Employment Attorney

Teacher Retirement System of Texas; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 142,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Teacher Retirement System of Texas is seeking an Employment Attorney to provide expert legal counsel on employment matters, including leave requests, discipline, and disputes. The role includes drafting key employment documents, researching laws, and advising management on regulatory risk.

You will collaborate with the Office of the Attorney General and support international employment issues, including UK operations, while ensuring compliance with Texas and federal laws.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Five (5) years of full-time related employment law experience.
• Licensed to practice law in Texas or eligible for Texas licensure within six months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Provides legal counsel and strategic guidance on leave and accommodation requests, employee disputes, performance management, and terminations.
• Drafts and reviews employment-related documents including corrective actions, termination letters, and agency responses.
• Investigates employment-related concerns and advises on compliance with federal and state laws.
• Researches federal/state employment laws and regulations; updates policies and procedures accordingly.
• Assists with defending the agency in employment law actions and collaborates with the Office of the Attorney General.

Skills

Legal knowledge

Analytical thinking

Written communication

Legal research

Negotiation

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

Employment Attorney

Requisition ID: req1467
Employment Type: Unclassified Regular Full-Time (URF)
Division: Legal & Compliance
Compensation: 142,211.00 - 184,690.00, Annual Salary
Job Closing: 11/30/2026 at 11:59 CST
Location: TRS Headquarters Building 1
4655 Mueller Boulevard
Austin, Texas, 78723
United States

Service, Respect, and Connection are core to the individual and collective TRS experience. We know that great service rests on a foundation of relationships that connect us all to an empowering and rewarding career. At TRS, we’re inspired by our community who bring authenticity and commitment to our mission to improve the retirement security of public education employees and retirees throughout Texas.
As a group of achievers, we tap collaboration and innovation to raise the bar in performance, administering and counseling pensions and healthcare benefits to ensure certainty for the future of our members. We invite you to join us, where both personal and career growth are respected and where you can make a difference in our members’ lives every day.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Employment Law

• Supports Organizational Excellence and TRS managers by providing legal counsel and strategic guidance related to leave and accommodation requests, employee complaints and disputes, performance management, corrective actions, grievances, terminations, and other employment actions.
• Prepares documents and legal briefs, including corrective actions, termination letters, EEOC responses, Texas Workforce Commission responses, Workers’ Compensation responses, and other employment/labor related documents.
• Assists with investigating employment-related concerns and supports the resolution of related matters.
• Researches and advises on federal and state employment laws and agency policies, rules and regulations.
• Assists with reviewing and updating employee-related policies and procedures.
• Monitors and analyzes employment law and regulations and advises Organizational Excellence and TRS managers on the degree of risk associated with employment-related claims before administrative agencies, such as Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the US Department of Labor (DOL), or other employment/labor-related hearings.
• Assists with defending the agency in employment law related administrative actions.
• Works with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in defending TRS in employment law cases filed in federal or state courts.
• Evaluates and provides tactical and strategic advice to manage attorney demand letters, complaints, and other employment claims.
• Delivers employee training on employment law and compliance related topics, policies, or procedures, as needed.
• Creates and maintains updates to job aids, quizzes, and other documents that facilitate and reinforce employment law topics.

International Employment and Immigration Law Support

• Supports TRICOT through assisting with secondment letters, TRICOT direct employment agreements and related documents.
• Assist with immigration matters including visa applications for secondees and direct employees and maintaining immigration sponsorship licenses.
• Assists with drafting, reviewing, and updating employment-related policies and procedures.
• Monitors and analyzes international employment law and regulations (focus on UK), and advises the TRS TRICOT Liaison, TRS Executives, and TRICOT manager(s) on degree of risk associated with employment-related claims and legislative changes.
• Supports TRICOT directors and managers and the TRS TRICOT Liaison by providing legal counsel and strategic guidance related to leave and accommodation requests, employee complaints and disputes, performance management, corrective actions, grievances, terminations, and other employment actions.
• Assists with and coordinates investigations of employment-related concerns and supports the resolution of related matters.
• Assists with and coordinates defending TRICOT in employment law related administrative actions and litigation.

General Research and Support

• Reviews proposed state or federal legislation and regulations, and drafts research memoranda for review and approval by agency management.
• Provides advice and assistance regarding all applicable existing or proposed federal, state, and agency laws, rules, and policies.
• Conducts legal research and analysis with respect to assigned or referred matters, including work with other Legal & Compliance teams.
• Assists with preparing audit inquiry responses on behalf of the agency, as assigned.
• Coordinates and reviews the related work of legal assistants, specialists, and support staff with regard to specific areas of responsibility.
• Participates in special projects, as assigned.
• Performs related work as assigned.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING

Required Education

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

Required Experience

• Five (5) years of full-time directly related, progressively responsible experience in employment law or related experience.

Required Registration, Certification, or Licensure

• 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).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with employment-law related litigation in state and federal courts, including taking depositions, motion practice, and trial.
• Experience with business immigration and visa-related legal advice.
• Experience working at a large law firm or in-house in an employment-law, litigation, or international support role.
• Experience effectively and succinctly communicating with a high-level audience, such as a governing board or executive management.
• Knowledge of the Texas legislative process, open government laws, statutory interpretation and code construction, and public entity authority issues.
• Experience supporting employment law and immigration matters for UK offices

Knowledge of:

• Legal issues and concepts in the area of law relevant to employment.
• Federal, state, local employment laws and regulations, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, USERRA, and related statutes.
• Legal research methods, statutory interpretation, and legal writing principles.
• Risk management, ethics, and compliance principles related to employment matters.
• Legal document drafting, contract review, and negotiation techniques.

Skills in:

• Performing legal research and analysis of relevant information and in rendering 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.

Ability to:

• Manage incident investigation teams composed of various stakeholders.
• 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.

Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Codes:

Veterans, Reservists or Guardsmen with experience in the Military Occupational Specialty https://www.trs.texas.gov/files/trs-military-crosswalk.xlsx along with the minimum qualifications listed above may meet the minimum requirements and are highly encouraged to apply.