TVC - Legal Assistant (Legal Assistant II)

Please Note: All applications must contain complete job histories, which includes job title, dates of employment, name of employer, supervisor's name and phone number, and a description of duties performed. To receive Military Employment preference, a copy of the DD Form 214 (member #1 not accepted), NA Form 13038, VA Summary Benefits Letter, or a DD form 1300 must be provided before an interview can be extended. College transcripts, licenses, certifications, etc. must be provided before an interview can be extended. If this information is not provided prior to the interview, your application may be rejected because it is incomplete. Attaching documents to the application is preferred. Resumes do not take the place of this required information.

A skills test will be required at the time of the interview.

To learn more about TVC Employee Benefits, please click on this link.

Submitted Through Work in Texas:        

Work in Texas (WIT) applicants must complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the posting. To complete the supplemental questions please go to CAPPS Recruit to register or login and access your profile: CAPPS Recruit

General Description: The legal assistant will perform complex (journey-level) legal assistant work. This position reports directly to and supports the agency General Counsel. The work involves performing a variety of routine and non-routine legal support functions for all programs and divisions of the agency. The legal assistant is required to effectively communicate with executive management, directors, employees, and commissioners. The legal assistant must possess the ability to think critically and communicate effectively regarding a variety of legal and agency matters. The legal assistant must be comfortable working under general supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

This is not a hybrid position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

·         Public Information Act/Open Records Requests:

o   Process incoming Public Information Act requests submitted to the agency.

o   Communicate with TVC staff to obtain timely responses to Public Information requests.

·         Perform duties related to administrative rulemaking requirements in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

·         Open Meetings:

o   Coordinate timely notice of all TVC open meetings in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.

o   Communicate with TVC staff to obtain necessary information related to OMA notices for Commission and committee meetings.

o   Properly upload notices to Secretary of State website.

o   Serve as a Texas Register Liaison for the agency.

·         Records Management:

o   Collaborate effectively with teams to ensure that the agency is following its record retention schedule.

o   Maintain disposition log, provide guidance to staff, assist with records retention schedule amendments, and recertification.

o   Analyze and understand the agency’s record retention schedule.

o   Assist Records Management Officer with duties related to administering the agency’s records retention schedule and records management plan.

o   Assist with the development of record retention training.

·         Advisory Committees:

o   Prepare annual forms for new and reappointed committee members.

o   Assist in preparing training for advisory committee.

·         Research and analyze state and federal statutes, case law, regulations, rules, advisory opinions, policies, and guidelines regarding issues affecting veterans, TVC, or its staff.

·         Assist General Counsel with litigation cases involving the agency or its employees.

·         Assist General Counsel in creating training presentations.

·         Perform other duties as assigned.

Military Crosswalk information:

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

Minimum Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Experience and education may be substituted for one another. College Transcripts are required and must be provided before an interview can be extended, it is preferred they be attached to the application.

Minimum Experience: Three (3) years’ of full-time experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, or legal secretary (preferably for a State of Texas government agency or institution of higher education).

Additional Requirements:

·         A valid Texas Driver’s License must be provided within 90 days of hire.

·         Copy of education transcripts, paralegal training certificate and/or proof of certification, as applicable, must be submitted with the State of Texas Employment Application before an interview can be extended.

Preferred Experience and Qualification:

·         Experience with State of Texas government agency or institution of higher education preferred.

·         Knowledge of Veterans programs and relevant state and federal laws.

·         Certification as a Legal Assistant or Paralegal through the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) or the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) or through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBS). (NOTE: Proof of certification required with application, if applicable).

·         Honorably discharged Veteran is preferred but not required.

·         Certificate from a program/course of study for legal assistants.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

·         Knowledge of the Texas Public Information Act.

·         Knowledge of the Texas Open Meetings Act and public notice requirements.

·         Knowledge of the Administrative Procedure Act and rulemaking procedures.

·         Knowledge of legal terminology, legal research methods, and online legal research tools.

·         Knowledge of Texas Register and Texas Register Liaison duties.

·         Knowledge of State of Texas records management procedures/TexLinx.

·         Knowledge of the legislative process.

·         Knowledge of administrative or government law.

·         Skill in MS Office 365, MS Teams, Adobe, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

·         Skill in drafting legal documents and memos.

·         Skill in researching, comprehending, and explaining previously interpreted laws, rules and regulations.

·         Skill in handling multiple tasks, prioritizing and meeting deadlines.

·         Skill in filing and organizing files and documents.

·         Skill in proofreading and citation checking.

·         Ability to work efficiently and independently.

·         Ability to analyze, exercise sound judgment, and effective decision-making.

·         Ability to communicate effectively in person and in writing with executive management, staff and external stakeholders.

·         Ability to pay attention to detail.

·         Ability to adapt to shifting priorities.

·         Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and/or protected information.

·         Ability to comply with all agency policies and procedures, including those pertaining to ethics and integrity.

Environmental & Physical Conditions:

Normal office work environment, mostly sedentary in nature. May involve walking; standing; remaining stationary for long periods of time; pulling and pushing; kneeling, stooping, and bending; and safely lifting and carrying items weighing up to 30 pounds. Work involves extensive telephone usage and repetitive hand/wrist/finger motions while using the computer.

Notes to Applicants:

To receive Military Employment preference, applicable source documents must be provided before an interview can be extended. Attaching documents to the application is preferred.

College transcripts, licenses, certifications, etc. must be provided before an interview can be extended. Attaching documents to the application is preferred.

If you require any reasonable accommodation for the interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls to schedule your interview.

This position has been designated as a security sensitive position. A criminal background investigation will be conducted on the final candidate for this position.

DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS, WE DO NOT ACCEPT TELEPHONE CALLS. APPLICANTS SCHEDULED FOR INTERVIEWS WILL BE CONTACTED.

Veterans Information: The Texas Veterans Commission is committed to hiring Veterans and is proud to employ the highest percentage of Veterans among all state agencies. Additional info may apply via the job posting.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

The Texas Veterans Commission does not discriminate on the basis of person’s color, race, national origin, gender, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, disability religion, or age in employment or the provision of services.