Department Information

The Public Officials Unit is seeking an attorney to join its collaborative legal team. The Unit offers the opportunity to practice in diverse, high-profile legal matters in a fast-paced environment where you can grow your litigation, appellate, and general counsel skills. In this role, you will represent statewide elected and appointed officials, as well as several state agencies/boards/commissions, in complex civil cases that frequently involve public policy matters of statewide or national importance. This position provides meaningful opportunities to take cases to trial, brief and argue appeals, and be a problem-solver. If you are looking to join a team where you will be challenged to find the best legal strategies and solutions and perform work that impacts the State of Colorado, this position is for you!

WHO WE ARE:
The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is the “People's Lawyer.” The Attorney General, Phil Weiser, was elected by the people of Colorado and is the State’s chief lawyer and law enforcement official. Our vision for the Department of Law is: "Together, we serve Colorado and its people, advancing the rule of law, protecting our democracy and promoting justice for all." Our core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drive our actions and demonstrate our focus on being principled public servants who are innovative and better together. Visit our website to learn more: https://coag.gov/.

Description of Job

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

The Public Officials Unit counsels and represents Colorado’s statewide elected officials (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer), as well as the Judicial Department and several of its sub-offices, Department of Local Affairs, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and the State Auditor. This unit regularly sees new and challenging litigation, including constitutional challenges to legislation, such as the recent gun control legislation.

Primary duties include: defending state and federal constitutional challenges seeking to invalidate and enjoin state laws and/or state officials’ actions; handling highly expedited election law disputes; prosecuting administrative actions to enforce campaign and political finance laws; defending civil litigation and appeals before state and federal courts; prosecuting civil actions and appeals in state and federal courts; representing judicial and probation officers when subpoenaed; defending judicial officers against C.R.C.P. 106 and C.A.R. 21 actions; escheat and unclaimed property review and advice; assisting state officials and agencies with responses to various types of open records requests; providing general counsel to state boards and commissions, including advice on the Open Meetings Law; responding to various types of open records requests and subpoenas for records issued to the Department of Law and/or the Attorney General; drafting formal and informal Attorney General Opinions; and handling contract review and Procurement Code disputes for state agencies.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Qualified applicants must be licensed to practice law in Colorado or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar. Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application before the first day of employment.

We welcome applications from individuals that have confidence in their legal abilities and a demonstrated experience in critical and creative thinking. We are also interested in candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are eager to draw on those experiences to bring a different perspective to our work.

The following qualifications are needed to be successful in this role:

• Strong client relations skills
• Experience or desire to try cases and brief appeals on an expedited basis
• Experience in complex litigation
• Interest in working on high profile cases

In addition, the following qualifications and skills would be preferred:

• Experience developing and implementing litigation and appellate strategy in complex cases.
• Experience in clerkships or fellowships where you gained excellent research, analytical, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• The Public Officials Unit functions on a hybrid work model. Employees typically work in-office 3-days a week. Additional flexibility may be considered for employees after a a successful onboarding and training period.
• State-wide travel is expected, including trips which may require long distance driving. A valid drivers license is required.

The Office of the Attorney General is an equal opportunity employer and believes that a diverse work force adds quality and perspective to the services we provide to the public. Candidates with diverse qualities and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Supplemental Information

WHY WORK FOR US

We Embrace Flexibility
We aim to produce outstanding work product for our clients, be efficient with our time, and support each other as team members – which also means we embrace flexible working arrangements when and where possible.

We Are Committed to Diversity
At the Department of Law, we know that we are better together when our differences are valued and everyone is inspired and empowered to contribute. As such, we strive to provide a safe environment where individuals feel valued and respected for who they are; demonstrate a behavior and mindset where differences are welcomed and individuals are equally treated and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce that contributes to creative problem solving and delivers excellent work.

We Have Strong Core Values
Our core values drive our actions. At the Department of Law, we are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, rigorous legal analysis, and careful evaluation of facts; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to identify the best approach, make deliberate decisions, and look to improve; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other and collaborate.

We are Committed to Developing our Attorneys
We are deeply invested in our talent and regularly provide meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth through training and coaching. Further, our professional development and performance goal setting process is collaborative and ongoing, and aimed at helping our attorneys grow and succeed.

We Offer Excellent Benefits
In addition to competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:

• 
  Public Service Loan Forgiveness: a borrower may qualify for forgiveness by making 120 on-time payments while employed full-time in public service, if they have certain kinds of federal loans in a qualifying repayment plan
• Free access to a recently renovated on-site fitness center
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program
• Employer-paid mental health and counseling services through Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
• Employer-paid annual attorney registration dues
• Employer-provided access to professional development training and CLE through PLI, Department of Law University and other entities.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants must establish an account with governmentjobs.com and complete the online application, including the Contact Information section. Applicants are not required to complete the Work Experience, Education, or Additional Information sections of the online application.

Applicants must provide: 1) a cover letter detailing your interest in the position; 2) a résumé that includes either your CO attorney registration number and admission date, or, if you are not licensed in CO, the state in which you hold a license, your attorney registration number, and admission date; 3) a writing sample, preferably a sample that demonstrates your research and analysis skills, 4) three professional references; and 5) answers to the Supplemental Questionnaire below. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.

For questions about the Department of Law or this position, please reach out to Karen Masciulli, Legal Talent Director at karen.masciulli@coag.gov.

The Department of Law is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Julie Christopher, at Julie.Christopher@coag.gov or call 720-508-6511 .