Associate Assistant City Attorney - Civil Litigation Section

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver. What We Offer The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $109,134.00 - $126,869.00/annually, based on experience and education. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to: A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service 457B Retirement Plan 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 11 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday and 1 volunteer day per year Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1st month of start date Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed) Free RTD Eco Pass Location & Schedule The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days. During your onsite days you will work at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building located at 201 W Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80202. Office hours are 8:00AM – 5:00PM. Who We Are & What You’ll Do The Denver City Attorney’s Office is one of the largest law firms in Colorado, with over 230 attorneys and staff members comprised of paralegals, victim advocates, and other support and supervisory staff members. It may have the most diverse practice of any law firm in Colorado since Denver is a home rule city and county. Clients include the Mayor, City Council, all other elected and appointed officials, all city agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and employees. The City Attorney's Office is dedicated to providing an equitable, inclusive, and diverse work environment. Through Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts, we strive to respect and honor differences, create a culture of compassion, collaboration, and common purpose for sharing our talents, skills, and creativity with each other. We are committed to removing barriers and providing opportunities. The successful candidate for this position must demonstrate these core operating principles. Denver's City Attorney's Office is seeking two Associate Assistant City Attorneys for the Civil Litigation Section of the Department of Law. An Associate Assistant City Attorney provides legal counsel to City officials and employees, and representation in the defense of civil lawsuits before trial and appellate courts. The Civil Litigation Section handles personal injury and property damage claims, as well as civil rights and constitutional claims brought against agencies, employees and officials of the City and County of Denver. The attorneys in this unit regularly appear in state and federal trial and appellate courts. Specifically, as an Associate Attorney in the Civil Litigation Section, you will:

Requirements

• We are looking for an experienced attorney who is a self-starter, team-player, and passionate about working in public service. We seek someone who strives to achieve operational excellence in defending against claims and lawsuits. The right candidate must be outcome- and results-oriented, ethical and fair, have good common sense, sound judgment, and be capable of working on multiple and varied lawsuits or other assigned matters at the same time. We are looking for someone interested in all aspects of litigation, including brief writing and trial practice. A successful candidate will be a strong advocate for their clients and will understand how to work a civil case up from responsive pleading to appeal.
• Education requirement: Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree or Bachelor of Law Degree
• Experience Requirement: Two (2) years of experience as an attorney at law
• Education/Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted
• License/Certifications: Possession of a license to practice law in Colorado from the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire or a reasonable expectation of becoming licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire in accordance with C.R.C.P. 203.2, 203.3, 203.4 and 205.6. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.
• Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

• At least three (3) years of civil litigation experience, including successful management of a large case load and experience in all phases of state and federal court civil litigation
• Substantial familiarity with the provisions of the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act or equivalent experience and experience handling tort and/or civil rights claims
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment

Responsibilities

• Handle less complex tort and civil rights cases, depending upon level of experience, under supervisor direction
• Draft and prepare legal memoranda, pleadings, motions, and briefs to be filed in judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings
• Conduct legal research in a variety of legal areas and produce concise, coherent, comprehensive and well-reasoned arguments
• Assist senior attorneys on more complex litigation as part of a collaborative team defending the City and/or City employees, including conducting depositions, handling various court appearances, drafting motions, determining appropriate trial strategy, providing case assessment, and evaluating reasonable settlement value
• Evaluate cases for appellate issues and assist with the drafting of appellate briefs
• Assist with drafting and review of City policies and procedures
• Readily identify issues and find creative solutions for areas of improvement
• Providing excellent client service
• Support and implement the vision of the Section and the City Attorney’s Office as a whole, including facilitating and promoting integration of diversity, equality, and inclusiveness strategies into work and the work environment
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested

Benefits

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 11 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1st month of start date
• Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed)
• Free RTD Eco Pass

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree