Energy and Environmental Protection Office Director; Legal

Introduction

Are you an Attorney committed to making Connecticut a great place to live and work? The State of Connecticut, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Office of Legal Counsel has an exciting opportunity for an Office Director (Legal) position. This role leads the legal team supporting the Environmental Quality Branch and its programs.

Location:

Hartford, CT (hybrid work schedule flexibility). Full‑time, 40 hours per week.

The Office Director (Legal) supports the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner of the Environmental Quality Branch, and staff within the Bureaus of Air Management, Water Protection and Land Reuse, and Materials Management and Compliance Assurance. The Director provides legal support on state and federal environmental programs, enforcement cases, permitting matters, administrative proceedings, petitions for declaratory rulings, drafting regulations and legislation, and day‑to‑day legal questions.

• Provide legal guidance to and represent the Commissioner and agency personnel to achieve programmatic goals of clean water, clean air, waste minimization, remediation of pollution, and adaptation to climate change.
• Review, draft, and implement statutes and regulations that directly impact human health and the environment, including discharges to water, emissions to air, coastal issues, and solid and hazardous waste management.
• Analyze overlapping federal and state jurisdictions and ensure that state programs approved by the federal government remain eligible for federal funding.
• Assist with permitting programs and enforcement matters to ensure consistency in application of administrative and programmatic requirements.
• Communicate with other branches of government to provide notice of significant matters or seek direction on significant policy and legal strategy decisions.
• Support bureau enforcement efforts, including drafting, negotiating, and reviewing consent orders.
• Manage a team of attorneys with responsibilities aligned with the above functions.

• Member of the Connecticut Bar.
• Minimum of 4 years’ experience in the practice of law including administrative law with responsibility for research, development, planning, and review of legislative and/or regulatory programs.
• One year of the general experience must have included responsibility for performing energy or environmental protection work.
• Experience leading teams and managing projects, including the review and oversight of the work product and performance of legal personnel.
• Experience drafting and reviewing legislation or regulations, participating in administrative appeals, or drafting or promulgating regulations under the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, analytical, negotiation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to initiate and direct programs and collaborate with subject matter experts to achieve client objectives.

• Experience working with principals and subject matter experts through legal issues in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience preparing written legal communications entailing legal research and analysis, including memoranda of law, legal briefs, decisions or opinions for judicial or administrative proceedings.
• Experience independently preparing, reviewing, and revising contracts.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, or implementing legislation or regulations to include engagement with internal personnel as well as external stakeholders.

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.