OIEC - Regional Staff Attorney (Atty II) – Statewide

Status: Internal/External-OIEC employees and the general public

Job Posting Number: 00054833

Location: Statewide

Travel required: 25%

• 96 hours of accrued vacation a year
• 96 hours of accrued sick leave a year
• 20+ holidays every year
• Career advancement opportunities
• Free parking
• Free comprehensive medical insurance for full-time employees and 50% off premium costs for dependents (state pays other 50%)

Regional Staff Attorney (Attorney II) – Statewide

The Office of Injured Employee Counsel is looking for an experienced attorney with a passion for service and training. OIEC’s mission is to advocate, educate, and assist the injured employees of Texas. As part of our mission, OIEC ombudsmen assist injured employees in proceedings before the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation. We’re looking for a self-starter who loves to teach and loves to learn. Being a regional staff attorney involves: performing moderately complex (journey-level) attorney work; working with the General Counsel; interpreting laws and regulations; assisting ombudsmen in every aspect of claims including information gathering, formal and informal hearings, and drafting administrative appeals; and developing and presenting training to agency staff. The successful candidate will love answering questions from laypeople, drafting documents, and analyzing medical evidence. Works under general supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Preferred Locations: Austin, Houston West, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio

This position:

• provides legal support

• educates agency staff on Texas workers’ compensation law/rules

• responds to requests for assistance

• documents assistance in a computer system

• researches laws and administrative decisions

• suggests alternatives for resolution of disputes

• provides assistance in drafting appeals, legal briefs, rule comments, and proposed legislation

• develops and presents training to agency staff

This position requires:

• graduation from an accredited law school with J.D. or LL.B degree

• two years full-time legal experience in administrative hearings or litigation. Law clerk experience may be counted towards the legal experience requirement

• a license to practice law in the State of Texas

Preferences for this position include:

• three to five years of experience in Workers’ Compensation litigation

• training others

• legal research and writing

This position requires demonstrated knowledge of:

• Litigation, Civil or Criminal

• Texas Administrative Code

• Texas Government Code

This position requires demonstrated skill in:

• handling and solving problems

• interpreting and explaining laws and regulations

• use of correct grammar, punctuation and spelling

This position requires the demonstrated ability to:

• travel

• interpret and apply laws

• use legal reference materials

• prepare legal opinions and briefs for use in administrative hearings

• explain legal concepts to non-lawyers

• multitask between different assignments and meet deadlines

• establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals and groups

• communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with all levels of employees and the public

• Veteran: DD Form 214
• Surviving spouse of a veteran who has not remarried: Marriage Certificate and DD Form 1300 or appropriate documentation
• Orphan of a veteran killed while on active duty: Birth Certificate and DD Form 1300 or appropriate documentation
• Spouse of a member of the US Armed Forces/Texas National Guard serving on Active Duty: Marriage Certificate and copy of spouse's active-duty military orders
• Spouse of a veteran with disability and is the primary income for household: Marriage Certificate, Veterans DD Form 214, and VA Benefits Summary Letter showing disability rating