General Counsel – Public Utilities Commission (Public Service Executive III)

Code:  OE12 - Confidential

Opening Date: August 6, 2025

Closing Date:  September 5, 2025

The Public Utilities Commission seeks a General Counsel to serve as the leader of the Commission’s Legal Division.  The General Counsel manages the Legal Division by providing leadership, mentoring and supervision to 14 staff attorneys and providing strategic leadership within the organization.  In conjunction with other division directors; manages workload and assignments to ensure the staff’s work products meet the Commissioners’ expectations and all utility cases are completed within statutory deadlines; evaluates and informs the Commission of national legal trends related to regulated utilities; provides legal guidance related to legislation impacting the Commission; oversees the preparation of legal briefs and oral arguments before the Maine Supreme Court and any other court proceedings involving the Commission.

Candidates must hold a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited institution and be admitted to the practice of law in the State of Maine.  Candidates must have 15 or more years of experience practicing law in a leadership capacity.  Preferred experience includes administrative law, managing adjudicatory proceedings; presiding at public hearings; electric and natural gas utility ratemaking; renewable energy program administration, procurement, contract negotiation and enforcement; experience with regional energy markets and transactions; water and telecommunications regulation; and consumer protections.  

Key Expectations

• Work collaboratively with other Division Directors to ensure Commission-wide expectations are met and all Legal Division priorities are on track.
• Discuss case assignments and workload with each lawyer at least once a week in order to assess status, address problem areas, ensure appropriate work allocation, resolve legal issues etc.
• Ensure that all work done by the Legal Division is on time, written succinctly, presents clear legal analysis and is legally sound. Review deliberations agenda items prior to distribution to Commissioners to ensure legal soundness.
• On a weekly basis, advise the Commissioners concerning legal issues that have arisen or may arise relating to the current or planned activity of the Commission.
• Ensure timely review, legal analysis and/or drafting of proposed legislation in coordination with the Commission’s legislative liaison.
• Support, train, and mentor staff attorneys, by providing timely feedback and identifying resources and/or trainings to further their professional development.
• Review legal staff performance through the performance appraisal process by giving feedback (positive and critical) at least semi-annually to every staff person in order to assist them in meeting their individual expectations. Provide feedback to other division directors about performance of staff within their divisions.
• Ensure that the Legal Division successfully defends any Commission appeal before the Maine Supreme Court or other judicial body.
• Act as hearing examiner on key cases as appropriate.

Salary: Salary is Grade 53, Confidential, $111,446.40 - $158,683.20 annually.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "Apply for this opening" button and also uploading a cover letter outlining interest in the position, a current resume, and a writing sample.  If you require a paper application please go to the following link: https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process. 

Contact Information:

For more information or questions, please contact Celeste Gaylord, Maine Public Utilities Commission, at celeste.gaylord@maine.gov or 207-287-1360.  

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you will find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 -$13,172.88 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State. 
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($358.08 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 18.09% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).  

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness. 

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role. 

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

Information provided during the application, interview and selection process will be verified.