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Assistant General Counsel

State of North Carolina
Full-time
On-site
Wake County, North Carolina, United States
$87,849 - $87,849 USD yearly

Description of Work




Start your journey towards success! DPS is currently accepting applications for the position of Assistant General Counsel with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) in Raleigh, NC.

We value our employees and are committed to providing flexibility in work schedules. This position qualifies for teleworking on a part-time basis as part of the State Telework Program.

The Assistant General Counsel (Assistant Agency General Counsel I) position is responsible for providing support to a Deputy General Counsel in the areas of purchasing and logistics, public records laws, and issues specific to the Department’s boards and commissions. This position provides legal advice, liability prevention strategies, and risk management services in these, and other, diverse areas. The Assistant General Counsel serves as an advisor to DPS regarding potential litigation against employees and divisions of DPS. This position also acts as a liaison to the Attorney General’s Office and provides guidance as necessary or requested regarding statutes, policies, and rules applicable to pending litigation. The Assistant General Counsel assists in developing advanced legal strategy in complex legal matters of significant interest to the agency and the State of North Carolina.

Specific responsibilities of the position include:
  • Interpreting constitutional provisions, state and federal statutes, administrative rules and regulations, state and federal court decisions, and applies them to the department’s current operations to determine whether procedural or substantive changes should be made in the department’s policies and practices to ensure compliance with federal and state laws. 
  • Drafting (or assisting with drafting) advisory letters and formal opinions on new or complex legal issues; drafting statutes, policies, rules, and amendments which have a broad impact on programs or create new agency programs; drafting other legal documents such as contracts, settlement agreements and inter-agency Memorandums of Agreement.
  • Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of cases to develop and execute effective litigation strategy and arguments to achieve the agency’s desired result.
  • Composing responses on behalf of the Department to subpoenas, court orders and other requests for records, including requests for public records and confidential records.
  • Providing legal advice to executive and senior management on the merits of litigation, settlement, and appeal in the areas of procurement and public records laws.
  • Conducting or directing legal research and analysis of the broad spectrum of legal issues affecting agency action and providing legal advice based on the results of that research and the employee’s knowledge and experience.
  • Examining and evaluating federal and state legislation, case law, administrative rules, and regulatory requirements, as well as consideration of secondary sources including relevant research, articles, and treatises.
  • Completing tasks with a high level of precision and accuracy so as to avoid loss of credibility with legislators, as well as potential financial losses and/or legal liability.
  • Monitoring pending litigation involving DPS and provides technical assistance to the Attorney General’s Office in matters related to procurement and public records laws, in anticipation of litigation or after litigation is filed.
  • Completing special assignments (usually confidential, highly sensitive and urgent in nature) which have been assigned by the Secretary, Chief of Staff, General Counsel or Chief Deputy General Counsel.

This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with State Benefits, including paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays, retirement, and health insurance. The typical work schedule is Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM. To view an example of total compensation, please click here NC OSHR: Total Compensation Calculator. Job duties for this position require driving a state vehicle. A valid driver’s license must be obtained by date of hire.

About the Office of General Counsel:
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides to executive management and managers oral and formal written legal opinions on laws, constitutional provisions, administrative rules and regulations, court decisions, and other precedents impacting the department’s policies and Operational procedures. This section drafts departmental rules and regulations, operational guidelines, contracts, department-sponsored legislation, and other legal documents. Attorneys in the OGC provide oral and written responses to inquiries by federal, state and local officials including legislators, judicial officials, law enforcement personnel, and citizens about the department’s policies and practices and the statutes and regulations it enforces. The OGC advises the Secretary and executive management on the merits of litigation against or on behalf of the department. 

 

About the NC Dept. of Public Safety (DPS): 

The mission of DPS is to safeguard and preserve the lives and property of the people of North Carolina through prevention, protection, and preparation. DPS is comprised of approximately 6,000 permanent positions and nearly 13,000 NC National Guard soldiers and airmen. DPS employees help to ensure North Carolina is a safe place to live, work and visit through effective law enforcement, juvenile justice programs, emergency response and recovery and homeland security preparedness.  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

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

 

The Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below, along with the Minimum Education and Experience (E&E) are REQUIRED to qualify for this position. All work history and education (including accurate dates of employment/attendance) must be documented on the application. Supplemental Questions are also a required part of the application: answers must reference education or work experience listed on the application. A complete, all-inclusive application maximizes an applicant’s potential to qualify for the position, as well as the highest possible salary. Salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. State Government Application Resources | NC Office of Human Resources


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

 

To qualify for this position, applicants must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs:

  • Experience interpreting statutory and/or case law
  • Experience providing legal advice

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

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 two years of progressively responsible professional legal experience.

NOTE: GS 114-2 and 114-6 make it the duty of the Attorney General of NC to represent the State of North Carolina in all litigation unless another statute specifically states otherwise.

Supplemental and Contact Information

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we are committed to full inclusion of qualified applicants and will review requests for reasonable accommodation to perform essential job functions during the hiring process or while on the job.


Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program  


Transcripts 

  • Attaching transcripts is optional, however, we recommend applicants attach unofficial transcripts to assist in providing credit for education including in substituting education gained for experience. Additionally, qualifying for some positions may require validating hours of coursework in a specific field of study and transcripts are crucial to awarding credit. Degrees and transcripts must be achieved from an appropriately accredited college or university.  
  • Applicants who earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, must attach an unofficial transcript to receive credit for education. 
  • International degrees and transcripts must be evaluated for accreditation by a recognized evaluation service by the closing date of this posting.? Failure to provide documentation may result in ineligibility. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options to provide credential verification: https://www.naces.org/members. 

Military Experience  

  • Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty that includes Character of Discharge - Member 4 or Service 2 form) to the application.
  • Applicants seeking National Guard Preference: 
    • A current member of the North Carolina National Guard in good standing must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS). 
    • A former member of the North Carolina National Guard who served for at least 6 years and were discharged under honorable conditions, must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.

The NC Dept. of Public Safety must adhere to the US Dept. of Justice Final Rule on the "National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape." PREA Hiring and Promotion Prohibitions

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application. Please log in to your Government Jobs account and click "Application Status."  If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted by the hiring manager. 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.  If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact MG Orman, Employment Specialist at martha.g.orman@ncdps.gov.

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