We are seeking to fill one (1) Team Attorney positions for the Employment, Voting, and Accessibility Team, to be located in Austin or Houston.
The Employment, Voting and Access Attorney is responsible for receiving complaints and providing legal advice and representation to individuals with disabilities who have issues involving employment discrimination, fair pay, vocational rehabilitation services, access to the election process, public accommodations, and governmental entities. This includes interviewing clients, reviewing records, documenting client eligibility, conducting legal research, negotiating outcomes, and representing clients in administrative hearings and in state and federal judicial proceedings. This includes conducting accessibility surveys of polling places and election offices web sites, educating and training people with disabilities on voting access issues including registering to vote and investigating complaints regarding the access to vote. This position provides legal assistance and direction to Advocates’ case work when appropriate. This Attorney also provides education and training sessions about the legal rights of individuals with disabilities in these areas. A focus of this position will be on serving underserved individuals with disabilities in Texas, and identifying and addressing intersectional legal issues as they arise. In addition to individual client representation, the position also includes collaborating with other organizations to promote improved vocational, pay, voting and public access outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Conducting work in conjunction with our efforts with the Help America Vote Act will be a significant part of these roles as well.
Essential Functions
Provide legal services and advice to individuals with disabilities which may include legal advocacy, negotiation, mediation, litigation, and handling of administrative and court proceedings. A portion of work conducted might focus on non-litigation voting issues.
Responds to requests for assistance and determines eligibility for services.
Provide direction and technical assistance to Advocates, when appropriate.
Implement agency's client services policies and procedures regarding client interviews, case records, investigations, case advocacy and case files.
Develops and/or maintains ongoing caseload within the level established by the agency's client services policies and procedures.
Conduct accessibility surveys of polling places and election office web sites.
Provides technical assistance on an on-going basis to private attorneys.
Develops materials for and conducts a selected number of education and training (E&T) presentations on Disability Rights Texas's services and legal rights issues.
Conceptualizes case strategies and develops case work based on proper legal concepts and established precedents. Is creative in finding solutions and reaching outcomes.
Maintains effective communications.
Travels as needed to provide services.
Appropriately prioritizes tasks as needed and multi-tasks responsibilities in a timely manner.
Establishes personal credibility throughout and outside the organization, in order to be an effective partner and advisor.
Effectively and regularly communicates with employees, clients, and the public at the individual, team and organizational levels.
Maintains thorough and complete client files.
Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, the community, and employees at all levels of the organization.
Applies the principles of the organization’s vision and values in all work-related business and interactions.
Perform other duties as requested or required.
Required Qualifications
Law Degree plus Texas Law License.
A minimum of three (3) years previous related experience, legal or otherwise, preferably working with persons with disabilities.
Demonstrated legal skills including the ability to develop and evaluate facts and apply knowledge to client outcomes; the ability to analyze and apply legal rules and principles in order to develop case strategies; the ability to conduct legal research and apply information to case strategy; the ability to investigate and gather all pertinent facts; and able to form logical and legal conclusions from the information.
Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills including the articulation of well thought out arguments; drafting complaints, briefs, memorandums of law and other pleadings; conducting depositions and other discovery methods; engaging in negotiations and settlement discussions; writing demand letters and other correspondence.
Demonstrated knowledge of complex state and federal rights protection statutes, laws and regulations related students with disabilities.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly, including overnight trips, and travel to rural communities.
Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and collaboration skills to be able to work effectively with others inside and outside of the organization.
Demonstrated public speaking skills to conduct education and training sessions.
Comply with organizational standards regarding legal case development and management
Maintain licensure to practice law in Texas
Proven ability to lead, mentor and train others.
Experience working with county and state government entities.
The ability to take direction and independently follow through on all instructions.
The ability to create collaboration among stakeholders and other disability groups.
Excellent detail-orientation, follow-up skills and organizational skills plus the ability to multi-task and work under challenging conditions while meeting deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to manage workload so services are delivered timely and appropriately.
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to quickly learn to use legal case management software (LegalFiles).
High level of commitment to service excellence, plus high degrees of integrity, ethics and judgment are a must.
Preferred Qualifications
Bilingual in English/Vietnamese, English/Chinese, and/or English/Spanish – both written and spoken word
Experience working in low-income communities and/or communities of color or other underserved populations.
Interested in applying? Please visit our website to apply directly on our careers page: https://disabilityrightstx.org/en/get-involved/careers/.