General Law Attorney (Fellowship Program)

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)•Austin, TX

10d•$142,211 - $155,000•Onsite

About The Position

This Fellowship Program position is a full-time, temporary, limited term assignment not to exceed three years from the date of hire. It is intended for individuals that have graduated with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited college or university within the last 12 months. The General Law Attorney is responsible for providing legal and related services regarding general law and related matters in the areas of pension benefits, administrative law, contracting and procurement, and governance. The incumbent will render legal advice and counsel, participate and plan legal activities, draft and prepare legal documents, participate in hearings and trainings, and interpret laws and regulations. This position will proactively work with the TRS Legal & Compliance team, Executive staff, members of TRS executive and leadership teams, and agency employees.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school within the last 12 months.
Applicant will be required to submit a copy of official college transcripts.
Applicant will be required to submit a legal writing sample.
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas, or must obtain a license to practice law in the State of Texas within six (6) months of hire date; or hold a valid, active law license issued by another state and be eligible for Texas licensure under Board of Law Examiners Rule XIII: Attorneys from Other Jurisdictions (candidate must obtain Texas license within six (6) months of hire date).
Performing legal research and analysis of relevant information and render advice based on sound legal judgment.
Effective written and verbal communications in developing and advocating legal positions, giving advice, and preparing and presenting complex legal documents or reports.
Analyzing problems and devising effective solutions.
Negotiating, mediating, and resolving conflicts.
Using a computer in a Windows environment with Microsoft Office word processing, spreadsheet, and other business software, including using software for electronic research and producing briefs, correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Task management and organization, including prioritizing work assignments to manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced and changing environment, meeting deadlines, and completing detailed work with a high degree of accuracy.
Handling litigation and/or administrative hearings, motion practice, conducting discovery and e-discovery, and drafting pleadings, briefs, motions, and affidavits.
Manage multiple projects with tight deadlines.
Work extended and/or irregular hours and travel as needed due to internal and external obligations.
Establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with co-workers, TRS staff, and external contacts.
Work effectively in a professional team environment.

Nice To Haves

Work experience, including internships, or course work in pension benefits, contracting and state procurement, governance, or administrative law.
Legal writing and research experience such as that gained from working on a law school journal, or working with a professor on a legal article or book publication.

Responsibilities

Assists with reviewing, researching, and providing legal advice on issues in the pension benefits, contracting and procurement, governance, and administrative law fields.
Supports the GPS and Pension Benefits teams within Legal and Compliance with legal issues and team-related projects and objectives.
Drafts legal documents including contracts, memoranda, correspondence, policies and procedures, and other related documents.
Advises staff on legal matters and on the interpretation and applications of agency regulation and state and federal laws.
Assists with implementation of legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, implementation of rules adopted by the TRS board of trustees, and compliance with federal laws affecting benefit programs and investments.
Participates in trainings and projects related to the TRS Fellowship Program including webinars, quarterly check-ins, classes or other learning activities, book group, projects, and the mentoring program.
Meets TRS Fellowship Program deadlines and goals for completion of trainings in deliverables in a timely manner.
Researches, compiles, and analyzes data; enters data into spreadsheets, databases, and other automated applications; organizes and writes litigation and administrative appeal files; and prepares complex queries and reports.
Reviews forms, correspondence, reports, and other documents for completeness and acceptability.
Reviews and analyzes agency policies, procedures, and forms and recommends changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Completes special projects.