Attorney Deputy Chief Sr

Attorney Deputy Chief Sr

Salary

$158,912.00 - $210,579.20 Annually

Location

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

Job Type

Full Time

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

26-10660

Department

County Attorney

Opening Date

05/20/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits

Job Summary

Serve as principal legal counsel to the County Attorney on civil matters, board counsel to the Travis County Commissioners Court, and directly oversees the civil division of the County Attorney's Office which includes approximately 40 attorneys and 50 support staff.

Directs the day-to-day operations of the divisions and functions within a comprehensive and complex legal office. Provides executive leadership, management and coordination. Plans and develops policies, procedures and programs. Oversees interdepartmental, intergovernmental and public/private coordination concerning operations and activities. Works closely with elected officials and policy-making bodies and provides management support, legal counsel and advice to department attorneys. Directs activities through subordinate division directors.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

This is second in a series of two attorney-related job classifications within the Senior Management/Middle Management job family. Reports directly to the Elected Official and functions as the second highest level of management within the department. Has broad scope of operational and staff responsibility and directs through subordinate division directors.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Directs daily operations of divisions and provides executive leadership, management and coordination. Oversees management and staff, including hiring, performance evaluation, disciplinary actions and dismissals, and monitors consistency of activities with goals and objectives. Seeks and creates opportunities for improved performance, learning and development of staff. Identifies and addresses problems or conflicts.
• Performs advanced legal work, including research, case preparation and Court appearances, as lead counsel on selected cases, including cases of particular difficulty or sensitivity. Confers with legal and investigative staff and provides guidance and direction. Resolves problem case negotiations.
• Plans and develops policies, procedures and programs. Supervises planning, development and preparation of annual budget.
• Receives and reviews reports, monitors programs and interprets findings. Evaluates current programs, procedures and practices on an on-going basis. Keeps elected official informed on progress of significant cases, sensitive investigations and matters of note.
• Meets with entities to establish procedures to facilitate coordination in continuing efforts to improve the criminal and civil justice system.
• Serves as liaison with community and judiciary on law enforcement problems and functions as resource person for advice and assistance to prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. Represents the department at community and business gatherings and makes presentations to groups and organizations.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school AND ten (10) years licensed attorney work experience in diverse civil/criminal matters, including five (5) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.

Preferred:

Ten (10) plus years off management experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Management and supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
• 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 of effectively presenting facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters.
• Policies, practices, procedures and terminology of assigned function.
• Accounting, purchasing and budgetary theory, principles and practices.
• Investigative techniques.
• 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:

• Supervising others, allocating resources and evaluating programs.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures and legal precedents in area of specialty.
• Trial and appeal of felony offenses.
• Drafting and executing search and arrest warrants.
• Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.

Ability to:

• Motivate, train, supervise and develop attorneys and support staff.
• Analyze and appraise facts, procedures, and legal precedents affecting complex Court cases in area of specialty.
• Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically.
• Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
• Work independently and efficiently.
• Manage time well, 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 10-25 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, Austin, Texas 78701

Department: County Attorney

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

For updates or questions on this position, contact: TCAO_Careers@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.

Employer Travis County

Address 700 Lavaca Street

Austin, Texas, 78701

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