Assistant General Counsel (226 Days)

Dallas Independent School District; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Dallas Independent School District seeks an experienced attorney to provide legal counsel on district policies, contracts, student discipline, and employment issues. The role requires strong civil litigation experience and in-depth knowledge of education and public law.

The attorney will work with the Board of Trustees, Superintendent, and senior staff, attending meetings and guiding legal strategy across district programs and governance matters.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited university required.
• License to practice law in the State of Texas.
• 2-5 years of civil litigation/trial preferred.
• 2+ year of school law preferred.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws relating to public education law and related issues.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and services on high profile or high exposure matters to Board of Trustees, Superintendent, and senior management.
• Draft and negotiate contracts, MOUs, and interlocal agreements for district operations.
• Attend Board meetings and provide direction to legal staff.
• Advise on student discipline matters, responses to grievances, and administrative proceedings.
• Assist with subpoenas, records requests, TEA appeals, and litigation as directed by General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel.

Skills

Litigation

Education Law

Legal Research

Negotiation

Oral & Written Communication

Policy Analysis

Project Management

Team Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctorate

Licensed to Practice Law in Texas

Job description

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited university required.
• License to practice law in the State of Texas
• 2-5 years of civil litigation/trial preferred.
• 2+ year of school law preferred.
• Knowledge of Federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to public education law, employment law, contract law, construction law, and related issues affecting a school organization.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills required to achieve the goals of the position.
• Skill in conveying clear and concise oral and written communication.
• Ability to anticipate, manage, analyze, evaluate, and summarize legal issues and findings, and to present legal issues, findings, and recommendations in a clear and concise manner to district personnel and other individuals or at proceedings
• Strong legal research, litigation and analytical skills.
• Skills to represent the District in negotiations with vendors, contractors and other entities.
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues; manage multiple projects/programs; problem solve; and use of technology.
• Ability to analyze and solve legal problems and interpret laws, policies, and procedures affecting the District.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Interpersonal skills, including but not limited to, the ability to understand human motivation and the ability to apply such knowledge to maintain good working relationships with district representatives, co-workers, subordinates and others.

• Provide legal advice and legal services on complicated, high profile, or high exposure matters to Board of Trustees, the Superintendent of Schools, and senior management, including but not limited to, (1) District policies, practices and procedures, (2) execution of vendor contracts, memorandum of understandings, partnership agreements, and inter local agreements; (3) the formulation and execution of policy and other legal issues, (4) professional staff development and training, (5) chapter 21 employment contracts, and (6) grievances, complaints, demands, litigation, investigation, and other liability risks to the District.
• Provide direction and assistance and training to legal staff/attorneys as directed by the General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel.
• Attend Board meetings as directed by the General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel.
• Assists in the monitoring and handling of specific legal issues, notice of claims and demands against the District, grievances, TEA appeals, and/or litigation assigned to outside counsel as directed by the General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel.
• Assist with coordinating and overseeing timely compliance with subpoenas, including subpoenas for student records, employee records or other types of District records.
• Provide legal advice and represent District employees acting within their scope of duties in litigation matters related to the District.
• Provide advice to the appropriate District representatives regarding all matters of student discipline involving suspensions and student appeals for the purpose of ensuring all laws, regulations and policies are followed.
• Handle complaints, hearings and litigation related to school law matters.
• Provide assistance and advice regarding district records, including, but not limited to requests made under the Texas Public Information Act.
• Monitor compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.
• Request and review Open Records Requests related to grievances, TEA appeals, and/or litigation.
• Provide legal counsel on the use of District facilities.
• Draft legal documents, rules and regulations, resolutions, applications of diverse kinds, inter local agreements, and all other legal or quasi-legal papers as needed.
• Negotiate and draft agreements for the acquisition of goods and services, real and personal property, the employment of Chapter 21 employees, architects, contract management firms, contractors, and other entities.
• Provide legal assistance in the drafting of state legislation proposed by the District for presentation to the Texas State Legislature and other government entities.
• Request advice and information from governmental agencies and regulatory bodies, as needed.
• Provide counsel to District employees on legal problems arising in the course and scope of their employment and attend, represent and present evidence on behalf of the District in administrative proceedings or hearings in addition to representation in employee, student/parent, or public grievances at levels I, II, III or IV.
• Draft, edit or review employment policies, processes and procedures and assist Human Capital Management in the implementation of those policies, processes and procedures.
• Counsel relevant departments on all facets of labor and employment laws and decisions (e.g., employment contracts, hiring, discipline, incentive programs, wage and hour, privacy, termination, benefits, teacher, administrator and staff evaluations, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, employee grievances, administrative appeals and/or agency inquiries, responses, mediations, trial etc.)
• Perform all other tasks and duties as assigned.