Legal Assistant V

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

• Core Values:  
• • We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.  
• • We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students. 
• • We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students. 
• • We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

Position Overview: A Legal Assistant for the Educator Preparation, Certification, and Enforcement (EPCE) Law and Policy Division performs highly advanced legal tasks for several attorneys and supports the entire division by processing Public Information Act (PIR) requests and school district reports of contract abandonment by educators.

The Legal Assistant’s work is vital to ensuring that the SBEC Enforcement attorneys can protect Texas students by sanctioning certified educators as efficiently and effectively as possible. The work involves extensive administrative duties, legal drafting, complex discovery for use in legal proceedings, trial preparation including trial notebooks, exhibits and witnesses, and managing attorney caseload.  

This position reports to the Senior Director, EPCE Law and Policy.

The Legal Assistant may work a hybrid schedule with at least one in-person day each week (subject to change).

Please note that a resume, tailored cover letter, and short answer responses are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.  

• Essential Functions
• Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.

1. Litigation Support: Provides legal assistant support to multiple attorneys, including drafting motions, pleadings and discovery; calendaring all deadlines; electronic filing with the State Office of Administrative Hearings; coordinating, assembling and preparing documents for use in legal proceedings; scheduling court reporters and translators; and otherwise assisting as needed in trial preparation. 
2. Public Information Requests: Assists with processing department Public Information Act Requests, including tracking deadlines. Copies and redacts responsive documents for release to public and submits samples to Attorney General for withholding.
3. Contract Abandonment Work: Processes requests to pursue contract abandonment cases on behalf of school districts, ensuring that the documentation provided by the district meets the requirements of SBEC rules.
4. Enforcement Support: Reports all changes in case status as appropriate, including final orders and penalties, in Abacus, in ITS, to NASDTEC, and on the educator's certificate.
5. General Communication: Communicates with members of the public, the education profession, other TEA divisions, legal offices and SOAH regarding cases status and procedures.
 

• Minimum Qualifications
• • Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• • Experience: At least five (5) years of experience in the legal field or other relevant experience
• • Substitutions: Each additional year of related experience above the required minimum may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis
• Other Qualifications
• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military 
• At least three (3) years of experience in litigation is generally preferred 
• Experience with Public Information Request (PIR) functions involving and providing responses under the Texas Public Information Act or similar statutes is generally preferred 
• Experience with State Office of Administrative Hearing cases is generally preferred
• Ability to effectively and appropriately use computer software including Microsoft Office
• Experience with database software
• Highly organized with an ability to prioritize and manage time to organize and complete multiple projects simultaneously and to meet deadlines
• Excellent professional written and communication skills
• Ability to handle high-level administrative issues; to analyze and solve work-related problems
• Meticulous attention to detail with an ability to carefully review and edit professional written work
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State’s Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military “occupational category” that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.  

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please add "capps.recruiting@cpa.texas.gov" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.