Attorney -II

Position Title: Attorney I-II

Organization: Department of Information Resources

Location: Austin, Texas

This role performs routine to moderately complex legal work for the Office of the General Counsel. Work involves planning and implementing legal tasks, preparing legal documents, interpreting laws and regulations, and rendering legal advice and counsel. Works under moderate to general supervision with limited to moderate latitude for the use of independent judgement.

• Assist agency with interpretation and compliance and reviews and advises on all applicable state and federal privacy laws and regulations; assist in the development of privacy policies to ensure agency employees, contractors, and vendors protect the personal information maintained and processed by the agency.
• Develop and deliver privacy training to state agency employees and promote activities to foster privacy awareness within the agency.
• Advise the agency on best practices, ethical, and legal issues surrounding the use of Artificial Intelligence and develop and deliver AI training to state agency employees and promote a culture of responsible AI usage; assist agency with governance, policy, and contracting issues regarding Artificial Intelligence.
• Assist with researching and preparing drafts of laws, rules, and regulations for legislative consideration or formal rule‑making adoption.
• Assist agency in complying with open meetings and open records laws and regulations; assist in resolving substantive and procedural issues.
• Assist with interpreting and advising staff on the application of laws and regulations that affect the agency; research legal issues and advise staff on issues related to contract terms and conditions, procurement, rule making, privacy, confidentiality, security, open records, and relevant federal laws and rules.
• Serve as the agency’s assistant ethics officer by providing advice and counsel to agency staff and Board, including:
  • Providing advice and counsel on ethical issues and guidelines to agency employees and board members.
  • Providing an internal review of other agency policies to ensure agency consistency and integration with the agency’s ethics philosophies.
  • Integrating the agency ethics message throughout the agency’s culture and policies.
  • Promptly conducting investigations and preparing written investigative reports as necessary pursuant to complaints and allegations of ethical wrongdoing or conflicts of interest.
• Perform other work‑related duties as assigned.

• Education: Graduated from an accredited law school with an LL.B. or a J.D. degree; licensed to practice law in the state of Texas.
• Experience and Training
  
  Required:
  
  Licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
• Experience and Training Preferred:
  • Experience with analyzing, implementing, and ensuring compliance with legislation or regulation.
  • Familiarity with privacy laws and best practices;
    Privacy Certification such as CIPM and/or CIPP‑US.
  • Familiarity with artificial intelligence governance and best practices.
  • Experience with open records and open meetings laws.
  • Familiarity drafting and revising information technology contracts.
  • Familiarity with applicable information technology laws and regulations.

• Knowledge of Texas state government, state legislative processes, and the state budget process.
• Excellent skill in communicating both verbally and in writing, in a clear and concise manner.
• Skill in finding solutions for or to deal proactively with issues or problems.
• Skill in legal research, writing, and analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with people of diverse backgrounds and organizational levels.
• Demonstrated ability to work on concurrent tasks in a fast‑paced environment while effectively organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating work assignments.
• Ability to act in a self‑confident manner to effectively communicate and promote the ideas, goals, and mission of the agency to the public.
• Ability to consult and provide sound advice and recommendations that enable others to make business decisions in the best interest of the project and/or the agency.
• Ability to serve internal…