Department Information

Description of Job

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The Cross Unit Litigation Team partners with subject matter experts in other Units and Sections across the Department of Law on cases in a wide variety of practice areas, from natural resources to higher education to complex civil rights. In this role, you will have an opportunity to work on large, often high-profile, civil litigation matters for the state. Given the nature of the work, you will lead large cases and litigation teams and carry a substantial caseload, including class actions, cases involving important constitutional challenges, and cases with important legal ramifications and/or state-wide impact. You will also provide litigation advice on cases led by others.

You will perform all aspects of litigation, including motions practice, discovery, preparing witnesses for depositions and trial, defending against class certification, preparing cases for trial, trying cases in both state and federal court, attending mediation and arbitration, and briefing and arguing appeals before the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Colorado Supreme Court, and the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, you will have the opportunity to serve as a mentor to less experienced attorneys, partnering with them to help develop their litigation skills.

This recruitment may be used to fill more than one Assistant Attorney General position in the Department of Law.

Salary Note: The Department of Law uses a wage progression compensation model. Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate's qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. New ranges will go into effect for employees starting after July 1, 2023.

Attorneys with less than 3 years of experience as a practicing attorney will be hired as an Assistant Attorney General I (AAG I). The salary range for an AAG I is $83,292-$92,400/annually.
Attorneys with more than 3 years of experience practicing as an attorney will be hired as an Assistant Attorney General II (AAG II). The AAG II salary range is $96,420-$120,000/annually.

Current salary range is $7,100-9,000/month through June 30, 2023.

Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis for any new employees starting after July 1, 2023.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Applicants must:

• Be admitted to the Colorado bar or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar and be in good standing at the time of application. Applicants eligible to waive into the bar must be eligible to Practice Pending Admission.

We need strong litigators for this role, so our ideal candidates will have at least some, if not all, of the following skills and attributes:

• Demonstrated competency across all facets of litigation, including trials and appeals, and deep and varied experience with complex civil litigation cases
• Diverse practice experience. Experience in the following areas would be particularly valuable: tort, employment, civil rights, sovereign and qualified immunity
• Experience with class action litigation
• Outstanding writing and analytical skills
• Strong leadership, mentorship, and coaching skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety and diversity of personalities
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and public service
• Ability to pivot and focus on different areas of law
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Demonstrated dedication to client service

We are an equal opportunity employer and believe 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.

Conditions of Employment:

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application and application for Practice Pending Admission before the first day of employment. For more information about admission to the Colorado bar please review information on the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel website.

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 the comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package including competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans with Colorado PERA, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a state government employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. 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 on-line applications including the Contact Information section. Applicants are not required to complete the Work Experience, Education, or Additional Information sections of the on-line application.

Applicants must provide 1) a cover letter detailing their interest in the position and their relevant experience; 2) a resume; 3) a writing sample, and 4) three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.

ADAAA Requests
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 hr@coag.gov.