Attorney - Rural Justice Initiative, East, TX

Disability Rights Texas•Houston, TX

19h•Onsite

About The Position

Disability Rights Texas is hiring an RJI Attorney for its Rural Justice Initiative (RJI), serving the East Texas region. This project-funded, time-limited position is established for the five-year Rural Justice Initiative, a collaboration intended to expand civil legal services for low-income Texans in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties. Continued employment depends on the project’s continuation, available funding, and organizational needs; the position does not guarantee employment beyond the project or funding period. The geographic assignment, duties, or staffing structure may change to meet project requirements and organizational needs. The attorney provides direct legal services to eligible low-income Texans with disabilities in designated RJI counties. As a generalist disability-rights attorney, the position may address special education, disability discrimination and accommodations, public benefits and services, housing, and other disability-related civil legal matters within DRTx priorities and project parameters. Services may include advice and counsel, negotiation, mediation, administrative complaints and proceedings, and litigation in administrative hearings and state and federal courts. The position uses a community-based service-delivery model. Under the direction of the RJI Attorney Project Coordinator, the attorney develops a professional presence in the assigned rural service area; provides representation through clinics and outreach; and works with residents, schools, community organizations, legal aid partners, Community Justice Workers, pro bono attorneys, and other local institutions. The role also contributes to community education, referral pathways, local legal capacity, and identification of unmet needs and systemic barriers. The position is assigned to East Texas. The attorney must reside within or sufficiently near one of the listed counties—Rusk, San Augustine, Tyler, Chambers, Trinity, Panola, Sabine, Hardin, Liberty, Houston, Shelby, Newton, Orange, San Jacinto, or Anderson—to maintain a regular local presence and be reasonably available for in-person client services, outreach, clinics, partner meetings, proceedings, and other project activities. Regular travel throughout the rural service area and periodic travel elsewhere in Texas are required. The role requires a Juris Doctor and an active Texas law license in good standing, as well as at least three years of relevant legal experience. The attorney must be able to manage legal matters independently, work across multiple areas of disability-related civil law, collaborate with colleagues and community partners, and meet case, travel, and project deadlines. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

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 that expertise.
Demonstrated 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.
Ability to analyze complex legal issues and develop effective case strategies.
Strong legal research, writing, negotiation, and oral advocacy skills.
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 located elsewhere in the state.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, judgment, and follow-through.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, substantial travel, client responsibilities, and project deadlines.
Reside within or sufficiently near the assigned geographic service area to meet local-presence and community-engagement requirements.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout rural Texas, including to communities with limited 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 assigned service area.
Maintain Texas law licensure and comply with applicable continuing legal education requirements.
Work collaboratively with attorneys and staff employed by other RJI partner organizations.
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 to increasing access to justice in underserved rural communities.

Nice To Haves

Experience in public interest, legal aid, disability rights, special education, housing, public benefits, or other civil legal services.
Experience practicing in rural communities or representing clients in geographically isolated or underserved areas.
Experience building relationships with community organizations, schools, healthcare organizations, government entities, or other community-based institutions.
Civil litigation and/or administrative hearing experience.
Experience providing community legal education or participating in legal clinics.
Spanish bilingual proficiency, written and spoken.
Existing professional or community ties to the assigned RJI service area.

Responsibilities

Represent and advocate for eligible clients in designated RJI counties, including through advice and counsel, negotiation, mediation, administrative complaints and proceedings, and litigation in administrative hearings and state and federal courts.
Evaluate requests for assistance and determine eligibility under DRTx policies, project requirements, funding restrictions, organizational priorities, and case-acceptance and supervisory procedures.
Maintain an assigned caseload of disability-related civil legal matters, balancing casework with travel, clinics, education, community engagement, and litigation commitments.
Provide legal services regarding special education rights under IDEA, Section 504, the ADA, and applicable Texas Education Code provisions.
Assist with other disability-related civil matters within DRTx priorities and RJI parameters, potentially including discrimination, accommodations, housing, public benefits, Medicaid, government programs and services, and disability-related disaster issues.
Research and analyze legal issues, facts, laws, and regulations; develop legal strategies and consult the RJI Attorney Project Coordinator as appropriate.
Prepare pleadings, briefs, memoranda, administrative complaints, discovery, correspondence, settlement documents, and other legal materials.
Interview clients, witnesses, community members, and other stakeholders and review relevant records and evidence.
Provide legal services through community-based clinics, mobile or regional outreach, and other RJI service-delivery models.
Build and maintain working relationships with community organizations, schools, libraries, healthcare providers, disability organizations, faith-based organizations, legal aid providers, and other trusted local institutions.
Collaborate with RJI partner organizations, Community Justice Workers, community navigators, intake personnel, pro bono attorneys, and other project personnel.
Provide legal guidance, technical assistance, training, and mentorship to project staff, community partners, pro bono attorneys, and other legal service providers as appropriate to the role, competence, policies, and supervision requirements.
Develop and deliver community education, Know Your Rights presentations, legal clinics, and other educational programs in coordination with the RJI Attorney Project Coordinator and approved plans.
Identify emerging legal needs, recurring barriers, service gaps, and systemic issues affecting low-income people with disabilities in assigned communities and communicate them to project leadership.
Support sustainable local legal capacity through referral relationships, pro bono partnerships, community access points, and other resources.
Maintain accurate and timely case and project records and collect information for DRTx and RJI grant reporting, evaluation, and performance requirements.
Participate in project training, cross-training, case rounds, coalition activities, and professional development, including training related to IDEA, Section 504, the ADA, Texas Education Code, ARD procedures, evaluations, discipline, TEA complaints, and due process.
Travel regularly throughout the assigned rural service area and periodically elsewhere in Texas for representation, proceedings, clinics, outreach, training, meetings, and other work activities.
Apply relevant laws, regulations, professional rules, DRTx policies, grant requirements, and ethical standards.
Manage workload and competing priorities independently while meeting deadlines, deliverables, and organizational expectations.
Maintain regular communication with the RJI Attorney Project Coordinator about case status, deadlines, legal strategy, community commitments, workload, and matters requiring consultation or escalation.
Perform other job-related duties consistent with the position’s scope and the purposes of the Rural Justice Initiative.