concerning renewable solar and wind energy as well as electric vehicle infrastructure and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The attorney will be part of a collaborative 9-person team that appears in litigated proceedings before the Commission’s administrative law judges and Commissioners sitting en banc working with Trial Staff to help ensure fair utility rates for all types of customers. Ideal candidates possess a team-focused enthusiasm for the written and oral litigation process at the administrative law level who are willing to learn the unique nuances of PUC-specific litigation while working alongside their new Unit colleagues on innovative energy law issues, including the deployment of renewable energy resources in Colorado.

 

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The PUC Litigation Unit, which is part of the Revenue & Utilities section, has a caseload which focuses on energy law (gas and electric utilities litigation), however attorneys occasionally work on telecommunications, railroad, and gas pipeline safety cases, too. The selected attorney will handle a diverse caseload, typically partnered with one or two other attorneys in the Unit, and occasionally, may handle cases solo.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates the rates, charges, services, and facilities of public utilities within Colorado. Our attorneys work with Trial Staff (e.g., engineers, accountants, rate analysts, and economists) in all aspects of the PUC’s unique litigation process including: preparing and filing interventions; drafting and propounding discovery requests; working with Trial Staff to produce pre-filed testimony; preparing responses to discovery requests; preparing for evidentiary hearings (including witness preparation); cross-examining witnesses; writing post-hearing statements of position; drafting exceptions to decisions; and negotiating settlement agreements. Throughout these stages, our attorneys are actively involved in strategy discussions with co-counsel and Trial Staff. Litigated matters before the PUC are document intensive, detailed, technical, and can sometimes involve more than a half dozen other parties and their legal counsel. These proceedings involve not only utility rates and ratemaking, but also matters concerning the implementation of Colorado’s clean energy goals. The Unit is made up of seven attorneys, a full-time paralegal, and an administrator, all of whom typically devote 100% of their time to cases before the PUC.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in the Department of Law.

Salary note: Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.

 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Applicants must:

  • Be admitted to the Colorado bar or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar and be in good standing at the time of application. Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application before the first day of employment

Further, while we know that no candidate is perfect, we are seeking applicants that have most of the following attributes:

  • A minimum of three years of practice as a litigation attorney is preferred
  • Strong litigation abilities, including legal writing, oral argument, client counseling, cross-examination, legal strategy, and settlement negotiation
  • Knowledge of or strong interest in energy law, Colorado public utilities law, Colorado administrative law, and/or environmental law/issues (e.g., solar, wind, electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, clean energy, renewable energy, social cost of carbon, and greenhouse gas reduction)
  • Ability to assume diverse caseload with moderate supervision and have good judgment as to when to consult teammates and supervisors
  • A well-developed ability to work collaboratively with a variety of people
  • Self-starter who is eager to learn and develop professionally
  • Excellent self-awareness and judgment
  • Well-developed client service and interpersonal skills
  • Passion for producing excellent work product and keen attention to detail
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and public service

 

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

  • Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
  • Effective September 20, 2021, employees will be required to attest to and verify whether or not they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Employees who have not been fully vaccinated may be required to submit to serial testing in the future. Upon hire, new employees will have three (3) business days to provide attestation to their status with proof of vaccination. Vaccinated employees must provide proof of vaccination.

 

Note: Fully Vaccinated means two (2) weeks after a second dose in a two-dose series of the COVID-19 vaccine, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two (2) weeks after the single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, as defined by the most recent State of Colorado’s Public Health Order and current guidance issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

 

The Office of the Attorney General offers challenging, interesting, and meaningful work. We are an equal opportunity employer and believe that a diverse work force adds quality and perspective to the services we provide to the public. Candidates with diverse qualities and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

View the full job announcement for more information and to apply online.

 

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