BANKRUPTCY COUNSEL in Washington, District of Columbia at National Association of Attorneys General

BANKRUPTCY COUNSEL

ID: 1055
Location: Washington, D.C.
Department: NAAG Center for Tobacco and Public Health

Bankruptcy Counsel

Who We Are:

Founded in 1907, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) serves as the national forum for attorneys general and their staff to collaboratively address issues important to their work and provides resources to support the work of the offices of attorneys general in protecting the Rule of 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 a commitment to professional excellence and the quality of life for our employees.

We are looking for a Bankruptcy Counsel to join our team.

The Job Brief:

NAAG's Bankruptcy Counsel, together with the Senior Bankruptcy Counsel are responsible for providing expert legal advice, representation and high-quality legal training to the state and territory attorney general offices and their agencies on bankruptcy matters.

Areas of law enforced by states and impacted by bankruptcy filings typically include consumer protection, privacy, environmental protection, securities fraud, tax, child support, and non-profit/charities but can involve any entity regulated or taxed under state law.

This position requires extensive knowledge of bankruptcy law and knowledge in bankruptcy application to state laws enforced by attorneys general, particularly consumer protection, is preferred. It is also challenging and unique in that it examines bankruptcy law from a state-driven perspective. It requires a practitioner who will take an entrepreneurial approach to providing a full range of services to the states.

The Bankruptcy Counsel report to NAAG’s Senior Bankruptcy Counsel.

This position may also provide bankruptcy advice and representation 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 and written presentation skills, and dedication to advancing the interests of states in bankruptcy forums.

Bankruptcy Counsel reports to NAAG's Senior Bankruptcy Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Legal Advice and Coordination among the States
  • 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.
  • Using 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.

• Bankruptcy Case Work
  • Identifying bankruptcies that impact the wrk of attorneys general, notifying the attorneys general of these cases, understanding and discussing the issues that may arise, and giving legal advice on how the states may address the issues. This work may include researching and writing briefs, motions, objections, or other pleadings. In coordination with Senior bankruptcy counsel, representation of single or multistate groups in bankruptcy courts throughout the country.
  • 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.

• Bankruptcy Trainings
  • In coordination with Senior Bankruptcy Counsel, planning 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

• National Bankruptcy Organizations and Legislation Efforts
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • In coordination with Senior Bankruptcy Counsel, speaking at non-NAAG events regarding the intersection of bankruptcy and state laws.

• Other Skills Trainings as Needed
  • Additional duties and responsibilities as determined by the needs of the Association and its members.
    

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
• A minimum of 8 years of legal practice with at least 5 years of bankruptcy practice. Representation of state attorney general offices is a plus.
• Bar license that is active and in good standing in the jurisdiction in which you practice.

NAAG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Hybrid work environment.

Terrific Total Compensation Package:

• Salary range starts at $125,000-$130,000 and is commensurate with experience and budget availability.

• NAAG offers a generous benefits package which includes paid time off, health, dental, vision, life/long-term disability, and 401k retirement plan.

To Apply:

We invite you to apply today! Please click “Apply” below and please be sure to submit a letter of interest and your resume. Applications received prior to October 23, 2026 will be given priority review.

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.