Administrative Law Judge

Description WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Respect.
Professionalism.
Integrity.
Accountability.
Help protect the consumers of Washington state! Administrative Law Judge (multiple positions) Range of Consideration: $77,616 - $138,360 annually (Exempt Management Service - Band 3) These positions are exempt from civil service rules.
An initial review of applications will begin on March 8, 2024, with a second review scheduled for March 15, 2024.
It is recommended that you submit your application materials prior to this date for consideration.
UTC reserves the right to render a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time.
Hybrid: Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state.
Travel: Occasional travel during and outside normal work hours throughout the state for public meetings or hearings related to commission filings may be required.
The Opportunity: The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is looking to fill two (2) Administrative Law Judge positions within the Administrative Law Division.
These are full-time exempt positions that manage a variety of legal proceedings relating to regulation of utility and transportation companies.
The Administrative Law Division is responsible for addressing legal issues presented to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) for resolution.
The position’s duties and responsibilities contribute to achieving the UTC’s goals of protecting public safety and ensuring utility and transportation company service rates, terms, and conditions are fair, just, reasonable, and sufficient.
Who We Are: Our mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, reliable, and fairly priced.
We protect consumers by regulating the rates, services, and practices of private or investor-owned utilities and transportation companies to ensure they are safe, equitable, reliable, and affordable.
The UTC is continually recognized for its excellence and integrity as a regulatory agency, as we challenge the status quo and ourselves to ensure equitable outcomes for our customers and the people of Washington State.
We recognize that our employees are the key to the agency’s success.
We are committed to our work but value balance with our personal lives.
We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth, and offers continuing learning opportunities, meaningful work, and a comprehensive benefits package.
For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.
What We Offer Our Employees: UTC fosters an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve.
We place importance on a healthy balance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and mobile and telework opportunities.
Through the state, our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance.
We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan.
Throughout a calendar year, employees receive a minimum of 14 days of vacation leave per year and 12 paid holidays, in addition to accruing sick leave.
Our Values: Respect - We treat every person and interaction with consideration and goodwill.
Professionalism - We are committed to excellence in our work and conduct.
Integrity - We do the right things for the right reasons - trusting others to do the same.
Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Competencies: EDI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment.
Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth.
Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships.
Inclusive Excellence & Allyship.
Duties The Administrative Law Judge: This position resolves legal, policy, and factual disputes as the presiding officer or mediator in adjudications and as part of a team of commission staff in rulemakings.
The positions also advise the Commissioners on procedural, legal, and policy matters and works with the Commissioners to prepare final orders.
Responsible for demonstrating excellent legal analysis and writing, as well as creative and strategic thinking, applied in matters having significant long-range impacts in constantly evolving regulatory frameworks.
What you’ll do: Responsible for independently managing and conducting simple and complex adjudicative proceedings that often involve multiple issues, many parties of record, and development or application of novel or unique issues of law and policy.
You will ensure that commission orders reflect sound, lawful principles and manage rulemaking proceedings in conjunction with professional staff assuring all legal requirements are met.
In doing so, you may administer oaths, receive testimony and/or evidence, and examine witnesses in adjudicative proceedings before the commission.
May issue subpoenas, enter orders directing persons to produce records for the commission, issue penalty assessments, or find probable cause to issue complaints on behalf of the commission.
Mediates disputes as opportunities arise and maintains personal, professional, and ethical standards at the highest level.
Additional duties include, but aren’t limited to the following: Exercise independent thought while preparing initial orders in cases over which the position presides without the Commissioners.
Prepares other orders, manages the case record, and makes recommendations for the Commissioners' ultimate decision on matters that are the subject of final orders.
Responsible for drafting language to implement law and policy in orders resolving contested cases, either independently or under the direction of the Commissioners and in consultation with policy advisors.
Direct statewide impact on residential and business consumers of utility and transportation services and work on decisions that can have multi-million-dollar impacts on regulated companies.
Qualifications Required Qualifications: A juris doctorate degree from an accredited law school OR successful completion of a law clerk program pursuant to Washington Admission to Practice Rule (APR) 6.
Experience serving as an administrative law judge, commissioner, attorney, advisor, or other equivalent role in matters involving utility or other regulation, administrative law, or comparable legal issues requiring legal analysis and the application of law to fact.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following: Excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills.
Judicial temperament, including the ability to be objective, balance competing interests, manage an administrative hearing, and develop and implement policies consistent with applicable law and record evidence.
Working knowledge of rules governing the admissibility of evidence and procedural issues consistent with pertinent law.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team with commissioners, advisors, staff, parties, and interested persons.
Demonstration of the UTC Values and EDI competencies outlined within this posting.
Desired Qualifications: Current or inactive membership in good standing of a state bar association.
Advanced litigation management skills, particularly in complex litigation involving diverse interests advocated by multiple participants.
Demonstrated understanding of economics, accounting, corporate finance, regulatory rate making, and utility and transportation company operations, as well as public policies that relate to these areas.
Demonstrated understanding of technical and public policy issues and the ability to achieve policies lawfully and consistently.
Formal training and experience as a mediator or facilitator of decisions in group settings.
Supplemental Information Supplemental Information: How to Apply: If you’re interested in joining our Team, please the instructions below carefully; click “Apply” at the top of the page to begin your application.
To be considered for this position, please attach the following items along with your completed application: Letter of Interest: Describing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate.
Resume: Detailing your applicable experience and education.
A copy of your law school transcript(s) – unofficial is acceptable.
A brief legal writing sample, preferably no more the ten (10) pages that you have written without contribution, assistance, or substantive editing by anyone else demonstrating your professional work.
References: At least three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses; include your current or most recent supervisor.
This position is open until Sunday, March 24, 2024, at 11:59pm.
It is recommended that you submit your application materials prior to this date for consideration.
Our agency will only contact the top candidates to be invited for an interview.
The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application, including Supplemental Questionnaire along with the letter of interest, resume, references, and any other requested materials as outlined above submitted as part of the application process.
Please note that a resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application.
All information may be verified, and documentation may be required for verification.
Candidates may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.
The Utilities and Transportation Commission is an equal opportunity employer.
We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team.
Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age, sex (including gender identity), race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or religious or political affiliation.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact humanresources@utc.
wa.
gov.
For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
For more information about the UTC, please visit: www.
utc.
wa.
gov, www.
twitter.
com/wautc and www.
facebook.
com/wautc The State of Washington: https://access.
wa.
gov