TDA - Famp;N Legal Assistant (59405)

Texas Department of Agriculture; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Texas Department of Agriculture is seeking an FN Legal Assistant to support attorneys in the Food and Nutrition Division. Responsibilities include drafting legal documents, assisting with case management, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. This role requires an associate degree or relevant experience and offers a monthly salary of $4,150.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits including health and retirement

Paid holidays and vacation

Qualifications

• Work experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.
• Substitution options include a bachelor's degree with coursework in law.
• Completion of an ABA-approved paralegal program.

Responsibilities

• Draft, prepare, review, and edit legal documents.
• Assist with assembling evidence and preparing documents for legal proceedings.
• Calculate and monitor legal deadlines.

Skills

Legal terminology

Information processing

Effective communication

Education

Associates degree or equivalent experience

Tools

CAPPS

SharePoint

Job description

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Please paste the following URL into a browser to view the entire job posting in the CAPPS Career Section: https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=00049956

You may apply to the job directly through the CAPPS Career Section. It is not necessary to apply both through Work In Texas and CAPPS Career Section.

FN LEGAL ASSISTANT

Salary Information: B18, $4,150.00 / MO.

State Classification: 3574 Legal Assistant II

FLSA Status: Exempt

Posting Number: 25-59405-1

Location: Austin, TX

Telework Option: TDA does not offer telework and all employees are required to be physically present for work.

How To Apply

Apply online via CAPPS. Applicants applying in WIT must complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the position. To complete the supplemental questions, go to CAPPS Recruit.

Who Are We

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Legal Services Division Food and Nutrition Section provides legal counsel to the Food and Nutrition Division, including representing the agency in administrative hearings arising from the child nutrition programs administered by TDA.

What You'll Do

The FN Legal Assistant will perform complex legal assistant work for the Legal Services Division of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in support of attorneys assigned to TDA's Food and Nutrition Division (FN). Responsibilities include researching, analyzing, investigating, drafting legal documents, assisting with case management, and providing legal support in contracts, grants, and special projects. You will work under general supervision with moderate latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Draft, prepare, review, and edit pleadings, motions, briefs, legal correspondence, requests for production and information, and other legal documents.
• Assist with assembling and preparing evidence, exhibits, affidavits, and documents for legal proceedings.
• Conduct file preparation and organization, including preparation of hearings files, exhibits, witness lists, and exhibit lists, sometimes involving copying and scanning large volumes of records. Review and redact confidential documents for court filings.
• Facilitate timely and accurate document production and responses to inquiries from the United States Department of Agriculture's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and other investigative authorities.
• Calculate, calendar, and monitor legal deadlines; schedule case interviews and preparation meetings.
• Develop knowledge of statutes, regulations, and guidance related to federal nutrition programs administered by TDA and federal/state procurement standards.
• Act as liaison with FN staff to research and obtain documents and information for hearings.
• Assist the Deputy General Counsel and FN attorneys with records management, including scanning and extracting records into TDA's Document Scanning System (DSS). Ensure records are uploaded correctly.
• Follow all TDA policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required: Associates degree (or one year of related work experience may substitute for one year of college). Work experience as a paralegal or legal assistant. Substitution options include a bachelor's degree with coursework in law or a related field, or completion of an ABA-approved paralegal program.

Preferred Qualifications

• Major coursework in law or related field or ABA/AA Paralegal approved program.
• Experience creating and maintaining electronic file systems.
• Experience using CAPPS and/or SharePoint.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge of legal terminology, laws, rules, regulations, research methods, administrative and court procedures, legislative processes, and public notice requirements. Skills in information processing, office equipment, software use, research, legal document drafting, case evaluation, investigation, and effective communication. Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and maintain confidentiality.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

Normal office environment, may involve dust/allergens. Mostly sedentary but may involve walking, standing, bending, fine motor tasks, and lifting up to 30 pounds. Extended hours at a computer, some evenings/weekends, and occasional overnight travel (up to 5%).

Telework Work Hours

The agency does not offer telework. Employees are required to be physically present. Core hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with limited early morning and evening hours.

H-1B Visa Sponsorship

We cannot sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas.

Benefits

The State of Texas offers comprehensive benefits, including retirement, health, life insurance, holidays, vacation, sick leave, longevity pay, dental, vision, optional life insurance, flexible spending accounts, and more.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. A skills exercise may be conducted during the interview. Due to high application volume, telephone inquiries are not accepted. Applicants can check application status via their profile in the CAPPS system.