Career Opportunities with Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys

Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys is a growing dynamic, innovative, collaborative, and award-winning Criminal, Criminal Appeal, Family Law, Divorce, and Civil law firm here in Abilene, Texas. In July 2023 we moved into our new, larger location in Downtown Abilene due to our continued growth!

We practice in Texas state courts and United States Federal Courts anywhere in the nation.

In all practice areas, we protect our client’s rights and interests.

Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys were honored to be among the 3 finalists for the first-ever 2022 Abilene Chamber of Commerce Big Country Best Workplaces Award for small-sized businesses. We were honored for our work-life balance, communal workplace as well as our family atmosphere. More details are here. We were also nominated for the 2023 small-sized business award.

For all of our open positions, please email a copy of your resume to resumes@blizzardlawfirm.com. In the body of your email, indicate the position you are applying for.

Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys do not accept unsolicited phone calls or resumes from third-party recruiters; you may submit a brief description of the proposed candidate.

Professional Opportunities

Criminal Trial Associate Attorney – Criminal Law

Description

The life as an associate attorney at Blizzard & Zimmerman, P.L.L.C. is a great one. We are fast paced law firm practicing in a broad field of law. Our primary practice areas are criminal defense, post-conviction writ work, family law, appeals, and civil litigation. Our lawyers touch almost every area of law for individuals and small business.

We are seeking a motivated associate to work in the area of criminal trial defense in Texas and Federal courts. This position involves regular court appearances, working under the mentorship of experienced attorneys, and preparing and trying cases. The ideal candidate will have the desire to provide high quality criminal representation, coupled with the knowledge and/or experience that comes from trial advocacy and evidence classes, and/or mock trial.

First year income for an associate is likely $60,000-90,000 depending on qualifications.

Responsibilities:

Meet with clients and potential clients
Carry the responsibility of assigned cases under mentorship from experienced attorneys
Review discovery, provide in-depth analysis to senior attorneys, identify issues in cases, research and write pre-trial motions, investigate and prepare cases for trial, try cases before juries and judges.

Qualifications

JD or equivalent degree with quality academic credentials.
Licensed to practice law in Texas, awaiting bar results, or about to take bar exam in 2024.
Previous professional experience is not required.
Experience with criminal cases and trials, or mock trial, moot court, and trial advocacy classes is favored and should be highlighted in an application
Exceptional research and writing skills
Exceptional oral presentation skills
High level of professionalism
Ability to work in teams
Excellent time management and organizational skills
Ability to work independently.
Our primary office is in Abilene, but we take cases from Lubbock, to Midland, to Fort Worth, and to San Angelo. Travel out of County is required approximately 10-20% of the time.

To apply please send resume, cover letter/letter of interest, and writing sample (legal motion or brief – no memos). Email to resumes@blizzardlawfirm.com

The position is available to start immediately. Later start possible depending on the particular situation.

Job Type: Full-time Salary: $60,000.00 – $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:
Health insurance
Paid time off
Personal Time

Schedule:
Monday to Friday

Work Location: Abilene, Texas

Requirements

Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

We are looking for a responsible Administrative Assistant to perform a variety of administrative and clerical tasks. Duties of the Administrative Assistant include providing support to our attorneys and employees, assisting in daily office needs and managing our company’s general administrative activities.

What does an Receptionist/Administrative Assistant do?

Administrative Assistant responsibilities include making meeting arrangements and maintaining appropriate filing systems. The ideal candidate should have excellent oral and written communication skills and be able to organize their work using tools, like MS Excel and office equipment. If you also have previous experience as a Secretary or Executive administrative assistant and familiarity within our industry, we’d like to meet you.

Ultimately, a successful Admin Assistant should ensure the efficient and smooth day-to-day operation of our office.

Responsibilities:

Greet clients and visitors with a warm and welcoming attitude
Manage incoming calls and direct them to the appropriate staff members
Maintain a neat and organized reception area
Assist with administrative tasks and provide support to our legal team
Screen, organize and schedule attorney appointments
Distribute emails, correspondence, memos, letters, faxes, and forms
Develop and maintain a filing system
Update and maintain office policies and procedures
Order office supplies and research new deals and suppliers
Maintain contact lists
Act as a point of contact for internal and external clients
Liaise with legal assistants to handle requests and queries from the attorneys

Requirements:

Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
Working knowledge of office equipment, like printers and fax machines
Experience with Microsoft Office 365/ MS Office
Time management skills and the ability to prioritize work
Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
Written and verbal communication skills
Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task

Education-
High School degree or GED; additional qualification as an Administrative assistant, Receptionist, or Secretary will be a plus
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $13.00 – $15.00 per hour

Benefits:
Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance

Schedule:
8-hour shift Monday-Friday
Work Location: In person – 1174 North 3rd Street, Abilene, TX

Post Conviction Legal Assistant

Here at Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys, we are looking for criminal post-conviction legal assistants to join our growing team. This position is responsible for assisting our Texas state and federal attorneys in the post-conviction phase of a criminal case, which occurs after a defendant has been convicted and sentenced. This position is an excellent stepping stone for persons seeking to become licensed paralegal or even to continue their education through law school.

This full-time position enhances the effectiveness of our attorneys and their work with appeals and other post-conviction proceedings. Duties may include but are not limited to assisting with the drafting of legal documents and motions, communicating with clients involved in the case, as well as researching legal precedent. The specific duties of a criminal post-conviction legal assistant will vary depending on the employer and the specific case they are working on.

Keeps cases organized by establishing and organizing files; monitoring calendars; meeting deadlines; documenting actions; inputting information into file database and case management software; confirming case status with attorney.
Helps develop cases by maintaining contact with people involved in the case; scheduling depositions; preparing and forwarding summonses and subpoenas; drafting complaints; preparing and electronic filing of court documents including discovery requests; preparing responses to opposing counsel; generating status reports.
Keeps clients informed by maintaining contact; communicating case progress.
Supports case preparation by preparing case summaries and materials; preparing pleadings; monitoring and obtaining discovery responses; organizing materials for regular team case reviews.

Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications.
Accomplishes organization goals by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Benefits include:

Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance

Education

High school or equivalent is required

Experience:

Microsoft 365/Microsoft Office (SharePoint-Outlook-Word-Excel-Teams)
Adobe Pro
At least 1 year of professional experience (Paralegal or Contract experience a plus)

Legal Assistant

Here at Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys, we are looking for legal assistants to join our growing team.

This full-time position enhances the effectiveness of our attorneys and their work with our criminal, family law, and civil court proceedings. Duties may include but are not limited to assisting with the drafting of legal documents and motions, communicating with clients involved in the case, as well as researching legal precedent.

Keeps cases organized by establishing and organizing files; monitoring calendars; meeting deadlines; documenting actions; inputting information into file database and case management software; confirming case status with attorney.
Helps develop cases by maintaining contact with people involved in the case; scheduling depositions; preparing and forwarding summonses and subpoenas; drafting complaints; preparing and electronic filing of court documents including discovery requests; preparing responses to opposing counsel; generating status reports.
Keeps clients informed by maintaining contact; communicating case progress.
Supports case preparation by preparing case summaries and materials; preparing pleadings; monitoring and obtaining discovery responses; organizing materials for regular team case reviews.

Benefits include:

Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance

Education

High school or equivalent is required

Experience:

Microsoft 365/Microsoft Office (SharePoint-Outlook-Word-Excel-Teams)
Adobe Pro
At least 1 year of professional experience (Paralegal or Contract experience a plus)

Legal File Clerk

Legal file clerks are responsible for organizing and maintaining Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys law firm records. A high school diploma/GED is required, and training is provided. This is a full-time position, but part-time candidates will also be considered. Successful candidates will have strong organizational and time management skills, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively. Duties include but are not limited to:

Preparation of attorney files, filing, entering time and expenses for attorneys, and being the backup to other assistants and clerks
Excellent writing, grammar, proofreading, communication skills, and meticulous attention to detail
Positive team player as well as an independent worker
Excel in a fast-paced environment
Relief reception coverage, client intake
Perform general office activities, such as customer service, typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, ordering supplies, or securing confidential materials
Law firm clerical support
Maintenance of attorney files (particularly litigation)
Attorney timekeeping software and document management systems
Proficiency using Microsoft 365 products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, as well as Adobe Pro.
Manage multiple deadlines
Indexing and management of on-site and off-site file storage/retrieval
Job Type: Full-time

Opportunities for College Students

Law Clerk

The Law Clerk Internship program with Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys provides law students with real law firm experience by way of supporting our attorneys through assembling and organizing legal documents; researching law; assembling case materials; and writing reports and memoranda. Successful candidates will have strong organizational and time management skills, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively. These positions are non-paying and are coordinated with the university to satisfy the student’s respective program requirements.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Preparing legal drafts by assembling and organizing information for legal forms and documents, including complaints, declarations, discovery requests, responses, and other pleadings.
Research by studying laws, statutes, constitutions, regulations, court opinions, including precedents and reasoning, and trends using standard print texts and computers.
Preparing legal memoranda.
Maintain confidentiality and communicate effectively.
Assembling case materials by collecting, organizing, and summarizing information, documents, reports, and evidence.
Preparing for trial by preparing trial briefs, exhibits, subpoenas, evidence, and motions.
Maintaining attorney calendars by entering and updating requirements, court dates, and meetings.
Protecting Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorney’s reputation by keeping client information confidential.

Social Media Management:
Marketing

Social Media Marketing/Marketing Assistants

The Social Media Marketing Internship Program with Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys provides a student with hands-on social media marketing and advertising experience. The student’s role will be to support our Marketing Director who acts as the student’s personal mentor and guides the hands-on experience of capturing photos/videos, creating content, copywriting, marketing the content across social media, understanding, and learning paid media, and utilizing various marketing tools.  This position is non-paying and coordinated with the university to satisfy the student’s respective program requirements. You will also be working with our Social Media Specialist.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Developing content for digital marketing campaigns including email, several social media accounts, and online advertisements (Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).
Assist with copywriting and image creation for all outgoing print marketing materials including letterhead, business cards, brochures, flyers, etc. to ensure the firm is presented professionally.
Assist with the development of online legal education courses.
Maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively.
Assist with management of social media and website content, mailing lists, SEO development, and data analytics to ensure all content is up to date and relevant.
Prepare monthly reports on data analytics across the web and social platforms, stay up-to-date on the latest market research, and advise on improvements.
Protecting Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorney’s reputation by keeping client information confidential.