Description:

Staff Attorney performs entry-level to routine (journey-level) legal work for the Enforcement Division. Represents the Division of Workers Compensation by enforcing compliance with Texas workers compensation law and prosecuting non-compliance by its system participants, including insurance carriers, licensed insurance agents, adjusters, health care providers, and other authorized persons, as well as against unlicensed individuals and entities for violations of the Texas Insurance Code, Texas Administrative Code, and Texas Labor Code. Work involves analyzing evidence and investigative material, preparing legal documents, conducting settlement negotiations, participating in hearings, interpreting laws and regulations, and rendering legal advice and counsel. Works under moderate supervision, with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

This position:
  • Represents TDI-Division of Workers' Compensation in settlement negotiations and disciplinary actions concerning healthcare providers, insurance carriers, and other system participants in the workers' compensation system.
  • Drafts legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, motions, legal memos, negotiated settlements, consent orders, warning letters, and other correspondence related to enforcement actions, contested cases, and hearings.
  • Assists in the intake, investigation, and resolution of complaints concerning alleged violations of the Texas Labor Code, Texas Administrative Code, or Texas Insurance Code.
  • Provides legal input to other program areas, including the Office of Medical Advisor regarding potential enforcement actions and participates in the division's medical quality review process.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
This position requires:
  • Graduation from an accredited law school with a J.D. or L.L.B degree.
  • Experience in legal research and writing.

Registration, License, or Certification Required:
  • Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
  • Must be a member in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.

Additional job details:
This position requires regular work attendance. The position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule up to three days per week. If eligible, the employee must have a secure, dedicated workspace with reliable broadband internet service. The ideal candidate must be available for weekly meetings and group collaboration via Microsoft Teams and other applications during regular business hours. The writing sample must be submitted with the application.

Preferences for this position include:
  • Recent administrative, regulatory, and/or insurance law experience with preference given to litigation or litigation support at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
  • A resume submitted with the application.
  • A writing sample of no more than 10 pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font, submitted with the application. The writing sample should not have been authored by anyone other than the applicant.

This position requires demonstrated knowledge of the following:
  • State laws, rules, procedures, and regulations relevant to job requirements.
  • Civil and evidentiary techniques and procedural requirements, including the Texas Rules of Evidence and Texas Rules of Civil Procedure;
  • Legal principles and practices, including but not limited to administrative proceedings, laws, regulations, and rules relating to the agency such as the Texas Workers' Compensation Act, the Texas Administrative Procedures Act, and the Public Information Act;
  • Legal research methods, including the use of Westlaw and other online resources; and
  • Experience in the preparation of legal documents and effective legal writing principles, including preparation of pleadings, legal documents, and briefs utilizing common standards of grammar, punctuation, and style.

This position requires demonstrated skill in the following:
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking.
  • Using business software applications, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Pro, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
  • Using personal computers sufficient to enter and extract data from related systems and programs, such as Centralized Accounting Payroll and Personnel (CAPPS) and other systems required to perform the job.
  • Organizing and managing multiple competing priorities.
  • Negotiation techniques.
  • Legal research, writing, and analysis.
  • Using virtual meeting technology, such as Zoom and Teams, sufficient to be able to share, review, and communicate information and documents in virtual meetings.

This position requires the demonstrated ability to:
  • Communicate and work effectively with a wide range of people with varied skills, knowledge, and backgrounds.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information.
  • Analyze and solve work-related problems and work independently on a variety of administrative work and technical assignments.
  • Manage workload and priorities to meet necessary deadlines.
  • Work both independently and as a team player.
  • Use reasoning and logic to identify and solve problems;
  • Exercise mature judgment in the analysis of legal problems and prepare sound, clear logical opinions and express those opinions logically, clearly, and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
  • Comprehend and apply the Texas Insurance Code, Texas Labor Code, Texas Government Code, and Texas Administrative Code to distinct fact patterns.
  • Apply critical thinking to analyze and solve legal issues and interpret laws and regulations affecting the agency.
  • Identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and implement effective solutions.
  • Follow the chain of command and directions.
  • Organize and manage multiple priorities and cases and meet deadlines.
  • Provide commitment to public service.

Veterans
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