Legal Assistant (Open To Current PUC Employees Only) - Legal

OPEN TO CURENT PUC EMPLOYEES ONLY

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

Applications must include a complete job history, detailing:

• Job title
• Dates of employment
• Name of employer
  Supervisor's name and phone number
• Description of duties performed, demonstrating how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position applying for

Important: Resumes do not replace this required information. Applications stating, "See attached" or "See resume" will not be accepted. The experience listed on your resume must match the details on the CAPPS State of Texas Application. Discrepancies will result in an incomplete application.

Required Documents

• Resume

The hiring manager has requested the above document(s) be submitted with the CAPPS State of Texas Application To submit a resume, you must upload it to your application. When submitting your documents, make sure to mark them as "relevant."

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

DIVISION - DIVISION

POSITION TYPE - This is a hybrid position and is eligible for telecommuting up to four (4) days a week

The Legal Division performs complex legal work related to electric, telecommunications, and water and sewer utility regulation including the practice of administrative law, representing the public interest in contested cases, enforcement actions related to market participant malfeasance as well as providing legal and policy advice to agency staff and the Commissioners.

Legal is seeking a Legal Assistant with a strong initiative, a passion for the utility regulatory industry, and a drive to grow their career, knowledge, skills, and experience performing highly complex to highly advanced legal assistant work for the Legal Division. Work involves researching, analyzing, investigating, and drafting legal documents and assisting attorneys with case management. Assist attorneys in investigation of and preparation for a variety of electric, communications, and water contested cases, before the State Office of Administrative Hearings and the Commission.

The ideal candidate should possess the following minimum qualifications.

Legal Assistant III

Certification from a formal Legal Assistant Program or Paralegal Certificate Program and a minimum of three (3) years' work experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, legal secretary, or legal administrative assistant. One (1) additional year of experience as a paralegal, legal assistant or legal secretary may be substituted for the certification.

Legal Assistant IV

Certification from a formal Legal Assistant Program or Paralegal Certificate Program and a minimum of four (4) years' work experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, or legal secretary, or legal administrative assistant. One (1) additional year of experience as a paralegal, legal assistant or legal secretary may be substituted for the certification.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working for a state agency as a legal assistant.

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE

Veterans, Reservists, or Guardsmen with a Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) or additional duties that fall in the fields listed in the below link who meet the minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply.

The MOS codes applicable to this position can be accessed at:

Military Crosswalk for Legal Assistant

If you qualify for a Veteran Employment Preference, it is mandatory that you provide the required documentation with your State of Texas Application. Documentation must be provided before a Veteran Preference can be granted. Required documentation is as follows: Veteran - DD Form 214; Surviving Spouse of a Veteran who has not remarried - Marriage Certificate and DD Form 1300; Orphan of a Veteran who was killed during active duty - Birth Certificate and DD Form 1300.

A detailed job description can be viewed on our website:

https://puc.texas.gov/HumanResources/Home/Jobs

Salary commensurate with qualifications.

REMARKS

• All information provided in connection with an employment application must be accurate and complete. Any misstatement, falsification, or omission of information may result in refusal to hire or, if hired, termination.
• If the position requires it, licensure as a Professional Engineer or to practice law in Texas will be verified through the Professional Board of Engineers or the State Bar of Texas for the selected candidate.
• A satisfactory driving record is necessary for driving a state or personal vehicle for agency business. Selected candidates will have their driving records evaluated according to the Commission's Traffic Safety policy.
• For males born on or after January 1, 1960, the PUC will verify Selective Service registration through the online Selective Service System. Males born after January 1, 1960, who are not registered must provide proof of exemption from the Selective Service registration requirement.
• The Public Utility Commission participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
• The Public Utility Regulatory Act imposes certain restrictions on PUC employees' investments, professional activities, and relationships with regard to "public utilities," as defined by Texas Utilities Code * 11.004. Most PUC employees cannot be an officer, employee, or consultant of a "trade association," and may not be married to an officer, manager, or paid consultant of a "trade association." (See Tex. Util. Code * 12.153.) The trade associations to which this restriction applies are defined in Texas Utilities Code * 11.003(21) and are limited to electric or telecommunications industry-related associations. (The trade association restrictions do not apply to employees who are eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.)
• PUC employees are prohibited from having a pecuniary interest in a public utility, a public utility affiliate, or "a person a significant portion of whose business consists of furnishing goods or services to public utilities or affiliates." (Tex. Util. Code * 12.154(a)(1).) A pecuniary interest is a financial interest and includes investments, such as ownership or stock holdings, or interest as an officer, director, partner, employee, attorney, or consultant. However, it does not include interests "held indirectly by ownership of an interest in a retirement system, institution, or fund that in the normal course of business invests in diverse securities independently" of your control. (Tex. Util. Code * 12.154(g).)
• The PUC has a Post-Employment Restriction - details furnished upon request.
• The PUC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and recruits, hires, trains, and promotes the most qualified persons into all job levels without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or participation in protected activity. Female and minority applicants are encouraged to apply.