Staff Attorney - KIOSK - Rural Project

Texas Legal Services Center (Austin, TX); Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Legal Services Center in Austin, TX seeks an attorney for the TexasLawHelp/Virtual Court Access Project to provide legal assistance to eligible clients across rural Texas. The role includes conducting virtual clinics, intake interviews, and drafting documents to improve access to justice.

You will work with communities, coordinate projects, train volunteers, and ensure compliance with grant requirements while upholding ethical standards and trauma-informed practices.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
• Texas bar licensure required.
• Minimum 2 years of family law experience.
• Ability to travel to remote locations for trainings and outreach.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality legal advice and referrals to eligible clients, including via TexasLawHelp LiveChat.
• Conduct intake interviews and confirm eligibility per TLSC policy.
• Assist clients in drafting and filing legal documents.
• Work with underserved communities and host sites to improve access to legal help.
• Travel to remote locations to conduct training and outreach activities.
• Train and lead law students, volunteers, and interns for TexasLawHelp LiveChat.
• Draft and update legal information publications and forms for TexasLawHelp.

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Cultural sensitivity

Trauma-informed care

Travel to remote locations

Education

J.D. Degree

2+ years family law experience

Texas licensure by the Supreme Court

Tools

LegalServer

Adobe

Microsoft Office

G Suite

Zoom/Skype

Job description

Position Summary:

The TexasLawHelp/Virtual Court Access Project attorney is responsible for providing legal assistance to eligible clients and conducting virtual legal clinics to low-income Texans in rural areas across the state.

The attorney in this position is expected to:

Maintain the highest ethical and professional standards; embrace and support TLSC’s overall mission; and comply with all grant requirements, regulations, standards, policies, and confidentiality requirements.

This is a grant-funded position.

Essential Functions:

• Provide high quality legal advice, assistance, and referrals to eligible clients, including throughTexasLawHelp LiveChat, in a patient, compassionate, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informedmanner.
• Conduct intake interviews, confirm eligibility for services, and check for conflicts of interest accordingto TLSC policy.
• Assist clients in drafting and filing legal documents.
• Work with underserved communities and VCAP host sites to facilitate access to legal help.
• Travel to remote locations to conduct training and outreach activities.
• Assist clients with navigating the TexasLawHelp website.
• Coordinate projects between VCAP, within the practice area group, within TLSC, and organizationsoutside of TLSC.
• Train and lead law students, volunteers, and interns for TexasLawHelp LiveChat.
• Identify the need for publications to assist self-represented litigants for both print and web-publicationfor TexasLawHelp.
• Draft and update legal information publications, tools, and forms for TexasLawHelp.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Current knowledge and expertise of the law and legal system, especially in areas that impact family law.
• Project management skills.
• High level organization skills.
• Strong time management and attention to detail skills.
• Exceptional verbal, listening, and written communications skills.
• Proficiency with (or the ability to learn) LegalServer (TLSC’s case management system), Adobe, Microsoft Office products, G Suite apps, and social media tools.
• Understanding of grant requirements and associated reporting needs.
• Ability to travel to remote locations.
• Ability to work with clients in a patient, trauma-informed and non-judgmental manner.
• Ability to enter information into system accurately.
• Experience using or ability to learn technology, including virtual meeting software/technology, such as Zoom or Skype.
• Bilingual English and Spanish preferred.

Education and Experience:

• J.D. Degree
• Minimum two (2) years of family law experience.
• Licensure and/or Certification: License by the Supreme Court of Texas.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary work that involves sitting most of the time.
• Occasional bending, squatting, and kneeling.
• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force as needed, at times to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.