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 Bankruptcy Counsel to join our team. The Job Brief: NAAG's Bankruptcy Counsel is responsible for providing expert legal advice and high-quality legal training to the state and territory attorney general offices and their agencies on bankruptcy matters that affect them. Areas of law enforced by states and impacted by bankruptcy filings typically include consumer protection, environmental protection, securities fraud, tax, state guaranteed student loans, child support, and non-profit/charities but can involve any entity regulated or taxed under state law. This position seeks an expert in bankruptcy law and its application to state laws enforced by attorneys general, particularly environmental, consumer protection, and tax. As Bankruptcy Counsel, your mission is to identify bankruptcy issues that significantly impact the work of attorneys general, understand these issues in detail, provide expert legal advice to the states, provide bankruptcy training to the states, represent states collectively in bankruptcy court when appropriate, and give national voice to the most important bankruptcy issues facing them. This position is challenging and unique in that it examines bankruptcy law from a state-driven perspective and serves attorney general offices across the country and in the U.S. territories. It requires a practitioner who will take an entrepreneurial approach to providing a full range of services to the states. This position also provides bankruptcy advice and representation, as needed, to the 52 states and territories that are signatories to the 1998 tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). When a tobacco company files for bankruptcy protection, Bankruptcy Counsel works collaboratively with NAAG Tobacco Center counsel (one of whom is also a bankruptcy attorney) to represent the interests of the MSA states impacted by the bankruptcy filing. Success in this position requires initiative, collegiality, patience, expertise in bankruptcy law, the ability to build and maintain relationships among all constituency groups, strong oral & written presentation skills, and dedication to advancing the interests of states in bankruptcy forums. Responsibilities: <ul> <li>Legal Advice and Coordination among the States.</li> <li>Serving as a general resource to the states on all bankruptcy issues. This includes answering specific questions by staff counsel about pending cases and maintaining a directory of such counsel for assistance between states.</li> <li>Developing a modern system to communicate important bankruptcy matters to the States and to facilitate discussions among them. This includes reporting significant new decisions, maintaining a bank of commonly used briefs, adversary complaints, and objections, and updating the on-line publication of Bankruptcy from a Governmental Perspective with statutory changes and significant case law developments</li> <li>Bankruptcy Litigation</li> <li>Representing the States in bankruptcy cases involving one or more states when desired and requested by them. This can include actual appearances for the states, preparation of briefs, complaints, motions, objections, and other documents, presentation of such matters before the bankruptcy courts and preparing and arguing appeals as necessary. This can also involve assisting in obtaining states to serve as lead counsel for appellate amicus briefs and providing support in drafting, editing, circulating, and filing such briefs as the states direct.</li> <li>Monitoring bankruptcy cases where multiple states are involved with the same debtor(s) to help coordinate state positions in a manner that maximizes their influence in bankruptcy court.</li> <li>Bankruptcy Trainings</li> <li>Planning (with the input of state counsel) and implementing a yearly seminar on bankruptcy issues to provide training on those issues for attorney general staff at all levels from novices to experienced practitioners. This includes establishing agendas, obtaining speakers, speaking directly at the meeting at one or more sessions, coordinating the preparation of briefing materials by the speakers, and all aspects of the meeting on-site or virtual.</li> <li>Identifying and planning other educational opportunities when dictated by the needs of NAAG and the attorneys general, including providing training during seminars for other Centers at NAAG, such as Consumer Protection, about the effects of a bankruptcy filing on their cases.</li> <li>Creating webinar training content and supervising its presentation to individual attorney general offices, upon request, and/or providing similar content in live presentations in those offices.</li> <li>National Bankruptcy Organizations and Legislation Efforts</li> <li>Working with outside organizations active in the bankruptcy field, such as the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges to bring a governmental perspective to projects those entities carry out.</li> <li>Monitoring legislative developments and assisting with any lobbying efforts supported by the attorneys general with respect to new legislation that will assist them in carrying out enforcement responsibilities against bankrupt entities.</li> <li>Working with the American Bankruptcy Institute to write essays for its Affairs of State column in its monthly ABI Journal and to recruit state counsel to do so. And seeking out, on an ad hoc basis, opportunities to write for law journals on topics of particular interest to states to present the states' viewpoint to a wider audience and to provide scholarly research to support states' briefing on bankruptcy-related topics.</li> <li>Other Skills Trainings as Needed</li> <li>Proficiency in the general practice of law sufficient to serve as a subject matter expert when called upon by the State Offices of Attorney General to assist in training addressing trial advocacy, legal writing, motions practice, and such other lawyering skills as needed.</li> <li>Additional Duties and Responsibilities as determined by the needs of the Association and its members.</li> </ul> Is This You? <ul> <li>J.D. degree from an accredited law school.</li> <li>Bar license that is active and in good standing in the jurisdiction in which you practice.</li> <li>A minimum of 8 years of legal practice with at least 5 years in work with a significant bankruptcy emphasis. Preferred work experience includes a range of bankruptcy issues including matters relating to corporate and personal bankruptcies, and a variety of subject areas including consumer protection, environmental protection, tax, employment issues, and contracting issues.</li> </ul> Location: This position is a hybrid position that will require occasional travel to the NAAG headquarters, located in Washington D.C. In addition, travel will be required for meetings, conferences, legal skills training, and court appearances. Terrific Total Compensation Package: <ul> <li>Salary range for this position is $130,000.00-$135,000.00, commensurate with experience.</li> <li>Exceptional benefits package which includes paid time off, health, dental, vision, life/disability, long-term care, and 401k retirement plan (with employer match and profit sharing).</li> <li>Position will be 37.50 hours per week.</li> </ul> To Apply: We invite you to apply today! Please click “Apply” below and please submit a cover letter, resume and a writing sample. Applications received prior to February 28, 2024, will receive priority review. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. NAAG believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to our success. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.