ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Denver Public Schools•Denver, CO

22d•$87,203 - $106,806

About The Position

Ensures practices, policies, and dealings of the District meet legal and regulatory requirements to protect the organization from legal action and to defend the District when legal action is taken. Provides counsel to District leaders on assigned areas such as labor and employment, special education, student safety, implementation of the Consent Decree for English Language Learners, and/or operations and business management. Works closely with the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel in the assigned area.

Requirements

Minimum of Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited institution
2+ years of relevant experience in labor and employment law, laws governing special education, federal education law, civil rights and constitutional law, student-data privacy laws, transactional and operations experience working with government entities, or other experience with non-profit entities supporting public interest
Valid Colorado license to practice law at time of hire
Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity in our community, along with believing in and supporting all students so they feel seen and heard with access to high quality education.
Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working with us.
Have the ability with or without accommodations to meet the physical demands of the position.

Responsibilities

Develops legal strategies and provides legal advice and counsel for client groups and District leaders as needed to assure the District’s compliance with applicable rules, policies, procedures, practices, and laws
Performs legal research and provides verbal and written analysis that also considers District policies, procedures, and practices
Independently drafts or works with other Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel on written work product, including pleadings, briefs, and legal research memoranda
Responds to directives from Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel
Develops and builds consensus and resolves conflict
Represents the District in adversarial meetings, hearings, and court proceedings (e.g. meeting where parent is represented by counsel or advocate, labor and employment arbitrations, and teacher dismissal hearings)
Assists in the planning and development of policy, procedures, and processes for the District, assigned client groups, and the legal department in order to optimize efficiency, address areas of legal risk, and address the diverse needs of client groups
Develops and conducts trainings for assigned client groups