Associate Regulatory Counsel

The Utility Regulation and Competition Office (URCO, the Office) is the independent multi-sector regulatory body with responsibility for the Energy and Electricity, Fuels, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Water and Wastewater sectors. The Office maintains regulatory oversight for all utilities providers in the Cayman Islands.

The Office has wide powers for consumer protection and is particularly mandated to facilitate innovation in the sectors for which it has responsibility for the promotion of economic development. URCO enforces compliance for all licensees through the administration of penalties and fines as dictated by the Utility Regulation and Competition (URC) Act and the relevant sector acts and licenses.

The Associate Regulatory Counsel (ARC) is a senior professional legal role within the Office's Legal function, reporting to the Regulatory Counsel (RC). While the RC serves as the Office's principal legal adviser and sets overall legal strategy, the ARC is expected to operate with a meaningful degree of professional autonomy, exercising independent legal judgment and taking ownership of defined categories of legal advice and matters through to conclusion.

The ARC provides legal advice, guidance, and representation across all sectors regulated by URCO, and has a particular responsibility to help ensure that, as a quasi-judicial body, the Office discharges its duties in a manner that promotes natural justice, procedural fairness, and consistency with primary and secondary legislation. Beyond sector-specific regulatory advice, the ARC is expected to provide general legal advice on internal operational matters, including the review and negotiation of commercial and service contracts, and legal input on Human Resources matters, employment-related risk, and internal governance. In defined circumstances agreed with the Regulatory Counsel, the ARC will provide final legal advice and sign-off on lower-risk or routine matters directly to internal stakeholders, escalating novel, high-risk, or precedent-setting issues to the RC.

The ARC will also provide support on Data Protection queries and disputes, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and similar specialised statutory processes, and may deputise for the Regulatory Counsel on operational legal matters as required.

Because of the pervasiveness and impact of ICT and utilities within the business community, the ARC is expected to maintain effective working relationships with licensees, service providers, and business contacts, without compromising the independence of the Office. The ARC will have access to sensitive and often commercially or personally confidential information, and a high level of discretion and confidentiality is attached to the post. The ability to provide timely, accurate, well-reasoned, and defensible legal advice with a degree of independence, while knowing when to escalate, is a critical requirement of this position.

• Provide independent legal advice and interpretation on the URC Act, related sector acts and regulations, subsidiary legislation, and sector-specific legislation, escalating novel or high-risk issues to the Regulatory Counsel.
• Serve as a trusted internal legal adviser to CEO, Executive Directors, Senior Management, and sector teams on regulatory, compliance, and governance matters, providing final sign-off on lower-risk or routine advice within parameters agreed with the RC.
• Provide general corporate legal advice on internal operational matters, including the review, drafting, and negotiation of contracts for goods and services, procurement arrangements, and vendor agreements.
• Provide legal advice and support to the Director of HR & Operations and senior management on Human Resources matters, including employment contracts, disciplinary and grievance processes, and employment-related legal risk.

Advise on Data Protection queries and disputes, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and related specialised statutory processes, taking ownership of these areas as a designated subject-matter lead.

• Advise on, draft, and finalise regulations, rules, determinations, enforcement notices, and administrative measures pursuant to the URC Act and sector-specific acts, taking primary drafting responsibility on assigned matters.
• Support the review of laws under which the Office operates, advising on potential amendments and drafting legislative instruments and regulations under the enabling laws.
• Advise on the regulatory implications of market developments, including mergers, joint ventures, and licensing transactions involving licensees or third parties.
• Contribute legal perspective to the development of URCO's policy and practice on competition law matters, working collaboratively with policy and economic teams.
• Take carriage of assigned litigation and alternative dispute resolution matters relating to URCO, including case strategy, drafting pleadings, and managing external counsel, under the general oversight of the Regulatory Counsel.
• Assist in negotiating settlements and regulatory enforcement outcomes to protect the Office's statutory interests.
• Draft and finalise consultations, determinations, statements, enforcement notices, and legal documents, and prepare papers for URCO's Board and committees.
• Provide investigatory support and legal analysis in own-motion and complaint-driven infrastructure and licensing disputes across sectors.

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB), with admission (or immediate eligibility for admission) to the Bar in the Cayman Islands as a member in good standing, or a comparable common law jurisdiction.
• Minimum of ten (10) years post-qualification experience in the practice of law.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in regulatory law, preferably across utilities, energy, fuels, water, or ICT sectors.
• Minimum of three (3) years of litigation experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing legal advice on commercial contracts and/or employment and Human Resources matters, in addition to regulatory law.
• Expertise in administrative law, utility regulation, competition law, and dispute resolution.
• Experience with international regulatory frameworks and standards is an asset.

Knowledge

The post holder must have:

• Knowledge of the Grand Court Rules, litigation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution processes in the Cayman Islands.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation governing the ICT, energy, water, and fuels sectors in the Cayman Islands.
• Strong understanding of regulatory processes, compliance, and enforcement within utility sectors.
• Working knowledge of commercial contract law and employment law principles as applied in the Cayman Islands.
• Working knowledge of English Law litigation procedures, judicial review and other public and admin law rules and procedures.
• Experience and/or certifications in arbitration, negotiation, and mediation processes is desirable.
• A demonstrable interest in and understanding of regulatory, competition, and consumer issues.
• Detailed understanding of corporate governance.

Experience

The post holder must have:

• Post-qualification work experience in a legal, utility regulatory, or public authority environment, in private practice, in-house, or within Government.
• Experience negotiating and advising on commercial or service contracts.
• Experience advising on Human Resources or employment-related legal matters.
• Experience in regulatory management and competition policy.
• Experience supporting or leading litigation processes.
• Investigatory experience and an appreciation of regulatory processes.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage external legal advisers.
• Experience in alternative dispute resolution.
• 
  
• Skills & Abilities

The post holder must:

Demonstrate excellent legal drafting, negotiation, and communication skills across regulatory, commercial, and employment contexts.

• Exercise sound, independent judgment, with the confidence to provide final legal advice on defined matters and the discretion to know when to escalate.
• Possess strong research and analytical capabilities to interpret complex legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across departments, including HR, Finance, and sector teams.
• Provide leadership in legal guidance within a dynamic, multi-sector regulatory environment.
• Be politically, socially, and culturally sensitive, and able to remain politically neutral in all work.
• Uphold a high standard of integrity, impartiality, transparency, and objectivity.