Energy Attorney
TURN Description:
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) seeks an Energy Attorney to join its team of high-impact regulatory energy policy advocates practicing primarily before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
TURN is a California nonprofit organization that advocates at the CPUC and the California State Legislature on behalf of California consumers. TURN believes we can and should live in a society where power, broadband, and phone services are treated as basic human rights. While TURN advocates on behalf of all California consumers, we have a particular focus on fighting for policies that ensure affordable access to essential utility and communications services for low-income households, communities of color, immigrants, and rural communities.
TURN’s energy policy advocacy advances the clean energy transition, with a focus on bill affordability and racial and economic equity, by representing the interests of residential utility customers in California’s regulation of investor-owned utility companies. A respected consumer voice for 50 years, TURN is successful through its combined talent of attorneys, policy analysts, economists, engineers, and community organizing professionals.
Primary Job Responsibilities:
A TURN attorney’s primary focus is representing residential utility customers in CPUC proceedings. Attorneys will:
Review CPUC filings and develop case strategy;
Draft and file timely legal pleadings;
Conduct legal and policy research utilizing the CPUC website and other online sources;
Draft, review, and utilize discovery;
Direct the work of expert consultants and witnesses;
Appear in administrative hearings and conduct witness cross-examination;
Participate in settlement discussions;
Lobby CPUC decision-makers; and
Build coalitions with other consumer and community groups.
A TURN attorney can expect to participate in a range of CPUC proceedings that support its mission, including dockets considering:
Reasonable infrastructure investments for electric and natural gas utility services and utility accountability for investments in infrastructure, particularly for safety and reliability;
Equitable and effective clean energy policies and utility accountability for clean energy expenditures;
Equitable funding of utility expenditures;
Reasonable and affordable rates for residential electric and natural gas utility services, including the development of policies and rules enabling access to essential utility services for low-income households, communities of color, immigrants, and rural communities.
Experienced TURN Attorneys have primary responsibility for managing their caseload and may be responsible for overseeing the work of junior attorneys.
Additional Job Responsibilities:
All Energy Team members participate in regular team meetings to discuss key policy developments, forge alignment between TURN’s legal, organizing, and communications efforts, develop overall regulatory and political strategies, and review/adjust caseload assignments. Facilitation of these meetings is a shared responsibility across all Energy Team members.
TURN staff members work collaboratively to develop positions on emerging issues in energy policy
and ratemaking and identify how best to advocate for these positions.On occasion, TURN attorneys contribute to TURN communications by drafting summaries and reports for the TURN website, online alerts, newsletters, and fundraising and program-related materials.
All Energy Team members are expected to track time contemporaneously and with the required level of detail to support TURN’s requests for compensation from the CPUC for successfully contributing to the CPUC’s decisions. At the conclusion of each regulatory proceeding, the lead attorney for that proceeding is expected to prepare the intervenor compensation request for submission at the CPUC.
Requirements for the Energy Attorney Position:
Education: Graduate of an accredited school of law.
Experience: 7+ years of legal practice before the CPUC or a similar regulatory agency, preferably
on energy issues. TURN will consider applicants with more than the required experience.Licensure: Licensed to practice law in California or any jurisdiction within the United States.
Excellent Communicator: Effective verbal and written communication with internal and external audiences at all levels of knowledge. Willingness to serve as a spokesperson on TURN initiatives.
Socially Conscious: Demonstrated commitment to economic and racial justice. Supportive of
an inclusive and diverse TURN workplace.Strategic Thinker: Demonstrated record of careful research and creative analysis to address problems and develop successful arguments.
Self-Starter: Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities while still delivering timely and high-quality work products.
Collaborative Teammate: Able to coordinate with others towards a common goal. Willing to assist colleagues with their workload when necessary. Able to calmly and respectfully resolve conflict.
Approachable Leader: Enthusiastic and dedicated advocate with the ability to help others achieve
their best outcomes. Eager to share knowledge and insight with others.Technically Capable: Understanding of standard computer-based applications, including email, Microsoft Office, and Adobe.
Work Hours:
Exempt, Full-Time, 40+ hours. Monday – Friday.
The Energy Attorney position is based out of TURN’s Oakland, CA headquarters. The majority of TURN’s team works on a hybrid schedule, but remote work may be negotiable for the right candidate.
Occasional evening and weekend hours as needed to meet filing deadlines.
Benefits of Working at TURN:
Opportunity to influence fast-moving energy and climate change issues in a cutting-edge state.
Top-notch, dedicated, racially diverse team with a demonstrated record of success at the CPUC
and in Sacramento.100% employer-paid premium for employee health, dental, and vision and additional benefits for all members of the employee’s family.
Generous annual leave and retirement contributions.
Competitive salary for nonprofit organizations, commensurate with experience (see Salary Range
for this position below).TURN qualifies as a nonprofit employer for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Salary Range for Position – Energy Attorney:
$140,000 to $170,000 for an attorney with 7+ years of directly relevant legal experience.
Vaccination Policy:
All TURN employees are required to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations in accordance with CDC recommended guidelines and must provide proof of vaccination, unless the TURN COVID Vaccination Committee approves a reasonable accommodation.
Application Process:
TURN actively encourages applications from people who would add to our staff diversity, as well as to the diversity of the energy policy field. This includes applications from people who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/e/x, Asian, non-gender conforming, LGBTQ, and other underrepresented communities.
To apply, submit to chouston@turn.org the following:
Cover letter
Resume
Writing sample
Please contact chouston@turn.org to request accommodation for the application process if necessary.
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