Description:

Performs advanced (senior-level) attorney work for the Office of General Counsel (OGC), which provides in-house legal and administrative services to TJJD and provides educational training and technical assistance on juvenile-related matters to counties, juvenile boards, and probation offices.

Work involves: (1) providing legal advice to agency staff on issues including personnel, juvenile corrections and supervision practices, open records, open meetings, administrative procedure, and transactional matters; (2) providing technical assistance on juvenile-related matters to juvenile justice practitioners across the state; (3) review the investigations for legal sufficiency and represent the agency in administrative hearings before the State Office of Administrative Hearings in abuse, neglect, or exploitation cases involving potential revocation or suspension of certification for juvenile probation or supervision officers; (4) serving as hearing officers in parole revocation hearings and employee termination grievances and may serve as mediators in employee-related mediations; (5) performing legal activities and providing oversight for the records and public information section, which is responsible for records management, records retention, and maintenance of all youth records in accordance with state rules and agency policy; and (6) performing legal activities for the youth rights section, which involves management of a confidential grievance system, through which youth, parents or guardians of youth, and youth advocates file grievances concerning the care, treatment, services, or conditions provided for youth in state-operated facilities or programs, review of grievance resolutions to ensure all issues are addressed appropriately, and advocating for the protection of basic youth rights.

May supervise the work of others. Works under minimal supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. May be required to travel, work in excess of 40 hours per work week, and be on-call.

Essential Functions:
Works under the direction of the General Counsel. Duties may include:
Planning and organizing legal activities

Coordinating the preparation of legal opinions, briefs, contracts, proposals, and reports.

Scheduling and conducting administrative, regulatory, evidentiary, and enforcement hearings either as a hearings examiner or representing the agency before the State Office of Administrative Hearings; enforcing agency regulatory provisions; prosecuting violations of regulatory provisions; reviewing agency hearing decisions; and researching points of law involved in agency hearings; interrogates witnesses, and prepares decisions on administrative appeals of decisions and rulings. Advising staff and the public on legal matters and on the interpretation and application of agency regulations state and federal laws.

Providing legal technical assistance to juvenile court judges, probation officers, parole officers, prosecutors, and other juvenile justice practitioners on matters pertaining to Title III of the Family Code and related laws.

Advising TJJD staff and the public on legal matters and on the interpretation and application of agency regulations and state and federal laws.

Investigating alleged law/regulatory violations and preparing reports of findings.

Reviewing drafts of laws, rules, regulations, and policies affecting agency direction and operations; analyzing juvenile justice legal issues; monitoring legislation affecting justice and agency operations; and drafting or assisting in drafting bills, legislative amendments, or agency administrative rules and policies.

Preparing legal opinions, briefs, contracts, proposals, reports and cases for administrative hearings and represents the agency in matters as appropriate; assists in preparing subpoenas requiring the appearance of witnesses, records, and documents for hearings and civil litigations.

Assisting in obtaining established agency objectives and goals; evaluating agency programming, organization, and systems to determine effectiveness and best legal practices; sharing information, identifying concerns and trends, and recommending improvements to resolve problems or enhance operations. Assisting in formulating, coordinating, and establishing policies and procedures.

Investigating alleged law/regulatory violations, preparing reports of findings.

Interfacing with and communicating with others including but not limited to the TJJD Board of Directors, the Office of the Inspector General-TJJD, the Office of the Independent Ombudsman, county juvenile probation departments, state legislators, and agency stakeholders.

Conducting trainings and making legal presentations to agency personnel, the TJJD Board of Directors, juvenile probation, juvenile parole, juvenile justice attorneys, and others on legal and juvenile justice matters.

Drafting memoranda on regulatory matters and administrative rules for the Texas Register.

Serving as a liaison with complainants to be represented in an administrative hearing or with their authorized representatives.

Performs a variety of related duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.

Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures:

Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible.
Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested time frames.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Monitors outcomes for racial, ethnic, and gender disparities and takes action to address identified disparities.

Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:

Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree or a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.).
Must be licensed as an attorney by the State of Texas and must be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
Five (5) years of full-time wage-earning experience as an attorney.
Experience and Education Substitutions:

Experience requirements may be satisfied by the prorated part-time equivalent.

Note: Any degree, diploma, high school equivalent, or course hours required to meet minimum qualifications must be obtained from an accredited educational institution.

Preferred:

Seven (7) years of experience as an attorney with three (3) years working in the juvenile justice system.
Prosecution or other litigation experience.
Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts.
Experience working on employment matters.
Experience in legal research and writing.
Knowledge and understanding of basic adult training and legal education concepts.

Requirements for Continued Employment:

Failure to maintain required licensure/certification will result in termination of employment.
Remain in good standing with the State Bar of Texas

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

Knowledge of legal principles, practices, and proceedings.
Knowledge of state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.
Knowledge of agency administrative rules and regulations.
Skill in legal research, writing, and analysis.
Skill in operating computers and using applicable computer software.
Skill in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Skill in identifying and solving complex problems.
Skill in prioritizing workloads.
Skill in analyzing.
Skill in using judgment to identify courses of action.
Ability to conduct computerized legal research and access information from legal and legislative databases (e.g., LexisNexis, Westlaw Next and other Internet sources).
Ability to conduct hearings.
Ability to prepare cases for trial.
Ability to write clear and accurate opinions and briefs.
Ability to summarize findings.
Ability to use legal reference materials.
Ability to interpret and apply knowledge of laws affecting the agency and the juvenile justice system.
Ability to draft, review and negotiate contractual matters.
Ability to conduct hearings, negotiate and prepare cases for trial, summarize findings and use legal reference materials.
Ability to see with or without visual aid.
Ability to hear with or without hearing aid.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders and maintain a professional, courteous demeanor and establish and maintain an effective working relationship with others.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks; plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments; and meet deadlines.
Ability to recognize when decisions need to be made, process information logically, make decisions, and demonstrate the soundness of those decisions.
Ability to supervise the work of others.
Ability to travel, work in excess of 40 hours per work week and/or be on-call.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
The following physical demands and working conditions are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essenti