What are the responsibilities and job description for the Attorney I - Human Resources Counsel position at State of Louisiana?
Starting Salary: $Negotiable
Eligible for Career Progression
The Human Resources Counsel position is housed within the Human Resources Office of the Louisiana House of Representatives and reports directly to the Human Resources Director. This role is responsible for creating and leading the House HR Training and Discipline Program and managing a broad range of employment law matters, including preventive legal strategies, crisis response management, and ongoing legal support. The Human Resources Counsel
provides legal guidance and consultation to the House on all personnel related legal issues. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong working knowledge of internal House policies and procedures, comprehensive expertise in both state and federal employment law, and possess outstanding written, verbal, and analytical skills.
In addition to core legal responsibilities, this position plays a vital role in supporting employee data management, conducting exit interviews, and developing and delivering targeted training programs for supervisors, House staff, and legislative assistants in the interim. The Human Resources Counsel also advises on onboarding and off boarding procedures, including review of documentation such as I-9 forms, grievance reports, workers' compensation claims, and pre-existing condition disclosures.
The position requires the capability of receiving general supervision while mainly working independently; maintaining a high level of professional conduct and exercising extremely good judgment in dealing with complex sensitive matters of Employment Law.
Training & Development
• Develop, implement, and evaluate long- and short-term training strategies aligned with organizational needs.
• Conduct training needs assessments and create targeted training solutions for staff, supervisors, and legislative assistants.
• Design and facilitate workshops and presentations on HR policy and employment law, independently with HR colleagues.
• Create training objectives, content, and visual aids; maintain and update training manuals and resources.
• Monitor and assess training program effectiveness and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Coordinate with HR colleagues and facilitate training programs for legislative assistants, including pre- and post-training surveys.
• Serve as backup to the Office of Risk Management liaison – Human Resources Manager.
• Develop and maintain the House Human Resources Retention Schedule.
Legal Counsel & Employment Law
• Act as lead counsel for HR-related legal matters including investigations, employee discipline, litigation, and compliance.
• Conduct and manage complaint-initiated investigations with the Human Resources Director in accordance with the policy and procedure manual to gather evidence, interview witnesses and prepare testimony.
• Draft and review disciplinary letters.
• Defend/Respond to legal pleadings, subpoenas, and discovery responses.
• Represent the House in depositions, hearings, trials, and appeals when necessary.
• Provide proactive legal guidance to minimize liability and ensure compliance with labor and employment laws.
• Formulate responses to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints and processing of internal grievances.
• Advise on legal matters including confidentiality, court proceedings, public records, and employee rights in coordination with the appropriate House Staff.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources Director and appropriate House Staff on complex personnel issues.
Special Projects & Support
• Complete special assignments as requested by the Speaker of the House and Human Resources Director.
• Assist the Human Resources Director with policy and procedure review and development.
• Provide legal support on matters as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active license to practice law in the State of Louisiana.
• Minimum of two (2) years of legal experience in employment law, litigation, or in-house counsel roles—preferably within the public or government sector.
Application Process:
To apply, please submit a letter of interest, resume, and completed job application (see below) to Cortny Jarrell by email at jarrellc@legis.la.gov.
The job application can be found at: Application - Full Time Employment.pdf
Eligible for Career Progression
The Human Resources Counsel position is housed within the Human Resources Office of the Louisiana House of Representatives and reports directly to the Human Resources Director. This role is responsible for creating and leading the House HR Training and Discipline Program and managing a broad range of employment law matters, including preventive legal strategies, crisis response management, and ongoing legal support. The Human Resources Counsel
provides legal guidance and consultation to the House on all personnel related legal issues. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong working knowledge of internal House policies and procedures, comprehensive expertise in both state and federal employment law, and possess outstanding written, verbal, and analytical skills.
In addition to core legal responsibilities, this position plays a vital role in supporting employee data management, conducting exit interviews, and developing and delivering targeted training programs for supervisors, House staff, and legislative assistants in the interim. The Human Resources Counsel also advises on onboarding and off boarding procedures, including review of documentation such as I-9 forms, grievance reports, workers' compensation claims, and pre-existing condition disclosures.
The position requires the capability of receiving general supervision while mainly working independently; maintaining a high level of professional conduct and exercising extremely good judgment in dealing with complex sensitive matters of Employment Law.
Training & Development
• Develop, implement, and evaluate long- and short-term training strategies aligned with organizational needs.
• Conduct training needs assessments and create targeted training solutions for staff, supervisors, and legislative assistants.
• Design and facilitate workshops and presentations on HR policy and employment law, independently with HR colleagues.
• Create training objectives, content, and visual aids; maintain and update training manuals and resources.
• Monitor and assess training program effectiveness and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Coordinate with HR colleagues and facilitate training programs for legislative assistants, including pre- and post-training surveys.
• Serve as backup to the Office of Risk Management liaison – Human Resources Manager.
• Develop and maintain the House Human Resources Retention Schedule.
Legal Counsel & Employment Law
• Act as lead counsel for HR-related legal matters including investigations, employee discipline, litigation, and compliance.
• Conduct and manage complaint-initiated investigations with the Human Resources Director in accordance with the policy and procedure manual to gather evidence, interview witnesses and prepare testimony.
• Draft and review disciplinary letters.
• Defend/Respond to legal pleadings, subpoenas, and discovery responses.
• Represent the House in depositions, hearings, trials, and appeals when necessary.
• Provide proactive legal guidance to minimize liability and ensure compliance with labor and employment laws.
• Formulate responses to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints and processing of internal grievances.
• Advise on legal matters including confidentiality, court proceedings, public records, and employee rights in coordination with the appropriate House Staff.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources Director and appropriate House Staff on complex personnel issues.
Special Projects & Support
• Complete special assignments as requested by the Speaker of the House and Human Resources Director.
• Assist the Human Resources Director with policy and procedure review and development.
• Provide legal support on matters as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active license to practice law in the State of Louisiana.
• Minimum of two (2) years of legal experience in employment law, litigation, or in-house counsel roles—preferably within the public or government sector.
Application Process:
To apply, please submit a letter of interest, resume, and completed job application (see below) to Cortny Jarrell by email at jarrellc@legis.la.gov.
The job application can be found at: Application - Full Time Employment.pdf