Attorney I-VI- Public Defender's Office, Immigration Practice
Apply NowCompany: Travis County, TX
Location: Austin, TX 78745
Description:
Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Austin, TX
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 24-09795
Department: Public Defender
Opening Date: 02/14/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
Job Summary
The Travis County Public Defender's Office (PDO) is a comprehensive public defender office envisioned to be client-centered, independent, and innovative to the needs of Travis County residents. Consistent with nationally recognized best practices, the PDO provides high-quality holistic defense representation and other support to people, including youth and those living with serious mental illness/intellectual or developmental disability, accused of criminal offenses via its three divisions- General, Juvenile and Mental Health.
The Public Defender's Office is seeking an Attorney specifically trained in immigration law to join our team. The immigration attorney is a key member of the PDO team with responsibility in providing zealous representation and advocacy for indigent, noncitizen clients facing charges in Criminal Court and Juvenile Court. For many noncitizens, an arrest can result in serious immigration consequences, such as being placed in detention and/or deportation. PDO immigration attorneys understand the complex intersection between criminal and immigration law and, from the beginning of the case, work as a team with clients, their families, the defense attorney and other holistic practice advocates to advise clients of and mitigate against potential adverse immigration consequences.
* The position may be filled before the closing date. Applications will be reviewed and selected candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis*
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Attorney I: This is the first in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.
Attorney II: This is the second in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.
Attorney III: This is the third in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that are moderately complex and may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney IV: This is the fourth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are moderately complex without supervision, handles cases and matters that may result in the least severe consequences without supervision, and handles cases and matters that may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney V: This is the fifth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are moderately complex and that may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney VI: This is the sixth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the most complex and that may result in moderately severe consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that may result in the most severe consequences with supervision.
Salary Information:
Attorney I salary: $ 69,493.17 - $ 77,607.99 annually
Attorney II salary: $ 74,360.69 - $ 83,043.89 annually
Attorney III salary: $ 85,128.53 - $ 95,069.11 annually
Attorney IV salary: $ 91,099.48 - $ 101,737.30 annually
Attorney V salary: $ 104,312.44 - $ 116,493.16 annually
Attorney VI salary: $ 111,626.45 - $ 125,791.08 annually
Duties and Responsibilities
Minimum Requirements
Education and Experience:
Attorney I: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school.
Attorney II: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 18 months licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney III: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 3 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney IV: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 4 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney V: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 6 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney VI: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 8 years licensed attorney work experience.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Please attach resume to application.
Preferred:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
Work Environment & Other Information
The PDO is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. The PDO strongly encourages candidates of all identities, experiences, abilities and communities to apply. All applicants should be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In considering applicants, the PDO values an applicant's experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with people from communities that experience marginalization.
Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.
This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.
This position is anticipated to start immediately.
Department: Public Defender's Office
Location: 1010 Lavaca Street, 2nd floor, Austin, TX 78701/2201 Post Rd., Austin, TX 78703
Post-Offer Criminal Background Check Required.
Benefits
Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union
Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation
Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit
Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program
Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations
Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic
Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays
An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance
Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity
Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking
A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays
Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January - March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement
Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave
Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave
Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund
Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation
Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation
The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.
01
Are you currently licensed to practice law in the State of Texas or immediately eligible to waive in without examination or transfer your UBE score?
02
When were you licensed to practice law in Texas or another jurisdiction?
03
Have you ever been disciplined by the State Bar of Texas or any state bar?
04
Select the option that best describes your education and attorney work experience.
05
Do you have public defender experience?
06
Have you ever provided direct representation to clients, including youthful clients?
07
Have you ever tried a case to verdict and/or had an individual hearing before EOIR?
08
From your response to #7, how many cases have you tried to verdict and/or how many individual hearings have you litigated before EOIR? How many were bench trials and/or jury trials? What is the most serious charge (felony vs misdemeanor + degree or class of offense) you have tried to verdict?
09
List any trial advocacy or skills-based training programs or courses in which you have participated, including dates (intensive programs only, not mandatory/general CLEs):
10
Please describe any experience working with criminal/juvenile defense attorneys in support of common clients:
11
Please describe your experience working with social workers, investigators, and other professionals to provide client-centered legal representation:
12
Are you fluent in Spanish, both written and spoken?
13
Do you speak or write any language other than English?
14
If yes, please explain. If no, please put "N/A".
Required Question
Location : Austin, TX
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 24-09795
Department: Public Defender
Opening Date: 02/14/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
Job Summary
The Travis County Public Defender's Office (PDO) is a comprehensive public defender office envisioned to be client-centered, independent, and innovative to the needs of Travis County residents. Consistent with nationally recognized best practices, the PDO provides high-quality holistic defense representation and other support to people, including youth and those living with serious mental illness/intellectual or developmental disability, accused of criminal offenses via its three divisions- General, Juvenile and Mental Health.
The Public Defender's Office is seeking an Attorney specifically trained in immigration law to join our team. The immigration attorney is a key member of the PDO team with responsibility in providing zealous representation and advocacy for indigent, noncitizen clients facing charges in Criminal Court and Juvenile Court. For many noncitizens, an arrest can result in serious immigration consequences, such as being placed in detention and/or deportation. PDO immigration attorneys understand the complex intersection between criminal and immigration law and, from the beginning of the case, work as a team with clients, their families, the defense attorney and other holistic practice advocates to advise clients of and mitigate against potential adverse immigration consequences.
* The position may be filled before the closing date. Applications will be reviewed and selected candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis*
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Attorney I: This is the first in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.
Attorney II: This is the second in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.
Attorney III: This is the third in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that are moderately complex and may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney IV: This is the fourth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are moderately complex without supervision, handles cases and matters that may result in the least severe consequences without supervision, and handles cases and matters that may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney V: This is the fifth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are moderately complex and that may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Attorney VI: This is the sixth in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the most complex and that may result in moderately severe consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that may result in the most severe consequences with supervision.
Salary Information:
Attorney I salary: $ 69,493.17 - $ 77,607.99 annually
Attorney II salary: $ 74,360.69 - $ 83,043.89 annually
Attorney III salary: $ 85,128.53 - $ 95,069.11 annually
Attorney IV salary: $ 91,099.48 - $ 101,737.30 annually
Attorney V salary: $ 104,312.44 - $ 116,493.16 annually
Attorney VI salary: $ 111,626.45 - $ 125,791.08 annually
Duties and Responsibilities
- Work with non-citizen adults and youth to advise them regarding the full range of immigration consequences associated with their criminal and/or juvenile delinquency cases and works with the defense attorneys to mitigate the associated consequences.
- Provides client-centered representation to indigent clients.
- Works as a part of a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic representation.
- Performs legal research and writing, including factual and persuasive memos. Searches resources and studies legal records and documents to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements
Education and Experience:
Attorney I: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school.
Attorney II: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 18 months licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney III: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 3 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney IV: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 4 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney V: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 6 years licensed attorney work experience.
Attorney VI: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 8 years licensed attorney work experience.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Please attach resume to application.
Preferred:
- Applications with a cover letter detailing interest in the position, including why you want to work for the Travis County Public Defender's Office.
- Recent legal writing sample.
- Hearing and/or trial experience consistent with years of practice.
- Mission-aligned experience (work or lived) advocating on behalf of people/communities directly impacted by the criminal/immigration/indigent civil legal systems, including work with youths.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
- Spanish fluency, written and oral, required.
- Immigration law, specifically as it relates to the intersection of criminal and immigration law both for adults and youth.
- Various forms of relief from deportation for adult and youth clients to provide advice on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions in criminal court and delinquency adjudications in juvenile court.
- Enmeshed penalties and collateral consequences triggered by criminal-legal system contact related to housing access, employment/occupational license access, public benefits access, or healthcare access.
- Best practices in socially and culturally competent representation of marginalized people.
- Jurisprudence, criminal and civil law and procedures, including constitutional and statutory law.
- Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
- Effective techniques for presentation of cases in court or to effectively present facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters.
- Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to court system.
- Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
- Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
- May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.
- Problem-solving and decision-making.
- Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures and legal precedents in area of specialty.
- Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.
- Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically.
- Exercise sound judgment.
- Communicate effectively across lines of difference with others
- Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
- Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Work independently as a part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
- Work well under pressure and exercise tact in trying situations.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.
Work Environment & Other Information
The PDO is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. The PDO strongly encourages candidates of all identities, experiences, abilities and communities to apply. All applicants should be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In considering applicants, the PDO values an applicant's experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with people from communities that experience marginalization.
Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.
This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.
This position is anticipated to start immediately.
Department: Public Defender's Office
Location: 1010 Lavaca Street, 2nd floor, Austin, TX 78701/2201 Post Rd., Austin, TX 78703
Post-Offer Criminal Background Check Required.
Benefits
Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union
Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation
Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit
Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program
Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations
Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic
Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays
An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance
Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
- Dental
- Vision
- Supplemental Life, AD&D
- Dependent Life
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Long Term Care
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity
Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking
A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays
Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January - March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement
Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave
Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave
Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund
Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation
Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation
The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.
01
Are you currently licensed to practice law in the State of Texas or immediately eligible to waive in without examination or transfer your UBE score?
- Yes
- No
02
When were you licensed to practice law in Texas or another jurisdiction?
03
Have you ever been disciplined by the State Bar of Texas or any state bar?
- Yes
- No
04
Select the option that best describes your education and attorney work experience.
- J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school.
- J.D./LL.B from an accredited law school and eighteen (18) or more months of licensed attorney work experience
- J.D./LL.B and 3 years licensed attorney work experience
- J.D./LL.B and 4 years licensed attorney work experience
- J.D./LL.B and 6 years licensed attorney work experience
- J.D./LL.B and 8 years licensed attorney work experience
- None of the above
05
Do you have public defender experience?
- Yes
- No
06
Have you ever provided direct representation to clients, including youthful clients?
- Yes
- No
07
Have you ever tried a case to verdict and/or had an individual hearing before EOIR?
- Yes
- No
08
From your response to #7, how many cases have you tried to verdict and/or how many individual hearings have you litigated before EOIR? How many were bench trials and/or jury trials? What is the most serious charge (felony vs misdemeanor + degree or class of offense) you have tried to verdict?
09
List any trial advocacy or skills-based training programs or courses in which you have participated, including dates (intensive programs only, not mandatory/general CLEs):
10
Please describe any experience working with criminal/juvenile defense attorneys in support of common clients:
11
Please describe your experience working with social workers, investigators, and other professionals to provide client-centered legal representation:
12
Are you fluent in Spanish, both written and spoken?
- Yes
- No
13
Do you speak or write any language other than English?
- Yes
- No
14
If yes, please explain. If no, please put "N/A".
Required Question