State of Maryland

OPC 0005

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE     BARGAINING UNIT: X

An Assistant People’s Counsel IV is the lead and/or advanced level of work providing legal services for the Office of People’s Counsel. Employees in this classification with lead worker responsibilities assign, review, and approve the work of and train lower-level employees in the Assistant People’s Counsel classification series. Employees in this classification at the advanced level perform all of the duties of full performance level Assistant People’s Counsel III, and are responsible for major cases in a particular industry (i.e., the natural gas, electric, telecommunication or water industries). Employees in this classification, in addition to responsibility for major cases, are required to review proposed federal and state legislation, rules or regulations within their respective industries and recommend agency positions on these pending statutes, rules and regulations. Employees in this classification would also be required, for matters within their particular industry, to draft legislation, testify before federal and state legislative committees, and meet with federal and state regulators and federal and state elected officials to advocate for policies within the particular industry adopted by the People’s Counsel.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from the People’s Counsel or the Deputy People’s Counsel. Employees in this classification may be required to travel throughout the State to attend evening and weekend hearings and may be required to work overtime to meet deadlines.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Assistant People’s Counsel IV is differentiated from the Assistant People’s Counsel III in that the Assistant People’s Counsel IV functions as a specialist for a particular industry and/or assigns, reviews, and approves the work of and trains lower-level employees in the Assistant People’s Counsel classification series while the Assistant People’s Counsel III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision. The Assistant People’s Counsel IV is differentiated from the Deputy People’s Counsel in that the Deputy People’s Counsel has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Assistant People’s Counsels.

Assigns and reviews the work of and trains lower-level positions in the Assistant People’s Counsel classification series;

Mentors and develops entry-level Assistant People’s Counsels, and oversees and manages lower-level Assistant People’s Counsels’ work products;

Attorneys in this classification are responsible for and held accountable for making sure that the People’s Counsel is aware of all significant federal and State legislative proposals and agendas of the companies within the Attorney’s particular industry or topic area. In performing these functions, Attorneys monitor the trade press; participate in committee work for the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates; and network with industry members, regulators and other consumer advocates;

Represents the interests of residential and non-commercial consumers of public utilities before the Maryland Public Service Commission, the courts, and federal and State agencies;

Evaluates consumer complaints and suggestions to determine and make recommendations regarding issues to be brought to the attention of the People’s Counsel, the Public Service Commission and other agencies;

Evaluates and analyzes utility company and court actions to determine and make recommendations regarding appropriate actions to be taken by the People’s Counsel;

Performs research to discover legal precedent, opinions and decisions and other information relevant to positions taken by the People’s Counsel;

Prepares legal documents, reports and summaries and drafts motions and arguments in order to present cases;

Negotiates settlements with the concurrence of the People’s Counsel;

Attends and participates in public hearings, conferences and meetings with consumer groups to
exchange information on matters of rate making and public policy;

Acts as lead Attorney before the Maryland Public Service Commission, the courts and federal and State agencies;

Conducts or participates in, as appropriate, public hearings, conferences and meetings with consumer groups to exchange information on matters of rate making and public policy;

Reviews legislative proposals and recommends and prepares People’s Counsel positions to be presented to the Maryland General Assembly;

Performs other related duties.

Education: A Juris Doctor degree or an equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.

Experience: Four years of experience in a government agency practicing law related to the regulation of public utilities or five years as a practicing Attorney.

Notes:

1. Employees in this classification must be a member of the Bar of any state or federal jurisdiction at the time of appointment and must become a member of the Maryland Bar within 18 months of appointment.

2. The above requirements are set by the Office of People’s Counsel in accordance with the Public Utilities Article, Public Services and Utilities, Title 2 Public Service Commission and People's Counsel, Section 203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements. The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System. All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions. Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential). As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Sep 1 2000 12:00AM

January 31, 2025

Director, Division of Classification and Salary