General Counsel/Deputy Commissioner

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About the Organization:

The Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL), an agency within the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), protects consumers by making sure the professionals they hire comply with state licensing laws. DOL oversees 26 boards of registration, which license and regulate more than 500,000 individuals and businesses to practice over 100 trades and professions. DOL also licenses and regulates the Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI), and the Office of Private Occupational Schools.

The mission of DOL is to protect the public health, safety and welfare by licensing qualified individuals and businesses to provide services to consumers. In addition, it is the duty of the DOL to ensure fair and consistent enforcement of the licensing laws and regulations. DOL seeks to promote consumer protection, a fair and competitive marketplace, and education and outreach.

The Division of Occupational Licensure is committed to creating and sustaining a work culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and mutually respectful to all its employees regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran or disability status. We strive to reflect diversity in all facets and levels of our agency. The Division of Occupational Licensure values inclusiveness and diversity within their employee and management teams. Within our community we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

The Division of Occupational Licensure is committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel respected, valued, and empowered to maximize their skills and talents to serve our citizens.

About the Role:

The General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner’s (GCDC) primary role is to assist the DOL Commissioner in the development and coordination of public policy. The GCDC is the liaison with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the Executive Office of Economic Development and other agencies on legal matters to ensure coordination of DOL and agency priorities, monitoring agency initiatives and communicating with others within the administration or through various external channels. The GCDC represents DOL as needed to the industry and consumers. Under the supervision of the DOL Commissioner, the GCDC manages the day-to-day legal operations of DOL, including the direct supervision of the Deputy General Counsel for Enforcement, the Deputy General Counsel for Boards and Regulations, the Assistant General Counsel for Public Affairs, and the Director of Background Checks.

The incumbent provides legal services in the form of oral and written legal opinions to DOL staff regarding regulatory issues that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of business, and regarding information sought by the public to ascertain their legal rights as consumers. The GCDC also handles correspondence between the agency and third parties regarding legal matters. The GCDC is ultimately responsible for the agency’s compliance with all of its statutory and other legal obligations, for providing advice on consumer issues, and for drafting proposed legislation and regulations, as well as handling both formal and informal inquiries from the Legislature regarding legislation. Responses to public records requests received by the agency are also coordinated by the GCDC. The GCDC serves as a liaison with the Attorney General’s Office in connection with suits brought against the agency.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead and Manage the Agency’s Legal, Enforcement, and Regulatory Functions

• Direct and manage the legal functions of DOL, including Enforcement, Boards and Regulations, Public Records, and Background Checks, through the supervision of the Deputy General Counsel for Enforcement, Deputy General Counsel for Boards and Regulations, Assistant General Counsel for Public Affairs, and Director of Background Checks.
• Establish agency-wide legal and operational priorities, expectations, standards, and practices; monitor workload, timeliness, quality, significant matters, and organizational risk; and ensure accountability across assigned units.
• Provide leadership to subordinate managers and legal staff, including setting priorities, resolving significant or complex matters, developing staff, addressing performance and resource issues, and promoting effective coordination across legal, enforcement, regulatory, and operational functions.
• Formulate and implement legal, enforcement, regulatory, and operational policies that support DOL’s mission, strategic priorities, and effective administration of the Agency’s statutory responsibilities.
• Participate as a member of Senior Management in agency-wide planning, policy formulation, priority setting, and executive decision-making.

Serve as Chief Legal and Strategic Advisor to the Commissioner and Senior Management

• Serve as the Commissioner’s principal legal advisor and provide timely, practical, and well-reasoned counsel regarding significant legal, regulatory, policy, enforcement, organizational, and operational matters affecting DOL.
• Analyze applicable legal requirements, management discretion, available options, relative risks, operational implications, and agency-wide impacts, and recommend courses of action to support sound executive decision-making.
• Anticipate and identify emerging legal, regulatory, policy, operational, and reputational risks and ensure that significant matters are brought to the Commissioner and Senior Management with sufficient context, analysis, and recommendations.
• Advise the Commissioner and Senior Management on the development and implementation of agency policy, including matters involving competing legal, operational, consumer-protection, and regulated-industry considerations.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of DOL’s programs, boards, regulated professions, operations, and strategic priorities and apply an agency-wide perspective to legal and policy matters.

Direct Agency Enforcement, Board Governance, and Regulatory Legal Strategy

• Provide executive legal and operational oversight of DOL’s enforcement functions and promote fair, timely, effective, and consistent enforcement practices across the Agency within applicable statutory and regulatory authority.
• Establish standards and common practices for enforcement and board legal support where appropriate, while recognizing differences in statutory authority, regulatory requirements, and programmatic needs among DOL’s boards and offices.
• Exercise independent judgment in evaluating significant enforcement, board governance, and regulatory issues and determine when differing approaches are legally required or operationally appropriate.
• Direct and prioritize regulatory review and development, including identifying outdated, inconsistent, or operationally problematic requirements.
• Recommend statutory, regulatory, policy, or operational changes necessary to improve the effectiveness, consistency, and administration of DOL programs.

Direct Legal Advice, Litigation, Legislation, and Agency Legal Positions

• Oversee and provide significant legal advice, written opinions, memoranda, and other legal analysis concerning DOL’s statutes, regulations, programs, licensing and enforcement activities, and Agency operations.
• Establish, approve, and recommend significant legal positions taken by DOL and exercise independent judgment regarding the interpretation and application of governing statutes, regulations, and other legal requirements.
• Direct subordinate attorneys in legal research, analysis, drafting, and other legal work and establish expectations for the quality, consistency, and timeliness of legal services provided throughout the Agency.
• Coordinate litigation involving DOL with the Office of the Attorney General, including the development and recommendation of litigation strategy and Agency positions.
• Direct the legal review and development of proposed legislation and regulations and advise on proposed legislation affecting DOL, its boards, regulated professions, consumers, or Agency operations.

Represent DOL and Coordinate Legal and Policy Matters Across the Administration

• Serve as DOL’s principal legal liaison with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Governor’s legal and legislative offices, other secretariats and state agencies, and other governmental partners.
• Participate in the formulation and coordination of legal, legislative, regulatory, and policy positions involving DOL and broader Administration priorities.
• Recommend and advocate for DOL positions on significant legal, legislative, regulatory, and policy matters and work with executive leadership to advance Agency priorities within the Administration.
• Represent DOL, as appropriate, before legislators and legislative staff, regulated industries, consumers, stakeholder organizations, and other external parties on significant legal, regulatory, legislative, and policy matters.
• Coordinate significant interagency legal and policy matters and ensure DOL’s interests, responsibilities, and priorities are effectively represented.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Must be a lawyer licensed in Massachusetts with a deep understanding of MA administrative law, consumer protection laws (state and federal), and a working knowledge of the legislative process in Massachusetts.
• Familiarity with applicable substantive and procedural law, both civil and criminal.
• Excellent demonstrated communications skills in all areas, both written and oral.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Experience dealing directly with the public, including both consumers and businesses.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with personnel at all levels of the organization, business leaders, legislators, and other government officials.
• Strong ability to research and develop solutions for problem areas encountered.
• Ability to complete assignments and reviews within strict timeframes.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and successfully manage a multitude of assignments of varying complexity.
• Experience with the principles and practices of management, planning, and organization.
• Ability to develop ideas and arguments in a concise and logical sequence.
• Ability to anticipate and analyze difficult situations and take corrective action to prevent problems from occurring.
• Ability to adjust to changing situations to meet emergency or changing statutory and/or regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated skills in Microsoft Office Suite and software programs necessary to support the agency’s operations.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience as a lawyer with 3 years in a managerial capacity
• Admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth.
• Familiarity with state administrative procedures, regulated industries, and interpretation and application of complex statutes and regulations.
• Familiarity with Construction and Trade law.
• Experience in public sector. ​​​​

All applicants should attach a cover letter and resume to their online submission for this position.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) seven (7) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management of which (B) at least three (3) years must have been in a managerial capacity.

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.