Staff Attorney

Staff Attorneys are general counsel to the District Judges and District Courts Administration (DCA). The staff attorneys provide legal assistance to the Board of District Judges and divisional boards (Civil, Criminal, Family, and Juvenile); assistance with administrative orders; advise on ethical, non-campaign- related matters, and assistance to individual district courts on questions of law. The staff attorneys also provide legal assistance to DCA and may advise in matters of law arising from the operation of courts, other governmental agencies or entities, and DCA operations. This is an at-will position that reports to the Local Administrative Judge and/or her designee. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide legal assistance to the Board of District Judges and divisional boards (Civil, Criminal, Family, Juvenile).
• Provide legal assistance to the individual Judges of the 67 District Courts (Civil, Criminal, Family, Juvenile), as they may request.
• Provide legal assistance to the Court Administrator on matters of form and procedure and DCA operations.
• Assist in preparation of various forms for general court use.
• Assist in preparation of rules for practice and procedure in the various divisions of the District Courts.
• Assist in the preparation of jury instructions and furnish legal authority for such charges, as may be requested.
• Assist the District Courts in matters of law that arise concerning Commissioners Court, the District
• Clerk, the District Attorney, the Sheriff, Pretrial Services Agency, the Harris County Community Supervision & Corrections Department, and other agencies that affect the operation of the District Courts.
• Be available to attend and, if necessary, assist with, contempt hearings, jury trials, and writs.
• Review recent Federal and State decisions that affect the jurisprudence of, and are of interest to, the District Courts (civil, criminal, family and juvenile) by written memorandum with copy of selected opinions furnished to each court.
• Review and report in writing on pending and enacted legislation as it pertains to the practice and
• procedure in the District Courts.
• Assist in preparation of bills that the District Courts deem advantageous for consideration by the
• legislature and enactment into law.
• Provide other general counsel work such as contract review, policy review, HR issues, lawsuit monitoring and interaction with other agencies, Rule 12 / Public Information Act inquiries, drafting administrative orders, division policies, and forms / form orders, serve as legal liaison between Attorney General/ outside counsel and judges, interface with DCO and other entities on needs of the courts, handling of vexatious litigants, including related orders and notices, assisting the LAJ, as needed.
• Provide general research and assistance including review and dissemination of relevant caselaw /changes in the law affecting the courts and specific divisions, review of ethical opinions affecting judiciary and staff, and every other year – legislation tracking, providing in-house CLE to judges and staff.
• Provide specific research / individual court assistance (review of cases, legal research and specific case or court related assistance, assistance with contempt proceedings, more detailed or complex case specific orders, assistance with findings of fact and conclusions of law, assistance with mandated orders or hearing from the court of appeals, and more).
• Additionally, when asked, a staff attorney provides assistance to individual judges in responding to judicial conduct inquiries, mandamus inquiries, and HR issues with the judge’s staff.
• Other duties as designated by the Local Administrative Judge and District Courts Administrator. 

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

• Certification by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization desirable.
• Experienced trial attorney or appellate attorney preferred.
• Some experience in administrative or governmental law desirable.
• Civil trial law experience strongly desired.
• Twelve (12) years of experience in the practice of law, preferably all in Texas.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• Regular Full-time

• Monday - Friday | 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

  • With most work requiring in-person presence in the workplace.

  • Variations from those hours may occur, including early mornings, evenings and weekends as needed.

• $177,632.00 Annually 
• Based on 26 pay periods

Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen.