Attorney - Staff Attorney

Location: Gardiner,Maine,United States

Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (and Boards) - Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation

Job Class Code: 2016
Grade: 31 (Professional/Technical)
Salary: $65,083 - $88,233
Location: Gardiner, ME

Opening Date: June 6, 2024

Closing Date: June 30, 2024

(There will be a 3% across the board general salary increase effective June 30th, 2024.) 

The Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation seeks a licensed attorney to assist agency staff with various legal tasks related to the regulation of professionals in many fields. State licensing programs within the Office include health-related and trade and service professions. 

In this dynamic, fast-paced, multi-faceted regulatory agency, the core staff of program administrators, investigators, and field inspectors requires legal analysis and assistance with legal issues, including the resolution of consumer complaints, the APA rulemaking process, the adjudicatory hearing process, the examination process, and freedom of access issues.

 

Primary responsibilities include:  

• Managing the Office’s agency rulemaking activities, including drafting rules, reviewing rules, and coordinating the scheduling of rulemaking processes under the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.
• Providing legal advice to the staff regarding professional licensing matters.
• Interacting with staff and consumers about the administrative complaint process.
• Reviewing and analyzing case history, preparing complaint reports for licensing administrators, responding to staff requests for legal research, drafting legal memoranda regarding statutory interpretation of professional licensing statutes as well as state and federal laws affecting licensees.
• Coordinating Office responses to requests for records under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (“FOAA”) and performing confidentiality and privilege review of responsive documents.
• Managing the agency’s mandated reporting requirements, including the National Practitioner Data Base and the ASC Registry.
• Drafting training materials as needed for agency staff on issues such as rulemaking, document retention, complaint and hearing procedures.
• Drafting and maintaining board member process manual.
• Providing general legal support to the Deputy Director and the Director. 

To be successful in this position, you must have knowledge of and experience in:

• Applying agency and industry laws, rules, policies, and procedures
• Maine law and judicial system
• Understanding Maine Legislative Process
• Effective oral and written communication with staff, state officials and the public at large 

Minimum qualifications:

A Law degree from an accredited law school and five (5) years experience in legal practice including at least three (3) years in a field directly related to area of assignment.  Licensing/registration/certification requirements:

Admitted to practice law in Maine and currently registered with the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar.

Preference will be given to those applicantswith:

Experience in regulatory compliance or administrative law.

Contact information:

Questions regarding this position should be directed to Anne L. Head, Commissioner at (207) 624-8511 or anne.l.head@maine.gov

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "Apply for this opening" button along with uploading a cover letter, current resume, and copies of any transcripts or certifications you wish to have considered while evaluating your application.  In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period.  Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such. 

If you require a paper application, please download and print one here https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process or contact our office at 207-623-6700.  Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with cover letter and resume before the closing date to Security & Employment Service Center, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta, ME  04330 or faxed to 207-2