Attorney V - VII - Appellate

Attorney V - VII - Appellate

Salary

$105,892.80 - $121,243.20 Annually

Location

314 West 11th Street, Granger Building, Austin, TX

Job Type

Full Time

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

26-10751

Department

County Attorney

Opening Date

06/30/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Summary

The Travis County Attorneys Office is seeking a senior appellate attorney to handle complex civil and criminal appellate matters. This role involves preparing and arguing briefs before the Texas Courts of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court. You will guide assistant county attorneys on appellate strategy, represent the County in expunction and nondisclosure proceedings, and mentor staff and community partners on key justice issues, all while working independently at the top of your field.

Candidates must hold a J.D. from an accredited law school, have 6 to 10 years of licensed attorney experience, with a starting salary ranging from $105,892.80 to $121,243.20, depending on experience level.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the seventh in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the most complex and that may result in the most severe consequences without supervision.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Preparation of appellate briefs, motions, petitions, and writs to the intermediate state courts of appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court. Provide legal advice to assistant county attorneys on appellate matters.
• Prepare and present oral argument in the various appellate courts.
• Provide legal representation and advice to the County Attorney, the District Attorney, and county agencies in (civil) expunction and non-disclosure trial and appellate proceedings.
• Performs advanced legal work. Conducts investigations to determine best court or non-court action. Performs complex legal research.
• Prepares appellate briefs and argues before appellate courts. Makes punishment recommendations based upon contact with victims and office policy.
• Creates documents including answers, motions, orders, writs and other related documents. Represents the state at expunction/writ/nondisclosure hearings.
• Conducts training, mentoring, and educational presentations regarding legal and community justice issues of concern to the County for staff, other government employees, and civic organizations.
• Confers with top management and judges in all matters concerning prosecution of cases, advising of clients, and matters that will impact the policies and procedures of the division.
• Performs legal research. Searches resources and studies legal records and documents to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
• Drafts briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports.
• Takes depositions and responds to discovery requests. Oversees the creation and issuance of legal documents, including subpoenas, motions, orders, writs, warrants, contracts, official policies and other related documents. Represents the State at docket calls.
• Prepares cases for trial. Collects, organizes and prepares evidence, information and other legal materials.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Attorney V: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND six (6) years licensed attorney work experience. Salary Starting at 105,892.80

Attorney VI: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND eight (8) years licensed attorney work experience. Salary Starting at 113,318.40

Attorney VII: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND ten (10) years licensed attorney work experience. Salary Starting at 121,243.20

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Jurisprudence, criminal and civil law and procedures, including constitutional and statutory law.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Methods and practices of pleading cases and of effective techniques for presentation of cases in court or to effectively present facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters.
• Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to court system.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures and legal precedents in area of specialty.
• Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.

Ability to:

• Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically.
• Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Work independently.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Work well under pressure and exercise tact in trying situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday.

Location: 314 W 11th Street, Granger Building

Department: County Attorney

Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

For updates or questions on this position, contact: Chantelle.Abruzzo@traviscountytx.gov

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Benefits

Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.

FY2026 Travis County Benefit Guide

In this valuable Travis County Benefits Guide you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.

Credit Union

Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.

Direct Deposit

Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.

Employee Assistance Program

Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.

Employee Organizations

Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.

Employee Health & Wellness Clinic

Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.

Holidays

An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Insurance

Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.

The following benefits are employee paid:

• Dental
• Vision
• Supplemental Life, AD&D
• Dependent Life
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Long Term Care

New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.

Longevity

Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.

On the regular payday on or after the employees fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.

Parking

A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.

Personal Holidays

Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:

January - March

3 personal holidays

April - June

2 personal holidays

July - September

1 personal holiday

October - December

None

New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.

Retirement

Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Sick Leave

Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.

Parental Leave

Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.

Tuition Refund

Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.

Vacation

Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:

0 to 5 years

4.0 hours per pay period

6 to 10 years

4.5 hours per pay period

11 to 15 years

5.0 hours per pay period

16 to 20 years

5.5 hours per pay period

21 plus years

6.0 hours per pay period

Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Workers Compensation

The county provides all employees workers compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.

01

Do you have working knowledge of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and filed pleadings pursuant to those rules?

• Yes
• No

02

Please describe types of hearings.

03

Do you have working knowledge and experience with the expunction and nondisclosure provisions in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and the Texas Government Code?

• Yes
• No

04

How proficient are you in researching and writing thoughtful and detailed appellate briefs and pleadings?

• Have general legal experience but little to no appellate brief-writing experience
• Limited experience; have assisted with but not independently drafted appellate work
• Solid working experience; can independently research and draft appellate briefs/pleadings with minimal guidance
• Strong, consistent experience producing high-quality appellate briefs/pleadings with little to no oversight
• Extensive, advanced expertise; recognized for producing exceptionally thorough and persuasive appellate work

05

Approximately how many appellate briefs have you written?

• None
• A few (1 - 10 briefs)
• Some (11 - 25 briefs)
• Many (26 - 50 briefs)
• Extensive (50+ briefs)

06

Are you experienced in civil hearings?

• Yes
• No

07

Have you tried criminal cases to verdict?

• Yes
• No

08

Do you have experience with various applications for writs of habeas corpus?

• Yes
• No

09

If so, have you participated in evidentiary hearings?

• Yes
• No

10

If not, what do you know about applications for writ of habeas corpus?

Required Question

Employer Travis County

Address 700 Lavaca Street

Austin, Texas, 78701

Website https://www.traviscountytx.gov/human-resources/jobs