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Attorney IV

State of North Carolina See More Job Openings by This Employer

Full Time
$92,917 - $209,064/year
Remote

Wake County, NC

September 9, 2025 Attorney

Job Description

Description of Work

Are you looking to find meaningful work and positively impact the lives of the residents of North Carolina? If your answer is yes, then we want you to join our team at the Utilities Commission and make a difference.

The NC Department of Commerce, Utilities Commission is looking for a Senior Staff Attorney This position is assigned to the Legal Section of the NC Utilities Commission.

This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with State Benefits, including health insurance, as well as retirement.

*Salary Grade: LG09*
Recruitment Range: $92,917.00 - $145, 885.00

This is an anticipated vacancy

The Senior Staff Attorney serves as a legal advisor to the members of the Utilities Commission and its professional staff. As such, the incumbent in the role is responsible for the most advanced, difficult, and important legal matters in the highly complex and specialized field of public utilities regulation. In addition, the Senior Staff Attorney regularly advises the members of the Commission and other staff on matters pertaining to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission and in matters involving the decision-making process in contested cases, rulemaking proceedings, and other public policy related proceedings.

The Senior Staff Attorney is responsible for following and, at times, coordinating the proceedings before the Commission. This includes analyzing and making recommendations for Commission action on the most advanced, difficult, and complex legal issues presented in these proceedings. These proceedings include general rate cases and other cost recovery proceedings, rulemaking proceedings, certification proceedings, complaint cases, show cause proceedings, and special investigations. The Senior Staff Attorney is expected to independently analyze facts, research and comprehend the legal issues, and make recommendations either alone or in conjunction with members of other divisions of the Commission Staff, such as accounting or engineering, to the Commission. The Senior Staff Attorney is responsible for ensuring the lawfulness of the decisions issued by the Commission.

The Senior Staff Attorney is also expected to coordinate among various Commission staff the order writing process and ensure that orders of the Commission are well-written, legally sound, and reflect decisions made by the Commission. The Senior Staff Attorney is expected to work independently, with minimal supervision from his/her manager.

The Senior Staff Attorney is expected to work professionally with other members of Commission Staff and with Commissioners and must be capable of clear, unambiguous and effective communication, both verbal and written.

The Senior Staff Attorney may be called upon to serve as a hearing examiner, in which case, he or she must be capable of presiding over a proceeding, developing a record, making a decision based on law applied to facts, and reducing the decision to writing.

Incentives of NC State Employment
We value our employees and offer a wide variety of competitive and family-friendly benefits. Benefits to include:

12 Annual Paid Holidays and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave
North Carolina State Health Plan administered by Aetna
Supplemental Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident Insurance, Cancer & Specified Disease, Critical Illness, Dental, and Vision
NC State Retirement (TSERS), 401(k), and 457 savings plans
WeSave Employee Discounts
Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Learn more about new hire resources, safety, health, and wellness information, leave options, employee discounts and more by selecting the link below:
https://oshr.nc.gov/state-employee-resources/benefits

Note to Current State Employees
The salary grade for this position is LG09. State employees are encouraged to apply for positions of interest even if the salary grade is the same as, or lower than, their current position. If selected for this position, a new salary will be recalculated taking into consideration the quantity of relevant education and experience, funding availability, and internal equity. Based upon those factors, a pay increase MAY result.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

NC Department of Commerce uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals.

The Minimum Education and Experience (E&E) is REQUIRED to qualify for this position. All work history and education (including accurate dates of employment/attendance) must be documented on the application. Transcripts may be attached to supplement education and work experience may include internships, volunteerism, and full and part-time work. Supplemental Questions are also a required part of the application: answers must reference education or work experience listed on the application.

"Resumes may be attached as a supplement to the application but are not a substitution for a complete application."

Management Preferences - Optional: These skills are not required but managers may choose to interview/select applicants who demonstrate Management Preferences.

Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research and analyze the law in highly complex issues.
Demonstrated ability to provide independent legal advice and counsel.
Demonstrated ability to express highly complex legal concepts and related facts in a clear, concise and organized manner, both oral and written.
Demonstrated ability to effectively present legal issues.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate, facilitate and participate in a collaborative approach to complete assignments.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience”. If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.

Licensed to practice law by the North Carolina State Bar and four years of progressively responsible professional legal experience.

Supplemental and Contact Information

About the Utilities Commission
The primary purpose of the Utilities Commission is to regulate the rates and quality of service of investor-owned public utilities in the State of North Carolina. The primary purpose of the Legal Division of the Commission is to provide the Commission with a full range of expert legal counsel and technical advice, assistance, and support with respect to all aspects of agency operations in the complex and specialized field of public utility regulation.

More specifically, the major responsibilities of the Legal Division are as follows:

Advising and assisting members of the Commission and its professional staff in the deliberative and decision-making process
Preparing and issuing Commission Orders and reports
Comprehending and managing the Commission’s formal dockets
Performing Hearing Examiner functions and duties

About the Department of Commerce
The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians.

Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job.

Our Agency uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. All applicants must complete and submit a state application for employment using the NEOGOV Online Job Application System (OSHR - Work for NC) for the State of North Carolina.

**PLEASE NOTE**
It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive information. Information should be provided in the appropriate areas to include the beginning and ending dates of jobs worked, education with the date graduated, all work experience, and certificates/licenses. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. Answers to Supplemental Questions must refer to education or work experience listed on this application to receive credit. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. To receive credit for your work history and credentials, you must list the information on the online application form. Any information omitted from the application cannot be considered in screening for qualifying credit.

Attached or incorporated resumes (including Text resumes on application form) WILL NOT be used for screening for qualifying credit. Please make sure you complete the application in full. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted and will be considered an incomplete application and will not be processed. For additional information about applications and processes with the state of NC, please visit: How Do I Get the Job.

For consideration for this vacancy, all applicants must complete an on-line application using this link, https://www.governmentjobs.com/Applications/Index/northcarolina. If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the posting close date will be evaluated for consideration.

Applications for positions requiring specific coursework must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's transcript. If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an unofficial transcript to each application to receive credit for this education. If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an unofficial transcript to each application to receive credit for this education.

***INCLUDE ALL RELEVANT EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE DESIGNATED EDUCATION AND WORK HISTORY SECTION ON THE FORMAL APPLICATION***

If you have student loans, becoming a state employee includes eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Visit www.studentaid.gov to learn more.

Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.
Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If a former member of the NC National Guard who served for at least 6 years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.
Applicants requesting and receiving an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are eligible to submit paper applications via mail or by fax.

Re-Entry for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
Our Agency supports the Governor’s Executive Order 303 which seeks to re-employ individuals that were previously incarcerated. Formerly incarcerated individuals are invited to apply for any vacant Commerce position(s) in which they believe they are qualified.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account and click "Application Status." If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted by management. If you are no longer under consideration, you will receive an email notification.

For technical issues with your application, please call the GovernmentJobs.com Applicant Support Help Line at 855.524.5627.

Salary

$92,917 - $209,064/year

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