Attorney, Education - Rural Justice Initiative, East, TX

Disability Rights Texas•Houston, TX

12h

About The Position

Disability Rights Texas is hiring an Education Attorney for its Rural Justice Initiative (RJI), a collaborative project intended to expand civil legal services for low-income Texans in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties. This project-funded, time-limited position is associated with the five-year initiative; continued employment depends on the project, funding availability, and organizational need and is not guaranteed beyond the project period. The attorney provides legal advice, advocacy, and representation concerning the services and treatment of students with disabilities in public schools. Work includes responding to requests for assistance, determining eligibility, interviewing clients, reviewing records, conducting legal research, developing case strategies, negotiating outcomes, and representing clients in administrative hearings and state and federal court proceedings. The attorney also provides direction and technical assistance to advocates and private attorneys, and develops and delivers education and training about the legal rights of students with disabilities. The position is assigned to East Texas. The attorney must live within or sufficiently near the designated service area to maintain a regular local presence and be available for in-person client services, outreach, clinics, partner meetings, and court and administrative proceedings. Regular travel throughout the rural service area is required. The role works with clients, community partners, colleagues, and other RJI organizations, and uses computers, telephones, videoconferencing, and case-management systems. Duties may take place in offices, courthouses, schools, libraries, clinics, community organizations, and other rural locations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
Licensed to practice law in Texas and in good standing.
At least three years of relevant legal experience.
Experience providing legal services, advocacy, or representation to low-income or underserved populations, or demonstrated ability to develop such expertise.
Ability to independently manage legal matters and provide client representation.
Ability to develop working knowledge across multiple areas of disability-related civil law rather than practicing exclusively in one substantive area.
Knowledge of federal and Texas laws affecting people with disabilities, or ability to acquire such knowledge within a reasonable period.
Strong legal research, writing, negotiation, and oral advocacy skills, and ability to analyze complex legal issues and develop effective case strategies.
Ability to communicate legal concepts effectively to clients, community members, attorneys, and non-attorney partners.
Ability to develop professional relationships and credibility with individuals and organizations in rural communities.
Ability to work independently while communicating and collaborating effectively with supervisors and colleagues who may be elsewhere in the state.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and follow-through.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, substantial travel, client responsibilities, and project deadlines.
Must reside within or sufficiently near the assigned service area to meet local-presence and community-engagement requirements. The listed counties are Rusk, San Augustine, Tyler, Chambers, Trinity, Panola, Sabine, Hardin, Liberty, Houston, Shelby, Newton, Orange, San Jacinto, and Anderson.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout rural Texas, including to communities with limited public transportation options, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to attend in-person court proceedings, administrative hearings, clinics, outreach events, client meetings, and community activities in the service area.
Ability to maintain Texas law licensure and comply with applicable continuing legal education requirements.
Ability to work collaboratively with attorneys and staff employed by other Rural Justice Initiative partner organizations.
Ability to work effectively with people from diverse socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, linguistic, and disability backgrounds.
Commitment to high-quality legal services for low-income Texans with disabilities and increased access to justice in underserved rural communities.

Nice To Haves

Spanish bilingual proficiency, written and spoken.

Responsibilities

Provide legal services and advice to students with disabilities and their parents, including advocacy, negotiation, mediation, litigation, and representation in administrative and court proceedings.
Respond to requests for assistance and determine eligibility for services.
Interview clients, review records, document eligibility, investigate matters, and maintain thorough case records and files.
Provide direction and technical assistance to advocates when appropriate.
Provide ongoing technical assistance to private attorneys representing students with disabilities.
Develop and maintain a caseload in accordance with agency policies and meet litigation expectations.
Develop case strategies using sound legal concepts and established precedents, and identify creative solutions and outcomes.
Develop materials and conduct selected education and training presentations about Disability Rights Texas services and legal-rights issues.
Communicate effectively with employees, clients, the public, and internal and external stakeholders.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with clients, rural communities, partner organizations, and colleagues.
Travel as needed to provide services and participate in court proceedings, hearings, clinics, outreach, client meetings, and community activities.
Prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines, and perform other duties consistent with the position's scope and the purposes of the Rural Justice Initiative.