PROGRAM COUNSEL I

Who We Are:
Founded in 1907, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a nonpartisan association that serves as the national forum for the 56 state and territory attorneys general and their staff to collaboratively address issues important to their work and provides resources to support the work they do to enforce state law and the United States Constitution. NAAG fosters an environment of “cooperative leadership,” helping attorneys general respond effectively – individually and collectively – to emerging state and federal issues. NAAG emphasizes service to one another and our community, a commitment to professional excellence, and quality of life for our employees.

We are looking for a Program Counsel I to join our team.

The Job Brief:
NAAG's Program Counsel I position will be housed in NAAG's Training and Research Division (NTR). The NTR Division provides high-quality, non-partisan, and innovative training, research, and other developmental resources to support state and territory attorney general offices (AGOs). Services offered to NAAG members cover a breadth of subject areas and delivery formats and is a premier national organization for training and research throughout the government legal, law enforcement, and prosecutorial arenas.

NAAG's Program Counsel I is responsible for providing high-quality legal training to state and territory attorney general offices with a predominant focus on professional attorney general staff (non-attorney) development and training and attorney agency counsel handling of parallel proceedings, state agency representation, and staffing assigned NAAG Committees. The Program Counsel I also will serve as a generalist and regularly conduct training to the attorney general community or other government attorneys and staff, as assigned, on traditional substantive, management/leadership, legal skills-, litigation-, and advocacy-based trainings.

Counsel will cultivate a portfolio dedicated to paraprofessional attorney general staff (paralegals, investigators, analysts, litigation associates and support, administrative support, etc.) and attorneys (litigation, agency counsel, complex or conflict litigation) in member offices and offer cohesive learning experiences in each of these areas. This position will create training programs and resources to assist attorney general staff to maximize organizational and individual performance in attorney general offices. Specifically, the position is responsible for initiating, coordinating, and executing NAAG trainings, serving as lead faculty on trainings, developing new in-person and online courses, conducting research, producing research deliverables, faculty selection and development. NAAG's Program Counsel I position will be housed in NAAG's Training and Research Division (NTR).

Success in this position requires creativity, flexibility, initiative, follow-through, attention to detail, strong oral and written presentation skills, a love for teaching and mentoring, teamwork, patience, relationship-building, and collegiality. One must value and understand the importance of having a dedicated focus that supports state attorney general offices and similar government partners and works well with changing environments and personalities.

Travel Responsibilities:
Significant monthly domestic travel is inherent to this position, possibly including international travel occasionally.

Responsibilities

Paraprofessional Attorney General Staff Training and Development

• Develop, execute, and serve as supporting and lead Faculty for NAAG trainings and related programs as assigned for attorney general office paraprofessional staff, domestically, internationally, and online.
• Serve as NAAG's liaison and primary point of contact for all matters related to paraprofessional staff in attorney general offices to include, for instance: development and workplace practices; skills enhancing oral and written communication, organizational, researching; investigative practices and techniques, litigation support; legal and ethical obligations of support staff; understanding and identifying the public client; and dynamics of working in a public government office.
• Serve as supportive faculty for NAAG leadership and management training, particularly as it relates to attorney general paraprofessional staff.

Attorney General Agency Counsel/Attorney Staff Training and Development

• Develop, execute, and serve as supporting and lead Faculty for NAAG trainings and related programs as assigned for attorney general office attorney staff, domestically, internationally, and online, and develop, oversee, refine, and execute all forms of NTR trainings.
• Identify and recruit faculty, speakers, and experts for NTR and other NAAG trainings and programs in the agency counsel and complex parallel proceedings.
• Serve as NAAG's liaison and primary point of contact for all matters related to state agency counsel representation and parallel proceedings in attorney general offices to include creating, modifying, and delivering in person and virtual trainings on these topics.

Research

• Conduct research and develop content for the benefit of the attorney general community based on identified portfolios and where support is needed.
• Serve as resident expert in legal areas as assigned including paraprofessional, management and traditional, general litigation, and attorney agency client concentrations.

Committee and Attorney General Office Support

• Support NAAG Committees as assigned to include facilitating conference calls, organizing panels or trainings or symposia, preparing agendas and memos, and following up on action items.
• Build external partnerships and relationships at the association and government local, state, and national levels to the benefit of the attorney general community.

Other Skills and Duties as Needed

• Lead, instruct on, and conduct NTR trainings and programs, across all disciplines, as needed, and ability to work as a generalist legally and substantively.
• Serve as supportive faculty on courses such as, Trial Advocacy, Motion Practice, Deposition Skills, Negotiation Skills, Evidentiary Foundations and Issues, Legal Writing, Trial Practice, Habeas, and/or E-Discovery, Management and Leadership.
• Perform other duties and tasks as assigned based on the needs, priorities, and vision of NAAG.

Is this you?

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school required.
• Active Bar license and membership in good standing in a U.S. jurisdiction.
• At least five to six years of agency representation, litigation, and trial (bench and jury) experience as an attorney in a state attorney general office.
• Experience planning and delivering legal courses and trainings for attorneys, paraprofessionals, legal practitioners, and government staff.

Location:

• This position may be considered for hybrid or remote work.
• If remote, it will require occasional travel to the NAAG headquarters in Washington, D.C. In addition, travel will be required for meetings, conferences, legal skills trainings, and other necessary Association activities on a significant monthly basis.
• Any permissible remote work must adhere to the Association's remote work policy.

Compensation:

• Salary range for this position is $105,000 to $115,000, commensurate with experience and budget availability.
• Exceptional benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, life/disability, long-term care, and 401k retirement plan (with an employer match and profit sharing).

To Apply:

• We invite you to apply today. Please click “Apply” below and submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and salary requirements for a complete application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Applications received prior to February 10, 2025, will be given priority review. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

NAAG believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to success. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Salary : $105,000 - $115,000