General Counsel (Dallas)

Position Summary

The General Counsel serves as the lead legal advisor for Texas Family Care Network and is responsible for ensuring legal compliance, promoting children's rights, and supporting high-quality legal advocacy across the continuum of care. As a Texas child welfare nonprofit operating as a Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC), the General Counsel provides strategic leadership in legal matters affecting children and families served by the organization.

The General Counsel oversees and supervises legal liaisons and legal support staff, partners closely with case management leadership, develops court-related training programs, and serves as a primary resource regarding child welfare law, court proceedings, permanency planning, and legal best practices. This position works collaboratively with judges, attorneys, Child Advocates, CASA programs, DFPS representatives, and other stakeholders to ensure positive outcomes for children and families.  This position will regularly partner with Pressley Ridge’s In House Counsel on legal matters and ongoing litigation.

Responsibilities

1. Support
   
   
   
   1. Children's Rights and Legal Advocacy
      
      
      
      1. Champions and protects the rights, safety, permanency, and well-being of children served by the organization.
      
      
      2. Provides legal guidance regarding child welfare law, family law, foster care, adoption, kinship care, and permanency matters.
      
      
      3. Ensures organizational practices support the legal rights of children and families.
      
      
      4. Advises leadership regarding legal trends, policy changes, and developments impacting child welfare services.
      
      
      5. Serves as a subject matter expert on Texas child welfare statutes, regulations, and court procedures.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. Court Training and Case Management Support
      
      
      
      1. Develops and oversees court preparation training for case managers and supervisors, including but not limited to establishment of regular legal staffings with SSCC staff and assigned DFPS representation.
      
      
      2. Designs and implements educational programs focused on testimony preparation, court reporting, documentation standards, permanency hearings, and legal processes.
      
      
      3. Ensures staff maintains a strong understanding of Texas child welfare law and court expectations.
      
      
      4. Provides consultation on complex cases involving legal risk or court intervention.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   3. Contracts and Legal Operations
      
      
      
      1. Reviews, drafts, and negotiates contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, and vendor relationships.
      
      
      2. Understands and reviews current SSCC contracts and advise on implications from unilateral or bilateral amendments.
      
      
      3. In conjunction with Pressley Ridge’s In House Counsel, manages outside legal counsel when specialized legal support is required.
      
      
      4. Oversees legal records management and document review processes.
      
      
      5. In conjunction with Pressley Ridge’s In House Counsel, provides legal guidance regarding organizational policies, business operations, and strategic initiatives.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


2. Quality Improvement
   
   
   
   1. Establishes tracking, standards, expectations, and performance measures for legal support functions.
   
   
   2. Partners with operational leaders to improve court outcomes through consistent training and quality assurance activities.
   
   
   
   


3. Communication
   
   
   
   1. Ensures effective collaboration between legal liaisons, case managers, external attorneys, CPS staff, and court personnel.
   
   
   
   


4. Supervision
   
   
   
   1. Receives supervision.
      
      
      
      1. Receives supervision from and actively communicate with supervisor on an ongoing basis throughout the week by phone, email, written message and when possible, in person regarding program matters.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. Provides supervision.
      
      
      
      1. Supervises staff directly or their supervisors depending upon the personnel's actions including action plans, hiring, terminations, recruitment, vacation and sick day requests.  Ensures that staffing is qualified and provides quality services within the department.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


5. Leadership
   
   
   
   1. Serves as a member of Texas Family Care’s executive leadership team.
   
   
   2. Promotes a culture of legal compliance, accountability, and ethical decision-making.
   
   
   3. Collaborates with operational and clinical leadership to improve outcomes for children and families.
   
   
   4. Supports organizational initiatives that advance permanency, safety, and well-being goals.
   
   
   
   


6. Community Engagement
   
   
   
   1. Builds and maintain positive working relationships with judges, attorneys, guardians ad litem, CASA representatives, and community stakeholders.
   
   
   2. Serves as the organization's legal representative in meetings with judicial stakeholders when appropriate.
   
   
   3. Addresses systemic issues affecting court processes, case progression, permanency outcomes, and child welfare services.
   
   
   4. Facilitates productive communication between the organization and the courts to support the best interests of children.
   
   
   5. Participates in regional and statewide child welfare legal initiatives and workgroups.
   
   
   
   


7. Risk Management and Safety
   
   
   
   1. Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing child welfare services.
   
   
   2. Advise leadership regarding legal and operational risks.
   
   
   3. Monitor regulatory developments affecting Community-Based Care and SSCC operations.
   
   
   4. Support licensing, audits, investigations, and corrective action activities.
   
   
   5. Develop policies and procedures that mitigate legal risk and promote regulatory compliance.
   
   
   6. Understanding of federal litigation in Texas and the relevant legal implications
   
   
   7. Monitor legal liaison processes to ensure timely communication and compliance with court requirements.
   
   
   
   


8. Professional Development
   
   
   
   1. Meets requirements to remain in good standing with the Texas Bar Association/Supreme Court.
   
   
   
   

Qualifications

1. Education/Credentials/Licensure:
   
   
   
   1. Requires a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
   
   
   2. Requires American Bar Association licensure and license to be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
   
   
   
   


2. Experience:
   
   
   
   1. Requires a minimum of seven (7) years of legal experience, with significant experience in child welfare, family law, juvenile law, or related practice areas.
   
   
   2. Demonstrated experience working within Texas child welfare courts and legal systems.
   
   
   3. Experience supervising legal professionals or multidisciplinary teams.
   
   
   4. Strong understanding of Texas Family Code, DFPS practices, and Community-Based Care operations.
   
   
   5. Exceptional communication, training, leadership, and relationship-building skills.
   
   
   6. Preferred Qualifications
      
      
      
      1. Experience working with a Texas SSCC or Community-Based Care organization.
      
      
      2. Former experience as a child welfare attorney, assistant attorney general, CPS attorney, children's attorney, or family court practitioner.
      
      
      3. Experience developing and delivering training programs for child welfare professionals.
      
      
      4. Established relationships within Texas child welfare and judicial communities.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


3. Clearances Required by Applicable Regulations:
   
   
   
   1. DPS 
   
   
   2. DFPS 
   
   
   3. FBI 
   
   
   4. CBCU Eligibility Determination 
   
   
   5. Child Abuse Clearances 
   
   
   
   

Working Conditions

1. Physical Demands
   
   
   
   1. This position requires operating a keypad device 75% of the day and electronic/office equipment 25% of the day. Travel is required approximately 5 times per month and works in weather conditions about 25% of the day. Fingers, thumbs, hands, wrists, elbows, legs and feet are all routinely used throughout the day. The lower and upper torso is used 75% of the day. Employee must meet minimum requirements for hearing, speech, and vision. Walking is required 10% of the day. Standing occurs 10% of the day. Sitting happens 80% of the day. Reaching above the shoulder as well as bending and twisting are performed 25% of the day. This function routinely lifts 15 pounds, 4 times per day. The maximum lift is 50 pounds, 1 time per day. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.  
   
   
   
   


2. Mental Demands
   
   
   
   1. Frequently performs multiple tasks and occasionally makes quick decisions. 
   
   
   2. Continually needs to concentrate. 
   
   
   3. Occasionally handles distractions and a diversity of problems.     
   
   
   
   


3. Environmental Factors:  
   
   
   
   1. Environmental demands require this position in client homes, schools, and the community. Reliable transportation is required.  
   
   
   
   


4. Working Hours:  
   
   
   
   1. Flexibility to meet department needs.