Associate General Counsel

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PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The Associate General Counsel, under the direction of the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel, will support the Commission’s mission and its staff, and will address and resolve legal matters in settled and evolving areas of the law.   The Associate General Counsel will provide advice on legal issues as they arise, including in the areas including in the areas of public meetings, policy and regulatory review, administrative hearings, litigation, public records, licensing and enforcement, contracts and procurements, finance, and labor and employment. 

 ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Provide legal counsel as needed by the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel, as well as the Executive Director, the Commission and its Commissioners, and other Commission staff;

·         Commit to developing an expertise with laws governing adult- or medical-use marijuana along with identifying emerging issues to discuss with Commission counsel and staff;

·         Monitor applicable state and federal laws, decisional law from other jurisdictions, and industry publications;

·         Provide clear, concise and correct written and oral advice while evaluating the applicability of settled areas of the law to emerging and unsettled areas and make recommendations as to legal and practical implications of alternative courses of action; 

·         Advise Commission staff on constituent and press inquiries:

·         The Associate General Counsel may be asked to advise and support the Commission and staff in specific subject matter areas.

o   The conduct of the public meetings and compliance with the Open Meetings and Public Records Laws.

o   The Commission’s informal and formal administrative hearing processes and compliance with the state Administrative Procedures Act. 

o   Coordination with the Office of the Attorney General on litigation matters pending before federal and state courts.

o   Procurement and contract processes, including contracts for technology services.  As needed, drafting and reviewing contracts, statements of work, and associated legal documents. 

·         Maintain the highest standards of personal, professional, and ethical conduct and support the Commission’s goals for a diverse and culturally aware workforce;

·         Clearly communicate the Commission’s policies and procedures to staff and members of the public; and

·         Anticipate and address the legal issues implicated by the Commission’s evolving mission.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·      Draft legal memoranda.

·         Advise on labor and employment issues.

·         Willingness to perform routine administrative and clerical duties as needed. 

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System Requirements

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

·         Demonstrated experience in advising administrative agencies or cannabis-industry participants.

·         Knowledge of the current state of the law and familiarity with cannabis-industry issues, or a commitment to developing an expertise in this emerging area of the law.

·         Knowledge of state laws relevant to the Commission’s statutory mandates.

·         Ability to conduct comprehensive legal research, including the ability to analyze legal precedent and apply it to factual circumstances.

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop and present clear, concise and correct legal arguments.    

·         Ability to exercise good judgment in making decisions and addressing problems.

·         Ability to exercise discretion in handling of confidential and sensitive information.

·         Outstanding organizational skills, which includes the ability to prioritize and complete multiple projects under time constraints and with available resources.

·         Ability to work independently, productively, and creatively in an evolving environment;

·         Ability to meet expectations and accept personal responsibility for the work.

·         Ability to maintain complete and accurate records.  Must demonstrate an appreciation of and an attention to detail.

·         Commitment to building constructive working relationships and a supportive and healthy workplace culture.

·         Excellent interpersonal skills; must be able to interact with people at all levels within the Commission, with entities and individuals regulated by the Commission, outside counsel, outside vendors, and members of the public.

·         Willingness to identify and perform ministerial administrative and clerical duties as they arise. 

·         Ability to work in and travel to the Commissions offices in Worcester and/or Boston on a hybrid schedule.

 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

·         Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited school of law and member in good standing with the Massachusetts bar;

·         Two to three –years of legal experience, preferably in a public-sector or compliance environment;  

·         Experience or familiarity with state agencies, including boards and commissions;

·         Familiarity or experience with laws governing adult- or medical-use marijuana or a commitment to developing an expertise in this emerging area of the law;

·         Familiarity or experience with civil or criminal litigation;

·         Experience or expertise in managing caseloads and/or prosecuting cases;

·         Experience or expertise in administrative law, and licensing and investigations;

·         Knowledge and understanding of the conduct of informal and formal adjudicatory hearings;   

·         Familiarity or experience with contracts and procurement; and

·         Strong experience using MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and willingness to learn state- and Commission-specific electronic systems.

 SALARY RANGE:    $90,000 – $105,000

 Benefits Package:

The Commission is pleased to offer a comprehensive benefits package to its employees. The specific components and eligibility may vary based upon position classification, hours worked per week and other variables. Therefore, specific benefits for this position may be discussed as part of the interview and offer process.

This position is non-civil service. This position is an exempt position.

 The overall benefits available include\: paid vacation, sick and personal leave time, health, dental and vision insurance through the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance, and optional pre-tax Health Savings Account plans.

In addition, the Commission provides employees the opportunity to elect life insurance, long term disability insurance, deferred compensation savings, tuition remission and pre-tax commuter account plans, along with other programs.

 The Commission employees also participate in the Commonwealth’s State Retirement Plan, which can become a defined benefit plan for those that both vest and subsequently retire from State service. Follow this link for additional retirement information\: http\://www.mass.gov/treasury/retirement/state-board- of-retire/.

 Commitment to Diversity:

The Commission is committed to building a diverse staff across its entire agency and at all levels. The Commission is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Notice of Required Background Check – Including Tax Compliance:

 The Commission requires a background check on all prospective employees as a condition of employment.

 Candidates should be aware of this requirement but should also know that such background check is not initiated until:

1.       A candidate is invited to a second or subsequent interview, and

2.       The candidate has signed the Background Check Authorization Form and related releases.

 This background check includes a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, Federal IRS and Department of Revenue state tax compliance on all prospective employees as a condition of their employment.

Candidates with advanced degrees and professional licenses may have these credentials verified. Individuals other than those references provided by a candidate may be contacted while completing a full background and qualification check.

Those candidates invited to interview will be contacted by the Commission. Unfortunately, due to the anticipated high volume of applicants for this vacancy, we are unable to provide status updates to specific individuals.