Assistant Consumers' Counsel

About Us:

Our Mission

The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel advocates and educates to secure for Ohioans affordable, reliable, and equitable residential utility services that are essential to their well-being.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the State’s voice for millions of Ohio residential utility consumers, seeks an employee with a passion for public service to serve as an Assistant Consumers’ Counsel in its Legal Department. This position is an opportunity to help consumers, including at-risk and low-income Ohioans, regarding justice for their electric, natural gas, telephone, and water utility services. Since the legislature created the agency in 1976, we have sought lower utility bills and reliable utility service for residential consumers. At OCC, we put Consumers First.

What You'll Do:

The attorney will provide legal advice to management and the agency director (the Consumers’ Counsel) for leading the Agency’s consumer protection role. The attorney will advocate (litigate and negotiate) the Agency’s consumer protection issues in forums that principally include the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). Other forums for consumer advocacy can include the Ohio Supreme Court, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Services also can include legislative advocacy, where utility regulation and consumer protection are set forth in Ohio law.

The attorney will need an understanding of utility regulations – that broadly involves rate-setting, service quality issues and policy matters such as the agency’s favoring of effective competitive markets over monopolies for providing services to consumers. The attorney will assist with retaining and functionally supervising consultants for this work. The attorney will need to work well within agency teams and be adept at independent work requiring personal initiative to achieve agency objectives for consumers.

What’s in it for you:

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

Medical Coverage

• Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered through the available Ohio Med plans.

Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance

• Dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums are free after completed eligibility period. Length of eligibility period is dependent on union representation.

Time Away From Work and Work/Life Balance

• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth/Adoption leave

Employee Development Funds

• The State of Ohio offers a variety of educational and professional development funding that varies based on whether you are a union-exempt employee or a union-represented employee.

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System

• OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees. The employee contributes 10% of their salary towards their retirement. The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee’s salary. Visit the OPERS website for more information.

Deferred Compensation

• The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan. Visit the Ohio Deferred Compensation website for more information.

The Assistant Consumers’ Counsel must have a license to practice law in the State of Ohio. A minimum of three years or equivalent experience in public utility regulation, with a working knowledge of utility regulation and utility consumer issues is required. Applicants should demonstrate excellence in oral and written communications, including persuasive writing and making technical issues understandable. Familiarity with work processing programs, online research and other technology used in legal advocacy is expected. Applicants should have a willingness to work more than forty hours per week, as needed for consumer advocacy, and a commitment to public service.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and a drug test. Per the Ohio Revised Code 124.151(B), all newly hired employees will be required to have their compensation deposited directly to a financial institution. The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in tis services, activities, programs, and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability please contact Laurie Knight at [email protected].

The applicant is required to provide details of minimum qualifications and job duties on the applications form. Failure to provide the information will preclude consideration of the applicant. If an interview is offered, supporting documentation/paperwork (e.g. college transcripts, copy of pertinent license or certifications, etc.) may be required at the time of the interview.