Assistant Attorney General (Human Services)

Department Information

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.

Description of Job

• Litigate before federal and state district courts and the Office of Administrative Courts.
• Defend findings of child abuse, neglect, and adult mistreatment made by county human services departments.
• Prosecute licensing actions against childcare providers and substance abuse disorder treatment or behavioral health providers for violation of state regulations and applicable state statutes.
• Defend the departments against civil complaints seeking injunctive relief.
• Handle cases involving constitutional challenges, anti-discrimination laws, and other high-impact legal questions with important legal ramifications and state-wide or national impact.
• Handle cases related to public benefits, child welfare, juvenile justice, and care and treatment of individuals living with developmental disabilities or mental health disorders.
• Provide general counsel to CDHS, CDEC and the BHA, including advising on rulemaking and legislative matters, responding to records requests and subpoenas, conducting legal research, and drafting guidance/advice on diverse and complex legal issues.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

• The Human Services unit is seeking experienced, confident, and adaptable attorneys who are passionate about public service and want to be a part of a collaborative and supportive team. Ideal candidates will have enough litigation experience to jump in and manage their own caseload, assess problems, research novel state and federal issues, evaluate and identify solutions, effectively communicate those solutions and be comfortable representing clients in hearings.
• Candidates 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.
• In addition, the best candidates will possess the following skills and attributes:
• Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Experience litigating complex matters in district courts and/or administrative courts.
• Strong legal writing, research, and analytical skills.
• Interest in working on cases that involve children, vulnerable adults, and emotionally challenging subject matters.

Supplemental Information

• 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 their interest in the position and their relevant experience; 2) a resume; 3) one independent writing sample, and 4) three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.
• Applicant may redact information that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
• 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.
• For general information regarding this position and other attorney opportunities at our office, please contact our Legal Talent Director at legaltalentdirector@coag.gov.
• 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!
• 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.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: The Human Services Unit offers flexible work arrangements. Employees are required to come into the office at least 1 day per week, and for some meetings or court hearings.
• Professional Development: We provide training and coaching to help our attorneys grow and succeed.
• Performance Management: Our performance management process is collaborative and ongoing.
• Retirement Plans: We offer retirement plans with Colorado PERA.
• Health and Wellness Programs: We offer various health and wellness programs to support our employees' well-being.
• Employee Assistance Program: We provide access to an Employee Assistance Program to help employees address personal and work-related issues.
• Work-Life Balance: We encourage a healthy work-life balance through flexible scheduling and generous leave policies.
• Community Engagement: We encourage our employees to engage with the community through volunteer opportunities and other initiatives.
• Professional Recognition: We recognize and celebrate the achievements of our attorneys through awards and recognition programs.
• Training and Development: We provide training and development opportunities to enhance our attorneys' skills and knowledge.
• Wellness Programs: We offer wellness programs to support our employees' physical and mental health.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: We offer Flexible Spending Accounts to help employees pay for eligible expenses.
• Subsidized Parking: We provide subsidized parking options for our employees.
• Telework Options: We offer telework options to accommodate the needs of our employees.
• Childcare Support: We offer childcare support to help our employees balance work and family responsibilities.
• Employee Discounts: We offer discounts on products and services for our employees.
• Volunteer Opportunities: We encourage our employees to participate in volunteer activities and community service.
• Employee Resource Groups: We support the formation and growth of Employee Resource Groups to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Annual Performance Reviews: We conduct annual performance reviews to provide feedback and set goals for our attorneys.
• Professional Development Grants: We provide grants to support our attorneys' professional development.
• Peer Mentoring: We offer peer mentoring programs to help new attorneys transition into their roles.
• Leadership Training: We provide leadership training to help our attorneys develop their managerial and leadership skills.
• Workshops and Seminars: We offer workshops and seminars to help our attorneys stay current on industry trends and best practices.
• Networking Events: We host networking events to connect our attorneys with colleagues and industry professionals.
• Travel Reimbursement: We reimburse employees for travel expenses related to professional development opportunities.
• Professional Conferences: We provide funding for our attorneys to attend professional conferences and events.
• Legal Education Scholarships: We offer scholarships to help our attorneys pursue further legal education.
• Legal Writing Competitions: We sponsor legal writing competitions to encourage our attorneys to hone their writing skills.
• Legal Research Competitions: We sponsor legal research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their research skills.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing and Research Competitions: We sponsor legal writing and research competitions to encourage our attorneys to develop their skills in these areas.
• Legal Writing