What are the responsibilities and job description for the Legislative Counsel I position at Texas Legislative Council?
Legislative Counsel I
POSTING NUMBER 24006
DATE POSTED January 5, 2024 APPLICATION DEADLINE February 16, 2024
Are you interested in an intellectually challenging career? Would you like to work
with supportive and knowledgeable colleagues in a collaborative environment? Do
you have excellent writing skills, a strong work ethic, and a heart for public
service? Then bring your talents to the legal division of the Texas Legislative
Council! We are now hiring attorneys for multiple entry-level Legislative Counsel I
positions with flexible start dates. Both new and experienced attorneys are
encouraged to apply.
DEPARTMENT Legal Division
SALARY $6,666.67 per month. The council provides exceptional benefits, including paid
AND BENEFITS vacation, sick leave, compensatory time, and state and federal holidays, excellent
health, vision, and dental insurance, telecommuting opportunities, and a generous
retirement plan. For more information on the council’s benefits package, click
here.
The Robert E. Johnson Building includes free on-site covered parking and access to
a bike cage, fitness facilities, workout classes, and on-site showers. The University
of Texas Capitol Complex Child Development Center is conveniently located next
door in the Barbara Jordan Building.
DESCRIPTION The Texas Legislative Council is a nonpartisan agency providing full legal services to
the Texas Legislature. Most work as a Legislative Counsel I attorney involves
drafting legislation and amendments to legislation in the attorney’s assigned
subject areas for the biennial legislative session and researching legal issues
related to legislation. Attorneys in the council’s legal division also provide a variety
of other legal services to legislators and the lieutenant governor and their staffs,
including providing any necessary counseling and analysis regarding legal matters
and working on statutory revision projects.
Legislative Counsel I attorneys receive comprehensive training in legislative
drafting and ongoing mentoring from council attorneys with extensive expertise.
Attorneys generally work independently in drafting legislation but are encouraged
to seek guidance from and share information with colleagues in a collegial setting.
Attorneys are able to indicate subject area assignment preferences from over 40
possible subject areas before each regular legislative session. Subject areas
include topics such as agriculture, ethics and campaign finance, primary and
secondary education, water and natural resources, elections, criminal law, utilities,
probate, labor, property, and parks and wildlife.
The council’s legal division allows for remote work opportunities each week,
particularly during the legislative interim, at the discretion of the division director.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES • Drafts bills, amendments, and other legislative documents, usually in
AND employee's primary subject areas.
RESPONSIBILITIES • May review some legislative documents in employee's primary subject areas.
- Consults with legislators and the lieutenant governor and their staffs about
governor, or a staff member, consults with others about that legislation.
- Meets with legislators and the lieutenant governor on the floor of the house
considered.
- Provides written and oral information about current or pending law, including
- In connection with the drafting of proposed legislation, provides legal advice
such as constitutionality, preemption, and consistency and interaction with
existing law.
- Provides legal advice to legislators and the lieutenant governor concerning the
- Examines, investigates, and researches legal and other issues for bill drafting
- Reviews contracts to which the council is a party.
- Revises statutes into codes, generally involving non-substantive changes of the
- Drafts and reviews analyses of proposed constitutional amendments.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS Experience and Education:
Law degree from an accredited school of law.
Minimum qualifications for this position include:
- Skill in written and oral communication.
- Ability to analyze and solve legal problems and to interpret statutes and
- Ability to deal effectively with others.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
- Ability to work overtime and flexible hours.
- Ability to handle deadline pressures.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of material and information.
supervisors.
• Ability to maintain regular attendance.
- Ability to keep up with current trends in areas of expertise and willingness to
License or Certification:
Must be licensed to practice law in Texas to maintain continued employment.
Preference given to applicants who:
- are licensed to practice law in Texas; or
- have taken or plan to take the Uniform Bar Examination on or before July 2024
and who otherwise qualify for admission to the Texas Bar.
LOCATION The Texas Legislative Council offices are located in the Robert E. Johnson Building
in downtown Austin, Texas, directly across from the Texas State Capitol. Austin, on
the eastern edge of the scenic Texas Hill Country, boasts an average of 300 days of
sunshine per year and is known for its natural swimming holes and lakes, extensive
greenbelt and hike and bike trails, breakfast tacos, award-winning barbecue, and
live music. It is also the home of the largest urban bat colony in North America.
- a cover letter that explains the applicant's interest in the position and the
reasons the applicant believes the applicant meets the qualifications stated
above.
- a resume.
- a recent writing sample that demonstrates the applicant's own writing skills and
original research; the writing sample should not exceed five pages and may be
an excerpt from a longer document; please do not submit form motions or
pleadings. If you provide an excerpt from a longer document, please provide a
brief introduction describing the excerpt.
- a copy of the applicant's law school transcript.
- a State of Texas Application for Employment (available on the council's website:
https://tlc.texas.gov/docs/texas-application-employment-twc.doc). Note: An
applicant may include a completed electronic State of Texas Application for
Employment without signing it. The applicant's signature may be provided at a
later date.
An applicant must submit the cover letter, resume, writing sample, transcript, and
State of Texas Application for Employment to Alana Hays by:
Email
TLCCareers@tlc.texas.gov (preferred method)
Fax
(512) 936-1064
Mail
Human Resources Office
Texas Legislative Council
P.O. Box 12128, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2128
As a condition of employment, legal proof of authorization to work in the U.S.
must be provided.
Requests for accommodation and/or services in the application process should
be made to the above-cited contact.