Staff Attorney - Impact Litigation

Position Summary:

The Impact Litigation Team uses legal action and advocacy to fight race, sex, LGBTQIA+, and disability discrimination as well as police brutality and official misconduct while defending consumers, free speech, privacy, and more. The Impact Litigation program utilizes the legal system, media, and the clients’ voices to bring about systemic change. The program has a proven track record of high-profile successes that have improved the lives of many low-income individuals and led to systemic improvements in services to low-income individuals.

This position will be involved in all aspects of the Impact Litigation program while providing civil legal representation to low-income individuals in Texas. The incumbent in this position exercises patience in slowly playing out long term strategies to effect change while representing a relatively small number of actual clients.

This attorney in this position is expected to:

Maintain the highest ethical and professional standards as a member of the State Bar; adhere to the American Bar Association Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Aid; embrace and support TLSC’s overall mission; and comply with all grant requirements, regulations, standards, policies, and confidentiality requirements.

This is a grant funded position.

Essential Functions:

• Provide high quality legal assistance to eligible clients, including in-depth counseling and advice throughout the course of complex litigation.

• Analyze legal and societal problems and devise savvy strategic plans to eliminate social injustices while often utilizing outside-the-box thinking.

• Execute intake interviews, confirm eligibility for services and check for conflicts of interest according to TLSC policy.

• Write sophisticated complaints, petitions, motions, memos, and briefs on behalf of clients as well as respond to discovery to fully extract information from defendants and prepare for dispositive motions and trial.

• Communicate with third parties, media, and public on behalf of clients to resolve legal problems and to advocate on behalf of clients and the TLSC mission.

• Prepare for, attend, assist, argue, and conduct depositions, hearings, trials, and appeals.

• Travel to designated counties in the state of Texas to conduct outreach and clinic activities, and legal representation.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Current knowledge and expertise of the law and legal system, especially in areas that impact civil law and a preference for a background in housing and related areas of the law.

• Strong time management and attention to detail skills.

• Exceptional listening, writing and oral communications skills.

• Proficiency with Adobe, social media and Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

• Proficiency with or ability to learn LegalServer (TLSC’s case management system).

• Ability to enter information into system accurately.

• Understanding of grant requirements and associated reporting needs.

• Ability to work with clients in a patient, trauma informed and non-judgmental manner.

• Ability to learn new technologies to carry out job functions.

• Ability to travel to out-of-town locations.

• Ability to work with clients in a patient, trauma-informed, and non-judgmental manner.

• Experience working in at least one of the following areas: Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, Consumer Law, Constitutional Law, or Civil Litigation.

• Experience working in a public interest legal setting and working with low-income audiences.

• Experience speaking with the public or media.

Supervisor Responsibilities: Not applicable to this position.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• J.D. Degree

Licensure and/or Certification: 

•Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary work that involves sitting most of the time.

• Occasional bending, squatting, and kneeling.

• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force as needed, at times to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.