Description:
Position Summary:The Legal Counsel serves as in-house general counsel to HOME and its affiliates, instrumentalities, and subsidiaries. The Legal Counsel is responsible for professional and administrative legal work of considerable complexity for all operations of HOME, to include handling internal legal matters, overseeing outside counsel, handling eviction and small claims court proceedings, performing legal research, providing general legal support services to the CEO and HOME staff, and working on affordable housing real estate transactions.
The Legal Counsel is a member of the executive management team.
- Provides legal advice to the CEO and executive management in planning and implementing HOME's programs and operations.
- Advises the CEO, CFO, and other members of staff on legal requirements.
- Serves as HOME's key representative in major business and real estate transactions.
Governance:
- Attends meetings of HOME's Board of Commissioners and provides legal advice to the Board, CEO, and staff.
- Advises the Board of Commissioners on legal matters and risks of HOME operations when requested by the CEO.
- Prepares or advises on the agendas, resolutions and minutes of the Board of Commissioners.
Texas Public Law
- Oversees Texas open meetings compliance and Texas public information responses.
- Reviews and monitors all releases of HOME information and documentation; ensures compliance with federal and state privacy laws.
Transactional/Business
- Prepares and reviews contracts, leases, policies, and other legal documents.
Litigation/Risk Management
- Evaluate and respond to litigation threats and assign active litigation cases to outside litigation counsel.
- Serve as point of contact for outside litigation counsel on any litigation matters.
- Oversight and direction on risk management and insurance coverage matters.
- Prepares and appears in court in resident eviction cases or works with outside contractors or legal counsel on evictions.
Affordable Housing/Real Estate
- Works, either directly or with outside counsel, real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment transactions, as well as general land use matters, particularly in the area of land leasing, property acquisition, and property disposition.
- Assists with Low Income Housing Tax Credit transactions and requirements, bond issuance and requirements, and all documents related to housing development financings, including HUD subsidies, HUD repositioning programs, and state grants and loans.
- Assists with land use, zoning, entitlement, and environmental law matters.
- Assists with real estate-related contracting, including tenant relocation, property management, and construction contracting.
General counsel:
- Coordinates all the legal activities of HOME, including oversight of outside legal counsel in litigation and business transaction matters.
- Advises the CEO in planning and implementing internal policies and practices.
- Advises the CEO and lead human resources staff member in matters of employment, training, and discipline of HOME employees.
- Prepares responses to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Texas Department of Housing and Community and other agencies.
- Represents HOME and advises staff on matters pertaining to legal rights and obligations of HOME residents and program participants.
- Provides oversight to HOME's procurement and contracting staff by reviewing and preparing procurement offers, bid proposals, construction contracts, and professional service agreements in compliance with state and federal laws.
- Keeps the CEO and staff abreast of existing federal and state laws and new laws and regulations that affect Housing Authority and corporate affiliates operations.
- Assists on any legislative or administrative law matters.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by the CEO.
Requirements:
- Law degree from an accredited law school.
- Must have a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible legal experience with a public agency or law firm.
- Must be licensed or become licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
- Prior experience representing local government, real estate transactions, and broad general practice preferred.
- Must have excellent communication (written and spoken) skills.
- Must be highly proficient in using the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook)
- Must be bondable.
- Must have a valid Texas or New Mexico (if the employee maintains residency in New Mexico) Driver's License.
- Must be eligible for coverage under HOME's fleet auto insurance.
