Chief Deputy Legal Counsel

Senior leadership role within the Regulatory Affairs Division of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.

Responsibilities

• Prosecute complex complaints before the Commission alleging violations of the North Carolina Real Estate License Law and Commission rules, including preparation of notices of hearing, subpoenas, stipulations, orders, appeal briefs, and other administrative-hearing documents.
• Supervise a team of field auditor/investigators who investigate complex trust-account and disciplinary cases; monitor investigation progress, review final reports, and provide guidance and coaching to team members.
• Assist in supervising a team that investigates financial fraud, including large-scale mortgage-fraud cases; monitor active investigations, review final reports, and coach team members.
• Conduct settlement negotiations of contested cases in person and by telephone with attorneys and through extensive hearings; develop and present settlements for Commission consideration, ensuring consistency with prior Commission actions and policy.
• Prepare and respond to assigned disciplinary and litigation cases; research real-estate and interrelated laws, court rulings, and administrative rules; analyze case merits, statutory and common law; develop case strategy and legal arguments.
• Cooperate with local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies, coordinating investigations and pursuing criminal prosecution and injunctive remedies.
• Represent the Commission in State-level civil litigation; prepare discovery, interrogatories, depositions, pleadings, and witnesses; present arguments before judges; prepare and argue legal motions; participate in jury selection and defend cases before a jury under supervision.
• Advise the Commission on specialized legal issues such as timeshare registration, fraud, bankruptcy, and all interrelated statutory laws and rules.
• Respond to public and licensee inquiries regarding the Real Estate License Law, Commission rules, real-estate brokerage, and real-estate transactions.
• Advise administrative staff on policy questions and operating problems with legal complications.
• Foster and participate in a collegial operating approach within the Commission; seek and share collaborative advice.
• Assist in drafting legislation proposed by the Commission and formulating Commission rules; may act as a legislative liaison.
• Write informational materials and deliver speeches on legal topics related to the Real Estate License Law, Commission rules, real-estate brokerage, and real-estate transactions; teach courses.

Requirements

• Law degree from a recognized school of law.
• Licensed to practice in the State of North Carolina.
• Successful completion of State Bar required hours of annual CLE credits.
• 10 years of progressively responsible professional legal experience, including litigation.
• Reside within a commutable distance of the Raleigh metropolitan area and be available to work on-site as required.

Skills

• Considerable knowledge of case, statutory, regulatory, common, and constitutional law, specifically in real-estate licensure and interrelated State and Federal laws and court rulings.
• Considerable knowledge of judicial and quasi-judicial procedures and the rules of evidence.
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct courtroom litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply laws, court decisions, administrative regulations, and other precedents.
• Ability to research and analyze facts, evidence, and legal instruments.
• Ability to express conclusions and arguments clearly and logically in oral and written form.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with Commission members, management, judges, other attorneys, employees, and the public.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment.

Applicants must submit a writing sample as part of the application.