TIDC - Program Specialist VII (Recruitment Attorney)

**About the Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) **

TIDC Mission: Protecting the right to counsel, improving public defense. TIDC funds, oversees, and improves Texas public defense. TIDC has historically only focused on indigent defense in criminal matters, but in recent years has expanded its focus to also include family representation (child and parental representation in Child Protective Services cases). Here is some of the work we do:

• Planning and funding new public defender and managed assigned counsel offices.
• Funding criminal public defense in all 254 Texas counties.
• Funding 6 innocence projects.
• Monitoring compliance with state laws and TIDC rules.
• Collecting and sharing public defense and family protection representation data.
• Drafting and testifying on public defense and family protection representation legislation.
• Hosting trainings, conferences, and webinars.
• Drafting and disseminating public defense and family protection representation publications.
• Working with lawyers, judges, counties, state agencies, and national organizations to shape the future of Texas public defense and family protection representation.

Learn more at tidc.texas.gov.

Job Description: As the Recruitment Attorney, you are part of a team that improves Texas public defense. Must be able to travel for recruitment work (both driving and air travel) as necessary. Overnight stays will be required. The Recruitment Attorney spearheads efforts to recruit dedicated, talented, mission-driven attorneys to work in public defender programs and accept appointments from managed assigned counsel (MAC) programs and courts in adult criminal, juvenile, and family protection representation cases across the state. Working collaboratively with public defense leaders, county stakeholders, academic institutions, and TIDC staff, this position provides vision, expertise, and execution for attorney recruitment programs and strategy. The Recruitment Attorney establishes, implements, and oversees recruitment and educational campaigns that align TIDC’s mission to improve access to counsel in Texas. Recruitment work will focus on three core areas – criminal indigent defense, juvenile delinquency, and family protection representation, which is the legal representation of children and parents involved in the child protection system. If you find barriers to recruiting or retaining attorneys within a public defense system, you recommend changes and work with the TIDC Improvement team, public defense leaders, judges, lawyers, and county officials to create tailored solutions. In addition to these core duties, you will work on other TIDC projects related to the Improvement Team or data collection and analysis with the Research Director, including presenting to criminal justice or family representation stakeholders, drafting publications, planning public defender offices, organizing stakeholder groups, data visualization, and more.

Performs highly advanced (senior-level) consultative services and technical assistance work. Work involves planning, developing, and implementing a major agency program and providing consultative services and technical assistance to program staff, government agencies, community organizations, and the public. Interpret laws and lead TIDC’s recruitment work. Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Remote or hybrid work within Texas may be possible. Up to 60% travel will be required.

Recruitment Attorney (Program Specialist VII) Essential Job Functions :

• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with outside sources (e.g., law schools, legal organizations, job fair sponsors) used to identify and attract candidates.
• Collaborate with leadership and other teams to design and operate annual summer internship programs.
• Write publications to enhance the knowledge base for Texas public defense.
• Communicate with judges and court personnel in counties with shortages of private assigned counsel and assist them in recruiting more attorneys to take appointments in their courts.
• Plan and coordinate recruiting events with law schools, student organizations, bar and voluntary attorney associations, nonprofits, public defense offices, attorneys, and program participants. Organize recruiting programs, including attendee materials, panelists selection, and day-of-logistics. Moderate panels and engage with local stakeholders after events.
• Participate in recruitment events, networking opportunities, and employer expos.
• Maintain ongoing communications with Texas public defense offices, including gathering job/internship postings for public defense jobs and maintaining the Texas Public Defense Jobs Board.
• Coordinate with TIDC’s Communications Specialist and communicate new opportunities for public defense careers through multi-channel campaigns, newsletters, and outreach.
• Gather recruitment and educational opportunities and share the events with public defense leaders through the Recruitment Calendar and other communications.
• Create educational and promotional content to inform students and attorneys about opportunities to work in Texas public defense.
• Serve as member of stakeholder and association recruitment-related committees. • Support public defense leadership in developing recruiting strategies and materials.
• Research market trends and report on trends in talent acquisition, turnover, retention, and industry best practices.
• Manage recruitment data, generate reports/correspondence/schedules, track program expenses, and produce program-related materials.
• Serve as a resource for stakeholders on job postings and help circulate new opportunities.
• Support public defense management teams in understanding their hiring needs and challenges and craft targeted recruitment strategies and processes to help meet their hiring needs.
• Work on and/or lead other major TIDC policy initiatives.
• And perform additional duties as assigned by the Improvement Team.