Staff Attorney

If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State..Staff Attorney Code: YC02 Confidential Opening date:
October 3, 2026

Closing date:
October 23, 2026

Location:

Hallowell, Maine (Hybrid Work Schedule Available)
Salary: $90,000 +About UsThe Maine Public Utilities Commission plays a pivotal role in shaping Maine's energy landscape. We are committed to serving the public interest by balancing access to safe and reliable utility services with rates that are just and reasonable for customers and public utilities, while minimizing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. We are seeking an experienced Staff Attorney to join our Legal Division and help us tackle in an administrative law context some of the most important issues facing public utilities in Maine.

If you are intellectually curious about public utilities, have strong legal writing skills , and have a professional drive for solving complex problems in a dynamic and collaborative work environment, this is a great opportunity to meaningfully serve the public interest in an impactful public service career. The Legal Division is looking for attorneys who thrive on combining their legal skills with critical thinking and evaluative analysis to help shape the future of Maine's energy systems.

The Role As a Staff Attorney at the Commission, you will serve as a legal advisor to Commission leadership and staff on a wide range of public utility matters. As presiding officer , Staff Attorneys manage the Commission’s dockets, which include rate making proceedings, formal and informal investigations, rule making proceedings, and competitive procurements for renewable energy. Staff Attorneys may also represent the Commission in an appellate capacity before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, or as counsel in other state and federal judicial forums.

At the Commission, Staff Attorneys play a key role in a professional teamwork environment . They preside over the Commission’s proceedings, including evidentiary hearings, and ensure due process is provided in all matters. Staff attorneys work closely with the Commission’s utility analysts to conduct case and technical conferences, evaluate utility filings, review and analyze technically complex evidence and legal argument, and help shape important decisions that affect Maine’s energy future .

Key Responsibilities:

(including but not limited to)
Advise Commission and Staff. Research, interpret, and apply applicable laws, rules, policy, and Commission precedent. Provide in-house oral and written legal advice, and draft and issue recommended decisions , recommending findings of fact and conclusions of law for public deliberation by the Commission.

Preside Over Administrative Proceedings. Interact with attorneys, witnesses, and parties as the presiding officer in formal conference and hearing settings in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, including with respect to discovery and evidentiary disputes. Facilitate settlement negotiations when appropriate.

Appellate Advocacy. Opportunity to appear as counsel for the Commission on appeals of final orders, which go directly to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court .Rule making. Draft rules, notices of rule making, and orders adopting rules, all in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.

Collaborative Evaluation of Utility Filings. Work directly with utility analysts in a team environment to review filings from public utilities, such as requests for rate…