Assistant County Attorney - General Counsel Division

Position Description

The Harris County Attorney's Office is accepting applications from hard-working attorneys dedicated to public service who want to build their skills in a high-profile office with a focus on providing legal advice and counsel to the Harris County Engineering Department. You will be asked to manage a transactional workload and gain knowledge of legal principles and procedures concerning contracts including federal and state laws, rules, and regulations that apply to the County. The Assistant County Attorney that serves in this position will also be required to give formal and informal advice to the Harris County Engineering Department. A typical workweek may include attendance at one or more meetings, drafting and reviewing contracts, providing legal advice to the Harris County Engineering Department, conducting legal research and providing written opinions, and providing legal guidance based on your review of statutes, case law, or other legal documents.

In addition to the ability to earn compensatory time for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek, the selected candidate may be eligible to participate in the HCAO telework program.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Advises the Harris County Engineering Department and County officials on legal issues that impact the department's day to day business dealings including the department's rights, responsibilities, and benefits under a contract.

• Negotiates the legal terms and drafts contracts, amendments, addendums, and court orders.

• Advises the Harris County Engineering Department and County officials on legal issues including interpreting federal and state laws and regulations affecting the department.

• Reviews the Harris County Engineering Department's policies and procedures to ensure they comply with all applicable state, federal, and local laws, regulations, rules, and ordinances.

• Acts as a liaison on legal issues between the Harris County Engineering Department and a corresponding department or governmental entity.

• Advises elected and appointed officials.

• Encourages and mentors attorneys, paralegals, interns, and law clerks.

• Drafts opinions and complex contracts.

• Assists before, during and after an emergency or disaster.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Supporting Job Application Documents:

Applicants should provide a cover letter, resume with three (3) professional references, and at least one (1) writing sample.

Education and Experience:

• A Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association-accredited college of law.

• Must be an active member in good standing of the Texas State Bar.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent research, writing, and drafting skills.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to communicate professionally and work in a collaborative group.

• Proficiency with technology and legal tools such as Microsoft Office 365, Westlaw, and PDF software.

• Knowledge of policy development and review for compliance with local, state, and federal law.

• Ability to perform thorough legal and factual analyses and exercise good judgment.

• Occasional ability to work extended hours to accommodate case load demands.

• Ability to comply with office policies and training requirements.

• Ability to organize and prioritize assignments to meet deadlines.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

General Information

Located in downtown Houston, the Harris County Attorney's Office represents Harris County government, the Harris County Flood Control District, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network in all civil matters, including lawsuits. The office also provides legal advice to county officials and employees.

Position Type, Typical Work Schedule, and Work Environment:

• This is a full-time position.

• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, with occasional weekends and holidays as necessary.

• Hours may vary based on the business needs of the HCAO.

• Most HCAO employees work a hybrid schedule with scheduled days/hours in the office and scheduled days/hours working from home.

• Working from home requires that you have a dedicated workspace and reliable internet access.

• Employees may be asked to return to a full-time in-office schedule as required by management.

• This job typically operates in a professional office environment, and the individual in this role uses standard office equipment such as computers, printers, scanners/copiers, and phones.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• This is largely a sedentary role that requires standing or sitting for prolonged periods, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body, repetitive motions requiring dexterity such as keyboarding that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers, communicating with others to exchange concepts and information, problem-solving, decision-making, organization, the ability to read/write, and the ability to manage workplace stressors such as adversarial interactions.

Compensation:

• The base compensation for this position will be determined on the candidate's qualifications and the pay of other employees in the job function.

• Total compensation includes attractive paid leave programs, health benefits, and retirement plans.

• In addition, the position is eligible for the accrual of compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with Harris County personnel policies and procedures.

Application Deadline:

• This posting will remain open until the position is filled by a suitable candidate.

• We value diverse experiences and perspectives and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

• Due to the high volume of applications received, we will directly contact candidates selected for interview.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

BENEFITS

Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.

The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:

• Medical Coverage

• Dental Coverage

• Vision Coverage

• Wellness Plan

• Life Insurance

• Long-term disability

• Employee Assistance Program

• Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service

• Accrual rates increase based on years of service

• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday

• Professional development opportunities

• Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan

• Healthcare Reimbursement Account

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:

• Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
• Flexible schedule (varies by department)
• Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website:

https://benefitsathctx.com/

01

Do you have a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association-accredited college of law?

• Yes

• No

02

Are you an active member in good standing of the Texas State Bar?

• Yes

• No

03

Do you have proficiency with technology and legal tools such as Microsoft Office 365, Westlaw, and PDF software?

• Yes

• No

04

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it. Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced

• Intermediate

• Basic

• Entry Level

• Not proficient

05

Applicants should provide a cover letter, resume with three (3) professional references, and at least one (1) writing sample. Did you provide these supporting documents along with your application?

• Yes

Required Question

Agency Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx