Criminal Division Director - County Attorney

Williamson County; Georgetown (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Williamson County in Texas seeks an experienced prosecutor to oversee Trial Assignment, Domestic Violence Assignment, and related sections. The role requires a JD, Texas bar eligibility, and supervisory experience to guide prosecutors in case intake, investigations, and charging decisions, while coordinating with other attorneys and county officials.

Strong legal research and tech proficiency are essential.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school and six years of trial or domestic violence experience.
• Two years of supervisory experience.
• Licensed to practice law in Texas (State Bar of Texas).
• Proficiency with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, LexisNexis and Westlaw.

Responsibilities

• Trains and monitors prosecutors regarding intake, screening, investigations, victim duties, and charging decisions.
• Oversees drafting of motions, memoranda, and briefs and provides guidance to prosecutors.
• Develops new methods and techniques for proper case presentation and professional development.
• Develops case-management systems and oversees performance evaluations and staff actions.
• Supervises plea negotiations, discovery responses, and trial preparation for adult misdemeanor and more serious matters.

Skills

Criminal trial experience

Family violence experience

Supervisory experience

Legal research

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Acrobat

LexisNexis

Westlaw

Odyssey

Jabber

E-file

Job description

* Posting is related to vacancies in the Trial Assignment and the Domestic Violence Assignment.

• Trains and monitors prosecutors regarding the responsibilities of case intake and screening, follow-up investigations, reviewing police reports, requesting and reviewing additional evidence, responsibilities to victims, and charging decisions
• Oversees prosecutor responsibilities for drafting legal documents such as motions, memoranda, and briefs
• Answers questions and provides guidance to prosecutors to develop their skills and helpt them master new or unfamiliar areas of prosecution
• Observes, critiques, and evaluates performance of prosecutors under supervision
• Incorporates or develops new methods and techniques to ensure proper presentation of cases
• Drafts high level legal documents

• Performs legal research by reading statutes and codes, analytical books, online case research, and specialized practice guides
• Trains, monitors, and assists prosecutors with, and conducts contested court hearings
• Discusses cases with prosecutors, defense attorneys, adult probation officers, victims, and witnesses in an advisory capacity for review, questions, and advice as needed
• Furthers development of prosecutors in all aspects of criminal prosecution
• Assists with personnel management, including hiring, firing, termination, employee recognition, disciplinary action, and training
• Conducts performance evaluations and makes pay recommendation
• Serves in an advisory capacity for case staffing and review from all aspects and areas of law enforcement and prosecution
• Communicates with county personnel, elected officials, Judges, defense attorneys, victims and witnesses of crime, law enforcement agencies, and the general public on behalf of the County Attorney’s Office
• Attends all meetings and trainings, as required
• Performs special duties as assigned

Development and Retention Assignment

• Maintains automated case-management systems that process daily Odyssey reports and create, update, and archive a SharePoint record for each case that all criminal case intake processes run through; and, leads development of similar case-management systems for Public Information Act requests, Bond Forfeitures, and the Family Justice Division
• Builds and maintains Work Manager tools and modules
• Audits and maintains data integrity across all systems, troubleshoots errors, and supports each application for its full lifespan
• Develops and implements onboarding and training program for new prosecutors
• Manages a solutions team to develop and utilize technologies to address inefficiencies and systemic issues
• Implements recruitment and retention best practices

Trial Assignment

• Oversees prosecutor responsibilities and works to develop prosecutors for plea negotiations and correspondence with defense attorneys to include reviewing evidence, reading criminal histories and police reports, submitting plea offers, negotiating specific terms and conditions, and responding to discovery requests
• Participates in the management of the adult misdemeanor prosecution within the County Attorney’s Office and directly supervises and oversees the performance and operation of the adult criminal prosecution team
• Assists other Directors to ensure adequate coverage of all adult criminal matters to include County and Justice of the Peace Court dockets, Pretrial Intervention Program (PTIP) contract signings, specialty court representation, and contested matters
• Monitors on-call prosecutor list and assignments
• Develops, manages, and supports internship programs and interns
• Prosecutes adult misdemeanor cases, including jury and non-jury trials, without supervision

Domestic Violence Assignment

• Supervises attorneys handling Protective Orders and prosecution of family violence cases
• Reviews Protective Order applications and represents the State in all matters relating to Protective Orders
• Improves and develops systems and processes to reflect best practices and compliance with State law
• Develops and implements processes and protocol for the Victim Assistance Coordinators to assist victims of crime and applicants for protective orders
• Advises Victim Assistance Coordinators on legal and ethical matters specific to Protective Order filings
• Provides guidance, development, and training to prosecutors regarding appropriate pretrial intervention and treatment court outcomes for individual family violence cases; provides input and guidance to the administrative team regarding best policy practices of a pretrial intervention program specific to family violence cases
• Provides guidance to prosecutors on appropriate terms and conditions of plea negotiations and correspondence with defense attorneys for family violence cases

ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports directly to – Criminal Division Chief
• Direct Reports – Yes

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Position involves prolonged sitting at a workstation, visual examination of documents, reaching, walking, twisting, bending, standing and occasional lifting/carrying

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

• Work is primarily indoors in an air-conditioned environment
• Regular travel between work sites as required
• High stress, pressure of deadlines, and case management under limited time constraints

IRREGULAR HOURS

• Work outside of the normal office hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) may be required
• May be deemed essential personnel in the event of an emergency
• Regular attendance is required

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position. This job description is subject to change as the needs and requirements of the job change.

• Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school and six (6) years of experience in a county or district attorney office, city attorney, or other governmental attorney with experience in areas related to the job duties; or seven (7) years of trial or domestic violence experience as an attorney in relevant areas
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience
• Trial: Prior experience as a criminal trial prosecutor
• Domestic Violence: Prior experience handling family violence and Protective Order cases and knowledge of Protective Order process
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, LexisNexis, and Westlaw

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Required

• State Bar of Texas

Required within thirty (30) days of employment

• Valid driver’s license

Required within six (6) months of employment

• Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) certification
• Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Working knowledge of Odyssey, Jabber, and E-file

EMPLOYMENT TESTING

Employment is contingent on passing any post-offer pre-employment screening as listed below:

• Criminal background check: Yes
• Motor Vehicle Record check: Yes
• Drug screening: No
• Physical exam: No
• Psychological exam: No
• Additional: N/A

TOBACCO FREE WORKPLACE POLICY

Williamson County is a tobacco free workplace. The use of tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff, chew, etc.) and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) (e.g., vapor, e-cigarettes, etc.) is prohibited on all Williamson County premises. Employees who violate this policy are subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.