NDEE's mission is to protect and improve human health, the environment, and energy resources. NDEE’s legal staff support this mission by pursuing administrative enforcement actions, preparing referrals to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office or county attorneys, providing guidance to programs including development of regulations, and coordinating with EPA attorneys as needed. Attorneys monitor developments at both the state and federal level to provide guidance to the agency on emerging issues and assist in updating regulations as necessary. The complexity and autonomy of work increases when moving up through the Attorney classifications. 

*$24.385 Hourly - Attorney I

*$28.184 Hourly – Attorney II

*$34.500 Hourly – Attorney III

*Hiring classification dependent upon selected applicant's qualifications and experience. Minimum starting rate increases 5% after successful completion of six-month probationary period.

• Confer with agency leadership, staff, and other interested parties to seek resolution of cases or other legal/administrative actions or issues.
• Contribute to or coordinate legal research and investigations to facilitate the administrative and enforcement requirements.
• Drafts correspondence, motions, pleadings, findings of fact, conclusions of law, agency rules and regulations, orders, and other legal documents to provide legal assistance to other legal counsel or agency management.
• Serve as hearing officer for public hearings.
• Advise agency in drafting, reviewing, and analyzing potential legislative proposals.
• Represent the agency in administrative hearings related to the enforcement of agency statutes.
• Prepare analysis and legal documents for use by the Attorney General and/or County Attorney’s Offices in prosecuting civil or criminal cases.

Attorney I:

Graduation from an accredited school of law and admission to the Nebraska Bar.

In accordance with Section 7-101, Nebraska Revised, Reissued Statutes of l943, persons in this class must be admitted to the Nebraska Bar.

Attorney II:

One year of experience as an attorney practicing law including preparing cases, advising clients, and/or interpreting laws and/or administrative policies.

In accordance with Section 7-101, Nebraska Revised, Reissued Statutes of l943, persons in this class must be admitted to the Nebraska Bar.

Attorney III:

Three years of experience as an attorney practicing law including preparing and trying cases, advising clients, and interpreting laws and/or administrative policies.

In accordance with Section 7-101, Nebraska Revised, Reissued Statutes of l943, persons in this class must be admitted to the Nebraska Bar.

Other Requirements:  You must attach a resume, transcript, and writing sample to your application.

Valid driver’s license.  Able to travel overnight as needed.  Able to maintain regular and reliable attendance in the agency main office. 

Knowledge of: State and/or federal statutory and case law and constitutional provisions pertinent to agency programs; the techniques of preparing or drafting legal document and forms; judicial procedures and rules of evidence; the principles and practices of legal research; the procedures of trial and administrative hearings; the principles and practices of criminal and civil law administration.

Skill in: preparing summaries, legal analyses, findings and conclusions, briefs and other legal documents, negotiating and communicating with others sufficient to persuade their acceptance of contentious goals or viewpoints; analyzing and interpreting various factors, perspectives, and options and applying critical thinking to resolve issues.

Ability to: prepare and communicate in person and by telephone, emails, summaries, and correspondence, the facts and arguments of a case to persuade others to accept the viewpoint presented; interact with legal associates, other governmental employees, the public, and representatives of parties involved in a case; formulate legal opinions and recommendations based on legal research and investigations; conduct legal research and investigations; identify critical elements of legal questions or issues and select appropriate course of action; prepare drafts of legal documents and forms; interpret and apply statutes, case law, decisions of judicial and administrative hearings, and administrative rules and policies.