Associate General Counsel

I. PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The mission of the Cannabis Control Commission is to honor the will of the voters by safely, equitably and effectively implementing and administering the laws enabling access to adult- and medical-use marijuana in the Commonwealth. To support the Commission’s mission and its staff, the Associate Counsel will address and resolve legal matters in settled and evolving areas of the law. With the direction of the General Counsel, the Associate Counsel will provide advice on legal issues as they arise, including in the areas of licensing, investigation, labor and employment.

III. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited school of law and member in good standing with the Massachusetts bar.

• Minimum four-year experience practicing law, preferably with public-sector experience.

• Ability to work in Commission’s Boston headquarters until May 2019.

• Ability to work in the Commission’s headquarters, likely to be in the Worcester area, and occasionally in its satellite office, likely be in the Metro-Boston area, after May 2019.

• Experience or familiarity with laws governing adult- or medical-use marijuana or a commitment to developing an expertise in this emerging area of the law.

• Experience or familiarity with state agencies, including commissions.

• Significant experience in civil or criminal litigation. Experience or expertise in managing caseloads and/or prosecuting cases.

• Experience or expertise in administrative law, in general, and licensing and investigations in particular. Knowledge and understanding of the conduct of informal and adjudicatory hearings.

• Experience or expertise in employment and labor law.

• Knowledge of state public records, open meeting and ethics laws.

• Experience in or familiarity with contract and procurement law

• Ability to conduct comprehensive legal research, including the ability to analyze legal precedent and apply it to factual circumstances. Ability to develop and present clear, concise and correct legal arguments.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Must possess and exercise good judgment in making decisions and addressing problems.

• Ability to exercise discretion in handling of confidential and sensitive information.

• Ability to maintain complete and accurate records. Must demonstrate an appreciation of and an attention to detail.

• Outstanding organizational skills, which includes the ability to prioritize and complete multiple projects under time constraints and with available resources.

• Ability to work independently, productively, and creatively in an evolving environment.

• Ability to meet expectations and accept personal responsibility for the work.

• Commitment to building constructive working relationships.

• Excellent interpersonal skills; must be able to interact with people at all levels within the Commission, with entities and individuals regulated by the Commission, outside counsel, outside vendors, and members of the public.

• Willingness to perform routine administrative and clerical duties as needed.

• Must demonstrate a proficiency with computers and the MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel,

• PowerPoint) and willingness to learn state- and Commission-specific electronic systems.

IV. SALARY RANGE: $80,000 - $90,000

Benefits Package: The Commission is pleased to offer a comprehensive benefits package to its employees. The specific components and eligibility may vary based upon position classification, hours worked per week and other variables. Therefore, specific benefits for this position may be discussed as part of the interview and offer process. This position is non-civil service. This position is an exempt position. The overall benefits available include: paid vacation, sick and personal leave time, health, dental and vision insurance through the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance, and optional pre-tax Health Savings Account plans. In addition, the Commission provides employees the opportunity to elect life insurance, long-term disability insurance, deferred compensation savings, tuition remission and pre-tax commuter account plans, along with other programs. The Commission employees also participate in the Commonwealth’s State Retirement Plan, which can become a defined benefit plan for those that both vest and subsequently retire from State service. Follow this link for additional retirement information: http://www.mass.gov/treasury/retirement/state-board-of-retire/. Commitment to Diversity: The Commission is committed to building a diverse staff across its entire agency and at all levels. The Commission is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Application Process and Deadline: The Commission encourages interested candidates that meet the minimum requirements for experience and skills to apply for this position. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume by e-mail no later than Friday, May 18, 2018. The application package should be submitted to: CannabisCommission@state.ma.us Please include the position title in the subject line: Cannabis Control Commission Associate General Counsel. Submissions are due by 5:00 pm (e-mail) on May 18; late submissions may be considered solely at the discretion of the Commission.
Notice of Required Background Check – Including Tax Compliance: The Commission requires a background check on all prospective employees as a condition of employment. Candidates should be aware of this requirement but should also know that such background check is not initiated until:

1. A candidate is invited to a second or subsequent interview, and

2. The candidate has signed the Background Check Authorization Form and related releases.

This background check includes a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, Federal IRS and Department of Revenue state tax compliance on all prospective employees as a condition of their employment. Candidates with advanced degrees and professional licenses may have these credentials verified. Individuals other than those references provided by a candidate may be contacted in the course of completing a full background and qualification check. Those candidates invited to interview will be contacted by the Commission. Unfortunately, due to the anticipated high volume of applicants for this vacancy, we are unable to provide status updates to specific individuals.

Qualifications II. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide legal support as needed by the General Counsel, as well as the Executive Director, the Commission and its Commissioners.
• Commit to developing an expertise with laws governing adult- or medical-use marijuana. Maintain knowledge of the current state of the law and familiarity with cannabis-industry issues. Monitor applicable state and federal laws, decisional law from other jurisdictions, and industry publications. Identify emerging issues to discuss with Commission counsel and staff.
• Provide clear, concise and correct written and oral advice. Evaluate the applicability of settled areas of the law to emerging and unsettled areas. Evaluate and make recommendations as to legal and practical implications of alternative courses of action.
• Advise and work with the licensing staff on the marijuana establishment agent and license application and renewal processes.
• Advise and work with the investigative staff on investigative, enforcement and disciplinary actions involving agents and licensees.
• With the General Counsel, develop, implement and refine the processes for informal and adjudicatory hearings.
• Maintain litigation files and support the legal department in working with the Office of the Attorney General on litigation matters pending before federal and state courts.
• Advise the Commission and its staff on labor and employment issues.
• Draft contracts, statements of work, policies and procedures, and other legal memoranda.
• Support legal and Commission staff in the procurement processes and its relationships with outside vendors.
• Clearly communicate the Commission’s policies and procedures to staff and members of the public.
• Anticipate and address the legal issues implicated by the Commission’s evolving mission.