DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE - TRIAL TEAM CHIEF

About the role

The role involves providing complex general counsel for various County Offices and staff, prosecuting criminal, civil, and family law cases, and representing clients accused of a crime. The position oversees staff, represents clients, and may carry a caseload as needed.

Responsibilities

• Supervises department employees, including assigning and reviewing work, training completing performance evaluations, and making recommendations on hiring, terminating, and disciplining personnel.
• Selects, motivates, and evaluates department staff; provides or coordinates training and works with employees to correct deficiencies.
• Plans, directs, and coordinates, through staff, the program work plan; meets with management staff to identify and resolve problems; assigns projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; and reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures.
• Aids attorneys with brainstorming and research on legal issues; monitors legal service delivery and maintains quality control; assists attorneys with handling cases and matters.
• Maintains working relationships with Commissioners Court, Judges, agency representatives, elected officials and department heads of the County and County Hospital District and appointed members of County Boards; represents the State of Texas in the prosecution of adult felony, misdemeanor, and asset forfeiture cases; reviews investigative reports from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and officers, and exercises discretion in determining which cases are accepted for prosecution or declined and appropriate criminal charges and forfeitures.
• Represents the State of Texas in presenting cases to Grand Jury; appears in court and represents the State of Texas at arraignment, pre-trial hearings, trial, sentencing, post-conviction and appellate proceedings, and other related or ancillary criminal and civil proceedings.
• Exercises discretion in determining appropriate trial or other strategies to dispose of felony and misdemeanor cases and engages in pre-trial negotiations and plea bargaining with defense attorneys.
• Drafts and/or reviews the creation of notices, motions, briefs, orders, subpoenas, and other legal documents, correspondence, and reports; coordinates with victims, witnesses, and law enforcement officers; prepares them for court appearances; marshals evidence; prepares for pre-trial and post-trial motions and hearings; and issues subpoenas and other legal documents.
• Appears, answers, briefs, and argues on behalf of the State of Texas on appeals to the Eighth Court of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Performs legal research and keeps abreast of changes in the law; advises law enforcement agencies and personnel regarding legal requirements for arrest or search warrants; exercises all prosecutorial discretion and performs all prosecutorial functions in the overriding pursuit of justice—not only for victims of crime and for the accused, but also for the people of the State of Texas.

Requirements

• Doctor of Jurisprudence and a minimum of six (6) years of criminal and civil experience; with two (2) year of supervisory experience with attorneys and the independent handling of trial work.
• Any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities along with a Doctor of Jurisprudence.
• Must have and maintain a license to practice law in the State of Texas and be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
• Must have or obtain by date of hire a valid driver's license applicable to job responsibilities, with a driving record acceptable to the County of El Paso.

Qualifications

• May require advanced written advocacy skills and/or experience depending on placement needed within the office.
• Possesses advanced litigation and prosecutorial skills, or equivalent specialized prosecutorial skills.
• Operates a personal computer and various software applications.
• Cultivates and maintains effective working relations with co-workers and customers to promote and support a productive work environment.
• Defines problems, collects data, establishes facts and draws valid conclusions work efficiently independently and in a team environment to meet established goals and objectives.
• Supervise, train, and evaluate the work of subordinate staff.
• Lead and motivate subordinates.
• Communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to respond effectively to customers and staff.
• Exercise initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines in performance of daily duties.
• Use initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
• Prepare clear, concise and comprehensive written reports.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with those contacted during the course of work.

Skills

• Knowledge of County, state, and federal legal principles, practices, procedures regarding the court system;
• State statutes and codes;
• Case law;
• Rules of evidence;
• Contract terminology and requirements;
• Legal practices and procedures;
• Legal terminology;
• Effective management and supervisory principles, practices, and techniques;
• Department policies, procedures and regulations covering specific areas of assignment;
• County organization, operations, policies and procedures;
• English usage, grammar, punctuation and spelling;
• Techniques for effective interpersonal communications;
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment to include Windows and Microsoft based products.

Benefits

• Holidays: 16 holidays per year as recognized.
• Vacation: Accruals are credited on a biweekly basis and available for use as it is accrued after 6 months of continuous service. Year to year carry-over accruals are limited to twice the employee's annual rate. Part-time employees accrue vacation at half the rate of full-time employees.
• Sick Leave: Accruals are credited on a biweekly basis and available for use as it is accrued after 3 months of full time service. Employees accrue 15 days of sick leave per year.
• Medical Health Benefits Plan Costs: Biweekly Rates Effective January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 Medical Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) No Discounts EE Only $5.34 EE & Spouse $145.30 EE & Children $101.93 EE & Family $200.09 6% Wellness Discount EE Only - $5.02 EE & Spouse - $136.58 EE & Children - $95.81 EE & Family - $188.09 Core Plan No Discounts EE Only - $35.70 EE & Spouse - $226.41 EE & Children - $174.96 EE & Family - $322.25 6% Wellness Discount EE Only - $33.56 EE & Spouse - $212.83 EE & Children - $164.46 EE & Family - $302.92
• Retirement: Retirement benefits are provided by the Texas County and District Retirement Fund (TCDRS).