Public Information & Records Clerk

Nichols | Jackson, a premier mid-sized law firm specializing in public sector law which represents municipalities, public agencies, and special districts across the region.

The Public Information & Records Clerk performs specialized clerical and administrative duties to support the organization’s records management program and ensure compliance with the Texas Public Information Act (Texas PIA). This role is responsible for receiving, tracking, processing, and responding to open records requests from the public, media, and legal entities received by the Firm’s clients. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional organizational skills, acute attention to detail, and the ability to maintain strict confidentiality while providing excellent customer service.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Open Records Intake & Tracking: Receive, log, and track all incoming public information and open records requests utilizing designated tracking software. Ensure precise documentation of statutory deadlines under Texas law.
• Records Retrieval & Redaction: Coordinate with the Firm’s clients to locate, retrieve, and review requested documents, emails, and electronic records. Apply legal redactions (e.g., sensitive personal information, law enforcement exceptions) in accordance with the Texas PIA and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) guidelines.
• Public & Client Liaison: Act as a primary point of contact for the clients and public, answering inquiries regarding the status of requests, clarifying broad requests, and calculating statutory cost estimates for processing.
• OAG Correspondence Support: Assist legal counsel in preparing briefs and submissions to the Texas Attorney General when seeking an opinion to withhold exempted public information.
• Records Management Compliance: Maintain the Firm’s centralized filing and retention systems. Help ensure Firm-wide adherence to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) retention schedules.
• Administrative Support: Process payments for records production, prepare certified copies, compile monthly metrics on volume and compliance, and perform general data entry.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required. An Associate’s degree in Public Administration, Legal Studies, Business Administration, or a related field is highly preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of two (2) years of experience in municipal government, legal support, records management, or a highly regulated administrative role.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Adobe Acrobat Pro (specifically, redaction tools). Experience with public records tracking software (e.g., NextRequest, JustFOIA) is a major plus.
• Knowledge: Foundational familiarity with the Texas Public Information Act (Government Code Chapter 552) or a strong aptitude for interpreting statutory timelines and compliance rules.

Core Competencies

• Discretion & Confidentiality: Ability to handle sensitive data, law enforcement records, and personal identifying information (PII) with extreme care and legal compliance.
• Time Management: Exceptional ability to prioritize high volumes of work under rigid, legally mandated statutory deadlines.

Communication: Clear, professional verbal and written communication skills suitable for interacting with citizens, department heads, and legal professionals.