Office of the Attorney General

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Performs highly complex and/or supervisory (senior-level) legal work for the General Counsel of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), a state agency with over 4,000 employees. Assists the General Counsel Division Contracts Team by providing legal advice, counsel, and assistance, representing the State’s interest in contract and procurement matters; assisting in reviewing, negotiating, evaluating, and rendering legal opinions regarding state contracting and procurement; and acting in an advisory capacity for litigation regarding contract and procurement disputes. OAG employees enjoy excellent benefits along with tremendous opportunities to do important work at a large, dynamic state agency making a positive difference in the lives of Texans. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Prepares and reviews contracts, leases, bills of sale, purchase orders, amendments, memoranda, grants, invoices, and procurement documents for the Office of the Attorney General and client state agencies Participates or assists in the negotiation of agreements on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General and client state agencies Assists in the procurement phase of contracting for goods and services for the State of Texas Provides support and guidance and engages with issues that arise during management of a contract Provides legal advice to the Office of the Attorney General, client state agencies, boards, and officials Performs legal research and reports findings and conclusions Provides advice and counsel to the Office of the Attorney General on the preparation of legal opinions, briefs, pleadings, motions, petitions, and other legal documents Provides advice and counsel on the representation of the Office of the Attorney General before state or federal district and appellate courts Provides advice and counsel to the Office of the Attorney General on factual legal issues and evidence developed through witness interviews, depositions, and other discovery Assists in analyzing legislation and drafting proposals and amendments for legislative consideration Maintains effective working relationships with co-workers, attorneys, client agencies, vendors, and opposing counsel Assists in training less tenured staff Performs related work as assigned Maintains relevant knowledge necessary to perform essential job functions Attends work regularly in compliance with agreed-upon work schedule Ensures security and confidentiality of sensitive and/or protected information Complies with all agency policies and procedures, including those pertaining to ethics and integrity MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: Graduation from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree (J.D.) Licensed as an attorney by the State Bar of Texas Member in good standing with the State Bar of Texas Experience: Four years of full-time experience as a licensed attorney in the following (or closely related) fields: state or federal agency, local government, litigation, or in-house counsel Knowledge of laws and legal principles and practices relevant to state government procurement, state contracting, public information, and transactional law Skill in exercising sound judgement and effective decision making Experience in maintaining legal billing and submitting legal-billing documentation on a timely basis Skill in effective oral and written communication [Writing sample required at time of interview, if selected] Skill in conducting effective research Skill in handling multiple tasks, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines Skill in working cooperatively with other attorneys, supervisors, investigators, and support staff Ability to receive and respond positively to constructive feedback Ability to work in person at assigned OAG work location, perform all assigned tasks at designated OAG work space within OAG work location, and perform in-person work with coworkers (e.g., collaborating, training, mentoring) for the entirety of every work week (unless on approved leave) Ability to arrange for personal transportation for business-related travel Ability to work more than 40 hours as needed and in compliance with the FLSA Ability to lift and relocate 30 lbs. Ability to travel (including overnight travel) up to 5% PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Five-years transactional experience in contract and procurement law, preferably with intellectual property and technology transactions, including software development and licensing Experience working with state level contracting and procurement laws and processes Experience working with construction contracts and/or technology contracting Experience advising a state agency on procurement issues and in handling procurement protests Knowledge of the practices, policies, rules, and statutes governing the Statewide Procurement Division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Strong legal writing skills TO APPLY To apply for a job with the OAG, submit a completed State of Texas job application through the OAG’s Job Postings Page. A State of Texas application must be completed to be considered, and paper applications are not accepted. For further instructions on how to apply through the OAG’s Job Postings Page, see our How to Apply page. Your application for this position may subject you to a criminal background check pursuant to the Texas Government Code. Military Crosswalk information can be accessed at http://www.hr.sao.state.tx.us/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_Legal.pdf. THE OAG IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER