Attorney VI - General Counsel

As General Counsel for Travis County Juvenile Probation Department this position provides legal advice to the Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, Juvenile Board, managers, Juvenile Probation Officers and line staff to ensure they operate within applicable local, state, and federal regulations and guidelines, and to protect the Department from potential risk/liability. Routinely interpret County rules, state/national standards, state/federal laws, and regulations. Render legal opinions on complex topics in memo, email, and brief form. Assist with drafting policies and procedures, contracts, and proposed legislation, as needed. Respond to oral/written inquiries from TCJPD staff as well as judges, prosecutors, attorneys, state agency officials, legislative staff, law enforcement, school administrators, and other juvenile justice professionals. Serve as the TCJPD Public Information Officer and interact wit the news media and general public. Provide legal and legislative trainings, as needed. Manage and oversee the Court Administration Division, the Accreditation and Compliance Unit, and supervise two staff attorneys. Oversee TCJPD internal investigations that are mandated by state/federal law. During years when the Texas Legislature is in session, assume legislative related duties and responsibilities. Participate on the TCJPD management and leadership teams, and attend stakeholder meetings, as needed. 

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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• 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.

Please put this at the bottom of the posting.
You must ensure your application accurately reflects your skills and abilities as they relate to the position. Only periods of employment and experience detailed in the "Work Experience" section of the application will be considered in determining which applicants move forward in the selection process, as well as determining pay level for candidate(s) recommended for hire. 

Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm

Department:  Travis County Juvenile Probation Department 

Location: 2515 S. Congress Avenue , Austin, TX

Drug Test and Alcohol Test Required.
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.