Legal Aid Staff Attorney

Under general direction of the Earl Carl Director and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Dean, the Staff Attorney acts as staff attorney primarily for the Fort Bend County Legal Services Project providing legal representation of juveniles involved in the various civil practice areas from intake to litigation, including uncontested family, criminal record clearing, juvenile justice and school discipline as well as property, probate, eviction defense and estate planning.

Essential Duties Summary

• Provides legal representation in the Earl Carl Institute Fort Bend County Legal Services Project to provide low income communities access to justice.
• Provides legal services and representation from intake to litigation.
• Supervises, assesses and structures the practice work of students working as investigators or providing other legal support on cases being handled by the attorney.
• Responsible for direct case handling, to include communication with courts, clients, opposing counsel and other professionals as well as filing pleading and participating in motions hearings and trials.
• Conducts legal investigations and provides advice to individuals in need of legal services. Drafts and files motions and pleadings in state court on behalf of clients of the law school clinic. Responsible for all aspects of the litigation of cases.
• Serves as lead attorney in their cases and may appears in Court anywhere in Texas.
• Responsible for development of educational and outreach programs in furtherance of ECI’s clinic related work. Also handles administrative activities as directed by an Associate Director or Executive Director.
• Performs other job-related duties as required.

Education

Juris Doctorate from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.

Required Licensing/Certification: Licensed to practice law in Texas.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Ability to work with a diverse multi-cultural population of clients, students and staff.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Microsoft Office Professional or similar applications.

Skill in:

• Performs duties within scope of general University policies, procedures and objectives.
• Analyzes problems and performs needs assessments.
• Uses judgment in adapting broad guidelines to achieve desired result.
• Regular exercise of independent judgment within accepted practices.
• Planning activities.
• Legal.
• Analyzing documents.
• Makes recommendations that affect policies, procedures and practices.
• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Work independently.
• Communicates effectively.
• Use job-related software.
• Use job-related systems such as Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis, ProDoc or similar.

Work Experience

Requires a minimum of one year of practice experience, with strong preference given to candidates with substantial experience in Juvenile practice, school disciplinary actions, child custody cases, criminal record expunctions and nondisclosures, and Criminal Law defense. Prefer prior experience as lead attorney in all or some combination of these types of cases.

Working/Environmental Conditions

• Routine office environment.
• Sitting or standing in one location much of the time.
• Some stooping, lifting or carrying objects light weight may be required. Use of video display terminal.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $71,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• public interest law: 1 year (Preferred)
• General law practice: 3 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Texas State Bar Law license (Required)

Work Location: In person

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Student Loan Payment Program for attorneys licensed less than 10 years.