419th District Court Briefing Attorney

Briefing attorney will be assigned to a court and will be responsible for assisting the judge(s) with a wide latitude of civil family and juvenile law matters.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is the third in a series of three briefing attorney job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the most complex and that may result in the most severe consequences without supervision but with consultation with judge as to final action. This classification also recommends outcome determinative decisions in cases that are the most complex and may result in the most severe consequences.

• Assists the judge with management of the courts docket.
• Provides legal opinions and counsel to the judge regarding issues under consideration.
• Assists the judge during courtroom proceedings in connection with complex legal questions.
• Performs legal research. Searches resources including state and federal caselaw statutes and rules administrative rules and procedures and studies legal documents and records to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
• Drafts briefs memoranda orders jury charges and other legal documents as well as correspondence and reports.
• Reviews and prepares summaries and opinions of pending legislation.
• Assists the judge in writing rules and procedures and in providing legal research in conjunction with the judges administrative responsibilities.
• Assists the judge with preparation of text and materials for seminar presentations including but not limited to CLE seminars. May also prepare text and materials and present at CLE and other legal gatherings.
• Communicates with counsel regarding case management and procedural requirements.
• May plan assign and/or supervise the work of others.
• Works cooperatively with court personnel.
• Interacts with and responds to inquiries from litigants public officials the media and the general public.
• May attend meetings and seminars as the judges representative.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Briefing Attorney I - $105000.00 Annually
(JD/LLB from an accredited law school AND up to three (3) years of licensed attorney work experience)
Briefing Attorney II - $113000.00 Annually
(JB/LLB from an accredited law school AND between four (4) to nine (9) years of licensed attorney work experience.)
Briefing Attorney III - $125677.53 Annually
(JB/LLB from an accredited law school AND ten (10) years or more of licensed attorney work experience.)

Licenses Registrations Certifications or Special Requirements:

Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.

Knowledge of:

• Jurisprudence criminal civil family and juvenile law and procedures including constitutional and statutory law administrative regulations and procedures.
• Federal State Local and County laws rules regulations and guidelines.
• Effective techniques for presentation facts and precedents orally and in writing in law related matters to the judge.
• Alternative dispute resolution and the mediation process.
• Policies practices procedures and terminology of assigned function.
• Computer equipment and common application software.
• Business letter writing grammar and punctuation.
• Federal state and local laws regarding the confidential handling of certain information.

• Problem solving and decision making.
• Both verbal and written communication including presentations.
• Analyzing and appraising facts policies procedures and legal precedents
• Multitasking and working undertime-pressure.

Ability to:

• Conduct legal research and analysis both manually and electronically.
• Work under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
• Present facts and precedents orally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
• Operate a variety of office equipment and a computer including word processing spreadsheets databases and a variety of software packages.
• Communicate effectively both orally and inwriting.
• Work independently and efficiently.
• 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 outside agencies other county staff and officials other attorneys and the general public.

Physical requirements include lifting/carrying up to 25 pounds visual acuity speech and hearing hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing sitting walking climbing stairs bending stooping crouching squatting pushing pulling kneeling reaching balancing repetitive motion and judge/attorney/staff/general public contact 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.