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Posted April 02, 2024

Assistant Attorney General - Corrections Unit

State of Colorado
Denver, CO Full Time
Reference: StateofColorado4440643

Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General! The Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section is seeking a...

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Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!

The Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section is seeking a talented, enthusiastic, and experienced attorney to represent the State of Colorado in state and federal court. This position offers an exciting opportunity to handle a caseload which primarily involves complex civil rights litigation and associated constitutional claims, habeas petitions, civil appeals and advice matters for state agencies. This position is best suited for an attorney who is interested in the intersection of criminal justice and federal civil rights law, and who excels at independently researching and writing about unique legal issues while engaging collaboratively as a part of a team with other attorneys and staff.

Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews may be conducted prior to the job closing. We encourage you submit your application early if possible.

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/.Application will be reviewed and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Interested parties are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
In this role you will represent the Colorado Department of Corrections and you will have the opportunity to litigate claims brought pursuant to the First, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Units cases also involve claims brought under statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, habeas corpus petitions, and judicial review of agency rulings. Attorneys may also provide general legal advice to client agencies on a broad variety of topics including policy issues and subpoena or open records requests.

If you enjoy all aspects of litigation, including motions practice, brief writing, oral argument, discovery, preparing witnesses for hearing and trial, trying cases in both state and federal court, and briefing and arguing appeals before the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Colorado Supreme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, this is the role for you! We are looking for candidates who are great writers and thinkers and who can manage their own federal and state cases with minimal supervision. We are also looking for people who enjoy being part of a fun, light-hearted team that cares deeply about their service to the State of Colorado. People in this unit are successful because they enjoy their autonomy, but thrive in a collaborative environment where people work together to help each other succeed.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple attorney positions in the Department of Law, Corrections Unit.

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.



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.
Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis.


WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
To be considered for this position, 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. 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.

Further, we are seeking candidates that have at least some, if not many, of the following skills and experiences.

  • At least five years of legal experience preferred.
  • Strong legal research and writing skills, including some experience drafting and filing briefs in federal court, and/or strong trial work in state or federal court. .
  • Prior experience as a state or federal judicial law clerk.
  • Interest and/or experience with 42 U.S.C. ยง 1983 cases, C.R.C.P. 106 cases, constitutional law, administrative law, and federal and state appeals is preferred.
  • Broad range of litigation experience.
  • Ability to be self-directed and manage ones own caseload from pleading stage through trial and appeal.
  • Good problem-solving skills and the confidence to know when to ask questions.
  • Interest in and/or commitment to public service and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Conditions of Employment
  • Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
The Office of the Attorney General offers challenging, interesting, and meaningful work. 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.

This position is non-classified and is not subject to appeal rights.
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, Equity and Inclusion
At the DOL, our commitment to DEI is thriving. 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 treated equally and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce. We empower an active Diversity Equity & Inclusion Impact Team that creates approaches to ensure safe spaces and a culture supportive of people being their authentic selves, hosts events and programs on DEI areas important to our employees, enables development and sustainability of resource groups that give a voice to historically marginalized populations, focuses on retaining our incredible talent, and more! If your professional goals include promoting growth and innovation with colleagues who recognize that we are better together when our differences are valued and respected, then DOL is your place to be!

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:
  • Medical and dental health plans
  • Employer-paid life insurance
  • Paid vacation and sick leave earned each month
  • 11 paid holidays per year
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program forgives the remaining balance on your direct loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a repayment plan while working full-time for a qualified employer.
  • Free access to an on-site fitness center
  • Strong, flexible retirement benefits including 401K and 457 plans
  • Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the State personnel system
  • Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must establish an account with governmentjobs.com and complete the online applications 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 resume; 3) a writing sample and 4) three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.

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 [email protected] or call 720-508-6511.

For general information regarding this position and other attorney opportunities at our office, please contact Karen Masciulli, Director of Legal Talent, at [email protected]

This listing expired on May 02. Applications are no longer accepted.

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