TWC Law Clerk - Intern - Office of Employer Commissioner

The Texas Workforce Commission's (TWC) Office of Employer Commissioner is seeking a law clerk to perform legal research and analysis in support of the commission's weekly agency public hearings for the Summer of 2025.

This is a great position for someone who wants to gain real-life legal experience in public service. The law clerk will get practical field guidance, feedback, and experience from the office's Senior Counsel who has over forty years of employment and labor law experience in the State of Texas.
 

Who We Are:

TWC connects people with careers all over the state. While we are headquartered on the north lawn of the Texas State Capitol in Austin, we have offices statewide.

The Office of Employer Commissioner is dedicated to providing services to employers of the State of Texas. Some of the services we are responsible for include:
 

·        managing and maintaining an employer hotline and constituent e-mail;

·        answering employment law questions from employers daily;

·        producing a monthly publication called Texas Business Today, which is a free online informational newsletter covering issues and interests of Texas employers;

·        publishing the Texas Guidebook for Employers, an employment law reference guide with valuable information on a variety of workplace issues;

·        sponsoring the Texas Conference for Employers, a series of employer seminars held each year throughout the state. Employers who attend the seminars learn about state and federal employment laws and the unemployment claim and appeal process. 

The clerkship will be in person during scheduled hours and is located at TWC's headquarters (101 E. 15th St, Austin, TX 78778).

What You'll Do:

The law clerk may work for several office attorneys supporting various office services. Work may include:
 

·        researching and analyzing, case reviews,

·        interpreting statutes, and agency rules/regulations;

·        reviewing documents for adherence to legal requirements;

·        participating in briefings and meetings;

·        editing and producing documents; and

·        participating in other office functions as required.

What You'll Earn:

TWC Internships are temporary positions that cannot be filled for more than twenty-four weeks. The clerkship pays $2,600 per month at a full-time status and come with some benefits. Minimum hours for this internship will be 30 hours a week.

What You'll Learn:

The law clerk will be supervised by the Commissioner's Senior Legal Counsel. The Senior Legal Counsel will provide weekly case summary assignments to the legal intern focused on employment law in relation to wage claims, fair housing, civil rights, and unemployment insurance.

The Senior Counsel has served as legal advisor to the Commissioner representing employers since 1987 and has given over 2700 talks before employer groups, human resource associations, and industry associations. He authored the Texas Guidebook for Employers. Recent awards from employer groups include the Texas Payroll Conference (Spirit of TPC - 2004, and Government Partner Award - 2008), the Texas Association of Business (Lifetime Friend of Employers Award - 2012), and in 2018, the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers' Compensation (UWC) recognized our Senior Counsel with its J. Eldred Hill, Jr. Award for service to the employer community in the public policy arena.
 

What You Need to Get Hired:
 

·        Ability to identify, analyze, interpret and apply relevant laws, rules, and regulations;

·        Knowledge of legal principles, practices, and proceedings;

·        Effective oral and written communication;

·        Ability to conduct research and summarize findings;

·        Ability to maintain confidentiality of material and information;

·        Previous experience in legal work.

Other Things We'll be Looking For:  
 

·        Graduation from an accredited high school or successful completion of GED certification. 

·        Current enrollment as a law student.

·        Proof of enrollment in an accredited college or university must be provided. 

·        Continued enrollment may be required throughout internship. 
 

Where to apply:

Apply now. It's a great job for someone who wants experience in the public sector, and we think it will draw a lot of applicants.

Apply online through the Texas Internship Challenge website.

The deadline for internship applications will be Friday, April 4.

Top candidate interviews will be conducted by Friday, April 18.

Hiring manager decisions will be made by Friday, April 25.

The summer internships will start on June 1 and end around August 8.

TWC is not considering applications from individuals who requires sponsorship for an employment visa, including those currently on student or postgraduate visas 

A position utilizing this classification will be designated as security sensitive according to the Texas Labor Code, Section 301.042