Description
HR/Employment Advice & Counsel Associate Attorney, Employment Law
The Role
We're seeking an Associate Attorney who gets it. Someone who understands both the legal theory AND the messy reality of implementing employment law in actual workplaces. This isn't your typical law firm associate position. We need someone who can advise a Fortune 500 CHRO on complex compliance issues in the morning and help a 15-person startup build its first employee handbook in the afternoon.
We’re Treaty Oak Legal, a small, fierce employment law firm in Austin that runs on grit, results, and zero fluff. Our healthy and scrappy team thrives on metrics, and we’re seeking a seasoned attorney to tackle a client problem and resolve it quickly. If you shy away from KPIs or dodge responsibility, you’ll wilt. If
What Makes Us Different
Practical Focus: We don't just tell clients what the law says; we help them figure out how to actually implement it
Diverse Client Base: From 10-employee startups to 5,000+ employee corporations—variety keeps things interesting
Real Impact: You'll solve problems that actually matter to business owners and employees
Scrappy Culture: We value resourcefulness, life experience, and creative problem-solving over pedigree. So do our clients
What You'll Do
Provide employment law advice and counsel to employers across Texas (and beyond) that balances profit and human interests
Draft and review employment policies, handbooks, and agreements
Conduct workplace investigations
Handle employment-related disputes and negotiations
Guide clients through everything from hiring practices to termination procedures
Work directly with business owners, HR leaders, and in-house counsel
Requirements
What We're Looking For
Required:
JD from an accredited law school
Licensed to practice law (Texas bar required; California bar preferred, and other states are wonderful too)
1-3 years of employment law experience (we'll consider the right candidate with less)
10 years of professional experience
Strong writing and communication skills
Ability to explain complex legal concepts in plain English
Ability to have hard conversations with coworkers and clients
What Really Matters to Us:
HR Background: Previous experience in HR, people operations, or in-house counsel roles is highly valued
Business Sense: You understand how businesses actually operate, not just how they should operate
Life Experience: Non-traditional career paths, military service, industry experience outside of law—we love diverse backgrounds
Client-Service Mindset: You genuinely enjoy helping people solve problems
Scrappy - If you can’t make your own copies, we can’t employ you
Adaptability: Comfortable working with both sophisticated employers and companies building HR infrastructure from scratch
Ideal Background Examples
Former HR professional who went to law school
In-house counsel who wants a variety of clients
Military veteran who transitioned to law
Career-changer who brings industry expertise
Someone who's actually implemented the policies they now help draft
Why You'll Love Working Here
Meaningful Work: Every day you'll solve real problems for real businesses
Learning Opportunities: Diverse client base means constant learning and growth
Autonomy: We hire smart people and let them do their jobs
Professional Development: We need to know where you want to go but are likely to help you get there
Work-Life Balance: As long as you manage your work, we won’t have anything to say about how or when you manage your life!
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary commensurate with experience; we pay hourly, so you can up and down scale your life with transparency on both sides
Supplemental Health, dental, and vision insurance only
Professional development support
Flexible work arrangements
Ready to Apply?
We want to hear your story. Tell us:
What draws you to employment law?
What experience (legal or otherwise) would you bring to help our clients?
Why does our approach to client service appeal to you?
Send your resume, a brief cover letter answering the above questions, and a writing sample to [email protected]. Include your favorite movie in the subject line.
We're an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team. We especially encourage applications from candidates with non-traditional backgrounds and life experiences.
