NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER SERVICE
POSITION AVAILABLE: Staff Attorney, NDS Texas – Hays County (San Marcos, TX)
Neighborhood Defender Service’s Hays County Criminal Defense Team is a nonprofit, client-centered, collaborative, holistic public defense office created to provide criminal defense representation and related services to residents of Hays County, Texas. The office opened in January 2023.
Clients are represented by teams composed of lawyers, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and team administrators. NDS adheres to a client-centered approach to
representation that emphasizes a heightened responsiveness to clients’ needs prior to arrest, while a case is pending, and after the case concludes.
The Staff Attorney is an integral part of the defense team who demonstrates a commitment to serving marginalized people and communities. As a member of the organization, the Staff Attorney will help shape our present and future—contributing to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values. At NDS Texas, how we represent our clients is as important as individual case outcomes and our ideal Staff Attorney approaches the cultivation of a positive office culture and the representation of indigent clients with equal rigor and commitment.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Reporting to one of the Supervising Attorney of NDS Texas (Hays County), the Staff Attorney will carry a caseload of their own cases and clients. The individual in this role will:
1. Embrace NDS’ philosophy of client‐centered, community‐based, holistic representation and commitment to excellence by providing vigorous representation with energy and enthusiasm to clients.
2. Appear in all court proceedings for each client through the conclusion of their case.
3. Interview clients and their families, conduct legal research, and write pre-pleading letters, motions, and pre-sentencing memoranda on behalf of clients.
4. File motions, briefs, and other related documents on a frequent and timely basis.
5. Prepares cases for trial, collects, organizes and prepares evidence and other legal material
6. Provide effective oral advocacy in negotiations and arguments in criminal cases.
7. Be responsive to and communicate clearly with clients who are often under great stress.
8. Work closely with team members to advocate for reduced sentences and/or alternatives to incarceration for clients. This advocacy includes:
9. Advocate orally on behalf of clients to judges, programs, and prosecutors.
10. Visit clients in custody to conduct initial assessments, screenings, and interviews.
11. Work as part of the interdisciplinary team, including social workers, investigators and other non-attorney advocates, to determine case strategy.
12. Maintain accurate and confidential client records, documenting all interactions, and interventions in the case management system in a timely manner.
13. Obtain clients’ records from all relevant sources; review records; and prepare summary of records.
14. Adhere to all relevant federal and state laws and agency policies and procedures, including HIPAA and other confidentiality regulations.
15. Communicate promptly and professionally with supervising attorney on all case related matters.
16. Demonstrate cultural competence, awareness, and respect for diverse cultures and individual differences.
17. Maintain a safe, cordial, and healthy workplace environment.
QUALIFICATIONS: The ideal candidate will bring:
1. A demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, racial equity, and social justice issues, and a substantive understanding of the biases impacting our
2. An ability to quickly build relationships with people of varying identities, income levels, races and ethnicities.
3. A high level of organizational and administrative skills to handle a high caseload and multi- task in a very fast-paced environment.
4. Experience representing clients in criminal cases and knowledge of criminal procedure from arraignments to trial and sentencing. Candidates with jury trial experience are encouraged to apply.
5. Presents facts, precedents, and arguments verbally and in writing; able to use negotiation skills effectively to ensure favorable outcomes.
6. A track record of strategically guiding casework, projects, and/or relationships; applying good and practiced judgement; routinely pushing through roadblocks to achieve goals.
7. Experience and skill in connecting with and representing clients who have mental health issues.
8. Must possess excellent interpersonal, analytical, writing, and effective communication skills.
9. An ability to work cooperatively in a team setting and independently with minimal oversight.
10. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clientele, representatives of outside agencies, county employees and officials, and the public.
11. Knowledge of Adobe Pro and Microsoft Office Suite
12. A license to practice law in Texas. Attorneys admitted to the Texas Bar with experience in criminal courts of Texas are strongly encouraged to apply.
13. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. Spanish language fluency is preferred but not required.
Compensation: Compensation is commensurate with directly relevant work experience and is in adherence to the NDS compensation scale. Exceptional benefits package includes full medical and dental for employees and family, retirement, life and AD&D insurance, paid vacation, holiday, and sick time. This is a full-time, exempt position.
Salary Ranges
1 - 5 Years $79,144.89 - $86,382.33
6 - 11 Years $87,549.66 - $96.150.54
The salary, benefits, and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union, part of ALAA UAW 2325.
How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and legal writing sample. Interviews are being held on a rolling basis, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested applicants should email apply on the NDS careers portal at www.neighborhooddefender.org/jobs/list.
For more information about NDS, please visit our website at www.neighborhooddefender.org.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NDS we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Neighborhood Defender Service is committed to creating a diverse environment that reflects the community we serve. NDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. NDS values and specifically seeks applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non‐conforming, and gender fluid people.
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