Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Assistant District Attorney – Civil
Job Title: Assistant District Attorney (Civil) FLSA Status: Exempt
Department: District Attorney’s Office Full-Time: Yes
Location: Kaufman Salary: $68,500 – 75,176
Open: 07/18/2022 Close: Until Filled
SUMMARY:
This position requires a thorough knowledge of civil law and court procedures. This position is responsible for handling public information requests, asset forfeitures, legal research, and civil litigation.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Public Information Act Inquiries and Responses:
- Assist District Attorney’s office and all other County departments with legal questions concerning the Texas Public Information Act via phone and email.
- Provide training and statute references for other departments regarding PIA issues.
- Draft responsive letters to Requestors and request for opinion letters to the Attorney General, if necessary.
- Draft, edit, and assist other County departments with submitting request for opinion letters to the Attorney General’s Office.
- Research and compile responsive documentation for District Attorney’s office and other County departments when the department has not been trained on how to perform the specific task.
- Research, identify, and designate PIA exceptions for responsive documentation.
- Assist in any county PIA training for DA’s Office and any other county department upon request.
Handling of Asset Forfeitures:
- Attend asset forfeiture hearings.
- Interact with law enforcement agencies regarding asset forfeiture proceedings.
- Draft all pleadings, discovery, discovery responses, and motions for asset forfeiture proceedings.
- Conduct legal research related to asset forfeiture proceedings.
- Conduct asset forfeiture trials.
County Government Inquiries:
Under the direction of the Civil Division Chief:
- Answer questions and advise elected officials and county employees in areas including, but not limited to, employment law, election law, county government law, civil litigation, Public Information Act, real estate transactions, health and safety government issues, economic development, tax law, contract law, etc.
- Provide legal research and brief material to elected officials upon request for legal opinions.
County Government Inquiries:
Under the direction of the Civil Division Chief con’t:
- Provide correspondence and draft letters on behalf of commissioners, elected officials, and department heads.
- Provide training, drafting assistance, and answers regarding policy/legal implementation questions from county employees and personnel.
- Recommend policies, procedures, practices, and specific actions to best deal with critical issues facing the District Attorney’s office and issues facing other County departments.
- Respond to direct calls to the District Attorney’s office from constituents and direct them to the appropriate department (e.g., civil, criminal, another county department, or private attorney).
- Respond to calls from county officials/department heads/and employees across every county department regarding county-civil issues.
- Respond to email inquiries from county officials/department heads/and employees across every county department. Provide legal analysis in email or memo response. Direct individual(s) to appropriate department if identified as non-civil or non-legal issue.
Civil Law Cases and/or Litigation Matters:
Under the direction of the Civil Division Chief:
- Draft civil discovery and respond to discovery requests including, but not limited to, drafting responses, researching objections, and compiling documentation and organizing/ directing outside department staff to locate responsive materials and compile materials appropriately.
- Meet with witnesses and assist with investigation and affidavit notes. Visit ligation site and assist in case strategy to preserve and locate evidence. Work with expert witnesses to develop evidence.
- Draft civil petitions, answers, and motions.
- Attend mediation and depositions on behalf of the county. Prepare deposition witnesses.
- Attend any/ all initial, pretrial, and trial civil settings.
- Coordinate and communicate with outside counsel regarding pending litigation.
- Research and draft EEOC and WC complaint responses. Assist HR and relevant departments with document production related to employment law litigation.
Commissioners’ Court Research and Drafting
Under the direction of the Civil Division Chief:
- Conduct research and drafting of legal memorandum, orders, and other documents necessary to assist the commissioners’ court and commissioners’ court agenda items.
- Prepare any back up assistant district attorney functions necessary to support the commissioners’ court and commissioners’ court agenda.
General Legal Duties:
- As an attorney in the Criminal District Attorney’s Office, perform any task needed for the Criminal District Attorney’s Office to function in an efficient and professional manner as directed by a supervising attorney, division chief, or the Criminal District Attorney.
Office Tasks:
- Manage case load, issue list, and calendar of civil division.
- Coordinate, administer, and co-supervise the activities of support staff personnel in the civil division.
Community:
- Work with non-profit organizations within Kaufman County.
- Participate in District Attorney Citizen ‘s Academy
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
- Must have a Texas law license.
- Must be an active member and in good standing with the Texas State Bar Association.
- 3-5 years experience preferred.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of civil law, law enforcement, and court procedures.
- Ability to prepare and analyze comprehensive legal documents.
- Ability to carry out assigned projects to their completion.
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, county officials, the court system, and the general public.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents.
- Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquires or complaints.
- Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style.
- Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardizations exists.
- Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
- Ability to use a personal computer, including word processing and spreadsheet programs; calculator, telephone, copy machine, and fax machine.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an exempt employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Employee may occasionally be required to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects weighing up to 25 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is primarily indoors in an air-conditioned, smoke free office.
**Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on the closing date either by hand-delivery or email.
Kaufman County Human Resources
Kaufman County Annex
100 N. Washington Street
Kaufman, TX 75142
Applications are available on the Kaufman County website www.kaufmancounty.net or at the Kaufman County Human Resources Office. Job offers are contingent upon successful completion of background check and pre-employment drug test.