PUC, Attorney (Attorney I - II)

Work with us and make a difference in Texas!

The Public Utility Commission regulates the state’s electric, telecommunication, and water and sewer utilities, implementing respective legislation and offering customer assistance in resolving customer complaints.

We are committed to protecting customers, fostering competition, and promoting high quality utility infrastructure.

Thank you for your interest in employment with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. We are committed to the recruitment and promotion of a character-driven, competent, productive and diverse workforce. Our employees come from a broad range of professional backgrounds, from attorneys and engineers to administrative support staff, united by their passion to be accountable to the people of Texas and provide equitable, efficient, and effective regulation in an increasingly competitive environment.

We understand that motivated, knowledgeable staff are essential for the successful completion of our vital work. If you're ready to join our efforts to serve our fellow Texans by helping electric, water, sewer and telecom utilities attain and maintain compliance, we would love to hear from you. Working at the PUC will not only broaden your professional horizons, it will also make you part of a highly motivated, technically proficient and warmly collegial team of professionals. Apply today!

The BENEFITS of working at the PUC

DIVISION – OFFICE OF POLICY AND DOCKET MANAGEMENT/COMMISSION ADVISING

POSITION TYPE - This is a hybrid position and is eligible for telecommuting up to two (2) days a week. An initial training period of six (6) months must be completed before an employee is eligible to telecommute.

SALARY RANGE

The Office of Policy and Docket Management is comprised of two separate sections, Policy Development and Docket Management.

The Policy Development section prepares paper for the Commissioner’s review before an open meeting. The Docket Management section processes all new incoming cases that are filed at the Commission.

OPDM also processes orders that are generated out of the open meetings and sends dockets to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) where they conduct hearings.

Commission Advising is seeking an Attorney with a strong initiative who has a desire to work in the utility regulatory industry and would like to expand their knowledge, skills and experience performing entry level to moderately complex professional legal work and administrative duties for the Commission Advising Section. Work involves the practice of administrative law including, but not limited to, giving legal advice, analyzing proposals for decision and proposed orders, writing orders, and presenting recommendations to the commissioners on contested cases. Responsible for cases and projects with a high degree of complexity.

The ideal candidate will have the following required minimum qualifications:

Attorney I

Graduation from an accredited law school with LLB or JD degree and licensed with the State Bar of Texas and eligible to practice law in Texas.

Attorney II

Graduation from an accredited law school with LLB or JD degree and licensed with the State Bar of Texas; eligible to practice law in Texas; and a minimum of two (2) year legal work experience as a licensed attorney.

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in math, finance, accounting, engineering, or English.

• Administrative law or litigation experience.

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 Attorney

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. The salary of an ERS Retiree or non-contributing member may be 9.5% less than the recommended salary.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

Applications must contain complete job histories, which includes:

• Job title

• Dates of employment

• Name of employer

• Supervisor's name and phone number

• Description of duties performed that demonstrates how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position applying for

Note: Resumes do not take the place of this required information and applications with “See attached" or "See resume" will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. The experience on the resume and CAPPS State of Texas Application must match, otherwise, the application will be considered incomplete.

The Division is requesting the following documents be submitted with the State of Texas CAPPS Application:

• Letter of Interest

• Resume

• Official or Unofficial Law School Transcripts

To submit a letter of interest, resume and transcript, you must upload it to your application. When submitting your documents, make sure to mark them as “relevant.”

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

WORK IN TEXAS APPLICANTS

To apply for the position, it is best to go to the CAPPS State of Texas Talent Management System to submit your application by going to https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl and select our agency, Public Utility Commission of Texas, from the "Company/Agency" list.

REMARKS

• All information provided in connection with an application for employment must be true and complete, and any misstatement, falsification, or omission of information may be grounds for refusal to hire or, if hired, termination.

• Salary commensurate with qualifications.

• The salary of an ERS Retiree or non-contributing member may be 9.5% less than the recommended salary.

• If required for position, licensure as a Professional Engineer or to practice law in Texas will be verified on the selected candidate through either the Professional Board of Engineers or the State Bar of Texas.

• A satisfactory driving record is required for driving a state or personal vehicle to conduct agency business. Selected candidates will have their driving record evaluated in accordance with the Commission’s Traffic Safety policy.

• For males born on or after January 1, 1960, the PUC will verify proof of Selective Service registration through the online Selective Service System. Any males born after January 1, 1960 who are not registered will need to 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 apply 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 into all job levels the most qualified persons 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.