OAG - Consumer Protection | Assistant Attorney General V | 24-0655

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This posting is for a Managing Attorney of one of the Consumer Protection Division’s litigation teams. As Managing Attorney, you will co-lead a litigation team of 8 attorneys responsible for several high-profile, complex commercial litigation cases. The ideal candidate will have experience and comfort managing a team including more junior attorneys and legal support staff and will also be capable of pushing forward plaintiff’s side litigation, including aggressively managing document production, motions practice, and taking of depositions. The primary substantive portfolio involves enforcing Deceptive Trade Practices Act violations. The Consumer Protection Division enforces a number of other substantive areas, including for violations of the Business Organizations Code and where non-profit organizations violate their governing documents or other legal prohibitions.

The Consumer Protection Division has regional offices in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio. We provide a highly collaborative work environment where lawyers help one another while managing their own dockets as first and second chair from the initial stages of a case through resolution. The OAG seeks qualified, self-motivated candidates to manage cases from start to finish, including drafting civil investigative demands, motions and pleadings, discovery, and settlement, handling witness interviews, appearing at hearings, and more.

The OAG is a dynamic state agency with over 4,000 employees throughout the State of Texas. As the State’s law firm, the OAG provides exemplary legal representation in diverse areas of law. OAG employees enjoy excellent benefits (https://ers.texas.gov/Benefits-at-a-Glance) along with tremendous opportunities to do important work at a large, dynamic state agency making a positive difference in the lives of Texans. Assistant Attorneys General (AAGs) experience the challenge and honor of public service while enjoying a healthy work-life balance; hands-on legal experience; and engaging camaraderie in Austin, the scenic and lively capital of Texas

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS

• Conducts and supervises nonprofit enforcement and consumer protection related investigations involving the gathering of evidence through witness interviews, undercover operations, examinations under oath, and civil investigative demands.
• Supervises litigation involving the gathering of evidence through civil discovery; research and analysis of complex factual and legal issues; preparation of legal opinions, briefs, pleadings, motions, petitions, and other legal documents; preparation for trial; and representation of the Office of the Attorney
• General before state and federal trial and appellate courts; involves the supervision of both attorneys and staff.
• Provides legal advice, counsel and assistance to clients and management on factual and legal issues.
• Participates in administrative and evidentiary hearings and in the discovery process.
• Performs legal research and investigations; reports findings and conclusions.
• Performs all phases of civil litigation of consumer protection cases including the drafting of legal documents including but not limited to petitions, motions, pleadings, orders, briefs, discovery and memoranda; prepares cases for trial.
• Represents the Office of the Attorney General in civil matters before state or federal district and appellate courts.
• Prepares legal documents, including but not limited to briefs, pleadings, and memoranda; prepares cases for trial.
• Analyzes complex factual and legal issues and develops evidence through witness interviews, depositions and other discovery for filing of consumer protection cases.
• Advises management on factual and legal issues.
• Assists in drafting bills and amendments for legislative consideration.
• Provides technical guidance to less tenured staff and may help train others.
• Maintains knowledge of legal principles and practices relevant to Consumer Protection.
• Maintains a medium to high volume of investigations and litigation matters.
• Testifies at hearings, trials, and legislative meetings.
• 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 J.D.
• Licensed as an attorney by the State of Texas
• Member in good standing with the State Bar of Texas
• Experience: Four years of full-time experience as a licensed attorney working in the following (or closely related) fields: Consumer Protection
• Knowledge of law and legal principles and practices relevant to the Texas common law related to nonprofits and charities, Texas Business
• Organizations Code, federal law governing non-profits, Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and/or other relevant consumer protection statutes.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines
• Skill in effective oral and written communication
• Skill in exercising sound judgment and effective decision making
• Skill in legal research, writing, and analysis; in conducting investigations; in mediation and negotiations; in using reasoning and logic; in identifying and solving complex problems; in prioritizing workloads; in using judgment to identify courses of action; and in the use of a computer and applicable software.
• Skill in using a computer for word-processing and data entry/retrieval
• Ability to prepare legal documents, to conduct research, to interpret and apply laws, to summarize findings, to prepare cases and present at trial, to conduct hearings, to communicate effectively, and to train others.
• Ability to receive and respond positively to constructive feedback
• Ability to work under pressure and respond to deadlines
• Ability to work cooperatively with others in a professional office environment
• Ability to provide excellent customer service
• 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

• Knowledge of law and legal principles and practices relevant to data privacy, including the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (or similar state laws); the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the HITECH Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Safeguards Rule), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Federal Trade Commission Section 5 Privacy Enforcement; and/or other relevant Health & Safety Code laws and regulations.
• Experience as the First Chair in jury trials involving consumer law.

TO APPLY
To apply for a job with the OAG, electronic applications can be submitted through CAPPS Recruit. A State of Texas application must be completed to be considered, and paper applications are not accepted. 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

https://hr.sao.texas.gov/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_Legal.pdf

THE OAG IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER