Attorney, Education - Rural Justice Initiative, East, TX

Job Description

Job Description

Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is excited to announce that we are now recruiting for a RJI Education Attorney as part of our new Rural Justice Initiative (RJI) based in East, Texas. 

The Rural Justice Initiative Education Attorney is a project-funded attorney position established as part of Disability Rights Texas' (DRTx) participation in the Rural Justice Initiative (RJI), a collaborative effort designed to expand access to civil legal services for low-income Texans living in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties.

This is a special project, time-limited, five year position funded specifically for the Rural Justice Initiative. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon the continuation of the project, availability of project funding, and organizational need. The position is not intended to constitute a permanent position beyond the duration of the Rural Justice Initiative or its available funding.

The Education Attorney is responsible for receiving complaints and providing legal advice and representation about the services and treatment of students with disabilities in public schools. This includes interviewing clients, reviewing records, documenting client eligibility, conducting legal research, negotiating outcomes, and representing clients in administrative hearings and in state and federal judicial proceedings. This position provides legal assistance and direction to Advocate’s case work when appropriate. The Attorney also provides education and training sessions about the legal rights of students with disabilities for students, parents, advocates, and professionals/service providers and the community. 

Local Presence Requirement

This position is assigned to the East, TX region. Interested applicants must reside within, or sufficiently near, one of the following counties (Rusk, San Augustine, Tyler, Chambers, Trinity, Panola, Sabine, Hardin, Liberty, Houston, Shelby, Newton Orange, San Jacinto, and Anderson) to maintain a regular and meaningful local presence in the designated counties and communities served by the position. 

The Attorney must be reasonably available for in-person client services, community outreach, legal clinics, meetings with community partners, court and administrative proceedings, and other project activities throughout the assigned service area.

This requirement reflects the project's emphasis on establishing relationships with trusted rural institutions—including schools, libraries, disability-service organizations, medical providers, and faith-based and community organizations—and translating those relationships into meaningful access to legal services.

Special Project / Funding Notice

This position is established specifically to support the Rural Justice Initiative and is funded through project-specific grant funds. It is a time-limited position associated with the duration and funding of the Rural Justice Initiative. Employment in this position does not create a guarantee or expectation of continued employment beyond the project period or the availability of project funding. DRTx may modify the position, geographic assignment, duties, or staffing structure as necessary to meet grant requirements, project priorities, funding availability, and organizational needs.

Essential Functions

1. Provide legal services and advice to students with disabilities and their parents which may include legal advocacy, negotiation, mediation, litigations and handling of administrative and court proceedings.
2. Respond to requests for assistance and determines eligibility for services. 
3. Provide direction and technical assistance to Advocates, when appropriate. 
4. Implement agency's client services policies and procedures regarding client interviews, case records, investigations, case advocacy and case files. 
5. Develops and/or maintains ongoing caseload within the level established by the agency's client services policies and procedures and meets expectations for litigation.
6. Provide technical assistance on an on-going basis to private attorneys representing students with disabilities
7. Develop materials for and conducts a selected number of education and training (E&T) presentations on Disability Rights Texas's services and legal rights issues.
8. Conceptualize case strategies and develops case work based on proper legal concepts and established precedents. Is creative in finding solutions and reaching outcomes. 
9. Maintain effective communications.
10. Travel as needed to provide services. 
11. Appropriately prioritize tasks as needed and to multi-task numerous responsibilities in a timely manner. 
12. Establish personal credibility throughout and outside the organization, in order to be an effective partner and advisor.
13. Effectively and regularly communicate with employees, clients, and the public at the individual, team and organizational levels.
14. Maintain thorough and complete records.
15. Develop and maintain collaborative, cooperative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, the community, and employees at all levels of the organization.
16. Apply the principles of the organization’s vision and values in all work-related business and interactions.

Additional Duties

Perform other job-related duties as assigned that are consistent with the scope and level of the position and the purposes of the Rural Justice Initiative.

Required Qualifications

Education and Licensure

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. 
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and in good standing. 

• certificate.

Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant legal experience. 
• Experience providing legal services, advocacy, or representation to low-income or underserved populations, or demonstrated ability to develop such expertise. 
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage legal matters and provide client representation. 

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to develop working knowledge across multiple areas of disability-related civil law rather than practicing exclusively within a single substantive area. 
• Knowledge of federal and Texas laws affecting people with disabilities, or the ability to acquire such knowledge within a reasonable period. 
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues and develop effective case strategies. 
• Strong legal research, writing, negotiation, and oral advocacy skills. 
• Ability to communicate legal concepts effectively to clients, community members, attorneys, and non-attorney partners. 
• Ability to develop professional relationships and establish credibility with individuals and organizations in rural communities. 
• Ability to work independently while maintaining effective communication and collaboration with supervisors and colleagues who may be located elsewhere in the state. 
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, judgment, and follow-through. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, substantial travel, client responsibilities, and project deadlines.

Other Requirements

• Must reside within, or sufficiently near, the geographic service area assigned to the position to meet the project's local-presence and community-engagement requirements.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout rural Texas, including travel to communities where public transportation and other transportation options may be limited, with or without reasonable accommodation. 
• Ability to attend in-person court proceedings, administrative hearings, clinics, outreach events, client meetings, and community activities within the assigned service area. 
• Ability to maintain Texas law licensure and comply with applicable continuing legal education requirements. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with attorneys and staff employed by other Rural Justice Initiative partner organizations. 
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, linguistic, and disability backgrounds. 
• Commitment to providing high-quality legal services to low-income Texans with disabilities and increasing access to justice in underserved rural communities

Preferred Qualifications

• Spanish bilingual proficiency (written and spoken), as required for this position.

Work Environment & Functional Requirements

This position involves regular use of computers, telephones, videoconferencing systems, case-management systems, and other communication tools to perform legal work, including research, documentation, client communication, and collaboration with geographically dispersed colleagues.

Duties may be performed in a seated, standing, or alternative position. The role requires managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, traveling throughout the assigned service area, and engaging in complex or sensitive legal matters.

The position includes work performed in a variety of environments, which may include DRTx or partner offices, courthouses, administrative hearing locations, schools, libraries, community organizations, clinics, community events, and other locations within rural communities. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.