Job Summary
Serves as an Assistant Public Defender with the Travis County Mental Health Public Defender in Austin, TX. Provides client centered representation to indigent clients experiencing significant mental health, intellectual, developmental, and/or neurocognitive disorders on pending misdemeanor, State Jail and F-3 charges.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Attorney IV: This is the fourth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are moderately complex without supervision, handles cases and matters that may result in the least severe consequences without supervision, and handles cases and matters that may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Salary Information:
Attorney IV Minimum Salary: $83,424.43 Annually
Duties and Responsibilities
Assistant Public Defender with the Travis County Mental Health Public Defender.
Provides client centered representation on misdemeanor and low level felony charges to indigent clients experiencing significant mental health, intellectual, developmental, and/or neurocognitive disorders with pending misdemeanor, State Jail and F-3 charges.
Works as a part of a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic representation.
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.
Oversees the creation and issuance of legal documents, including subpoenas, motions, orders, writs and warrants.
Prepares cases for trial. Collects, organizes and prepares evidence, information and other legal materials.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements
Education and Experience:
Attorney IV: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND four (4) years licensed attorney work experience.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Please attach resume to application.
Preferred:
Bilingual in English and Spanish
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.
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.
Intersection of mental health and disabilities with the criminal justice 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.
Skill in:
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.
Ability to:
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 and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
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.
Work Environment & Other Information
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.
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.
Work Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Monday through Friday; Works some nights
This position is partially funded through a multi-year grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.
Criminal, Education, and Employment Background Check Required.
NLADA Mutual Insurance Co., RRG
