Attorney VI - Office of First Defense

The Office of First Defense provides quality legal defense to persons magistrated in Travis County under Article 15.17 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Magistration is the critical step in the Criminal Legal Process in which an Arrestee goes before a Magistrate Judge to have their bail and the conditions for their release set.   The attorneys selected for this position will represent indigent arrestees at these bail hearings.  Once fully staffed, the office will represent approximately 14,000 clients each year in these limited-scope proceedings. This is an opportunity to help create a holistic, client-centered public defender office from the ground up.

The Attorney VI will represent clients at magistration proceedings and supervise attorneys and core staff providing that representation. This is sixth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorney job family. The Attorney VI will be a full-time employee of Travis County. Outside legal work is prohibited.

Magistration Shifts occur during the day, night, weekends, and holidays. Individuals selected for this position will be required to work those days and hours.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the sixth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the most complex and that may result in moderately severe consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that may result in the most severe consequences with supervision.

• Performs legal research. Searches resources and studies legal records and documents to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
• Drafts briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports.
• Takes depositions and responds to discovery requests. Oversees the creation and issuance of legal documents, including subpoenas, motions, orders, writs, warrants, contracts, official policies and other related documents. Represents the State at docket calls.
• Prepares cases for trial. Collects, organizes and prepares evidence, information and other legal materials.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:
J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND eight (8) years licensed attorney work experience.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.

PREFERRED: 

• Three (3) years of supervisory, management, or leadership experience.
• Application with a cover letter detailing interest in the position, including why applicant wants to work for Travis County.
• Hearing and trial experience consistent with years of practice.
• Mission-aligned experience (work or lived) advocating on behalf of indigent clients.
• Effective management skills and rapport-building techniques.
• Performs well in a high-volume, high-conflict area of litigation. 
• Effective litigation techniques for presentation of cases in court and the ability to present facts and arguments verbally and in writing.  
• Policies, practices, procedures, and legal terminology related to criminal law.  

• Jurisprudence, criminal and civil law and procedures, including constitutional and statutory law.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Methods and practices of pleading cases and of effective techniques for presentation of cases in court or to effectively present facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters.
• Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to court system.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures and legal precedents in area of specialty.
• Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.

• Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically.
• Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Work independently.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Work well under pressure and exercise tact in trying situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: Flexible (four 10-hour shifts per week) May work some holidays, some nights, some weekends

Location: 507 W. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701

Department: Community Legal Services

Criminal background check, Education, and Employment verification required.