Grant Senior Attorney/Medical Legal Partnership Attorney [INTERNAL ONLY]

Colorado Legal Services•Denver, CO

25d•Hybrid

About The Position

CLS seeks an experienced litigator, strategic thinker, and subject matter expert with extensive experience in representing low-income litigants in housing, consumer, and public benefits cases to serve as the staff attorney for the Colorado Access Medical-Legal Partnership (“MLP”) and the Senior Attorney for consumer law. This is a one-year, grant-funded position. Employment cannot be guaranteed after December 31, 2026. The Northern Colorado Advocacy Director will oversee implementation of the Colorado Access MLP and supervise this position. Colorado Access MLP (70%) Through the Colorado Access MLP, this position will provide advice, brief services, and full-service representation to Colorado Access members living in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, and Douglas Counties. This position will represent Colorado Access members with housing, consumer, and public benefits issues, including but not limited to eviction defense, debt collection defense, foreclosure, and bankruptcy, and challenging unlawful denials, overpayments, and terminations of public benefits. Remote and hybrid work arrangements will be available as much of this work can be conducted remotely. This position will also be responsible for providing training to Colorado Access staff through the Colorado Access Enhanced Partner Pilot. The training will allow Colorado Access staff to quickly identify possible legal needs that CLS can assist with, and make seamless referrals to CLS so that eligible patients with housing, consumer, and public benefits needs can receive legal assistance. This position will work closely with Colorado Access and the Northern Colorado Advocacy director to develop an implementation plan for the grant, develop training materials, create a referral process, and regularly communicate with Colorado Access staff throughout the period of the grant. Senior Attorney – Consumer (30%) Senior Attorneys play a unique role within Colorado Legal Services. Senior Attorneys are experienced casehandlers who continue to do some casework within their original team, but also play key roles in advancing strategic, impact, and appellate advocacy. Each Senior Attorney will specialize in one or more areas of CLS’s work. This position will specialize in consumer law, but will contribute to housing and public benefits advocacy as needed. Senior Attorneys will be assigned projects by the Deputy Director for Advocacy and the three regional Advocacy Directors to advance the interests of CLS clients outside the context of handling cases. This may include conducting legal research, writing, analyzing trends and data in court cases or within CLS’s case management system, leading or participating in internal and external coalition meetings and Task Forces, and developing strategies to change systems within the Judicial Branch or by other actors that adversely impact CLS clients. Senior Attorneys may also take leading or supporting roles in affirmative litigation intended to impact both a CLS client and other similarly-situated individuals. Senior attorneys may provide internal or external legal trainings. Finally, Senior Attorneys are assigned leading or supporting roles on appellate cases, which may include drafting and editing briefs and other pleadings and helping moot other attorneys for oral argument. Senior Attorneys also serve as mentors and resources for other CLS attorneys. Senior Attorneys are available to talk through complicated cases, train less experienced attorneys, and respond promptly to all questions posted in Task Force Teams channels. Senior attorneys may help staff with portions of a case, such as reviewing a complex motion. They may also second chair a case with an attorney as a way to teach staff more about an area of law. Senior attorneys are not supervisors and should direct personnel matters to the appropriate supervisor.

Requirements

Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Attention to detail with strong critical thinking, analytical, and time management skills
A strong commitment to advocacy in the public interest and a passion for social justice
Sensitivity to the legal needs of low-income individuals, seniors, and other vulnerable populations
Excellent time management skills and ability to meet deadlines
Minimum 2 years of experience working for Colorado Legal Services
Minimum 10 years of experience practicing law

Nice To Haves

More than 10 years of experience practicing in consumer, family, or housing law
Experience in appellate advocacy
Experience in employing strategic advocacy tools
Experience in training or mentoring attorneys
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish

Responsibilities

Represent clients referred by Colorado Access in housing, consumer, and public benefits cases by providing advice, brief services, and full representation.
Staff cases with the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director.
Develop, implement, and iterate training for Colorado Access staff.
Work closely with the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director to develop training materials for Colorado Access staff on how to identify legal issues that CLS can help with.
Provide trainings for Colorado Access staff on how to identify legal issues that CLS can help with and make referrals for those cases.
Work with the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director to develop a referral system for Colorado Access.
Communicate and meet frequently with Colorado Access staff to identify gaps, troubleshoot any issues that arise, and implement solutions to those issues to improve the issue spotting and referral process.
Take on other staff attorney cases and duties as assigned by the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director.
This position will take Attorney of the Day shifts, like any other Staff Attorney.
Provide high-quality legal advice, brief services, and full representation to Colorado Access members, in accordance with ethical rules of professional conduct and the standards set forth by Casehandler Standards.
Display patience, professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment for clients, including those with diverse backgrounds, disabilities, and mental health challenges, while providing clear, transparent communication and managing their expectations effectively.
Independently manage an active caseload
Maintain thorough and up-to-date records
Work as a member of a legal team, actively participating in regular case staffing as well as office and organization-wide projects focused on education and outreach to client populations.
Consult and co-counsel with other CLS attorneys, paralegals, and support staff.
Achieve and maintain knowledge of consumer, housing, and public benefits law.
Regularly engage in professional development and training opportunities.
Work collaboratively with partner organizations.
Promote a culture that emphasizes trust, mutual respect, equity, inclusion, harmony, work quality, continuous improvement, and excellent customer service.
Perform additional duties as assigned.
Senior Attorney projects will be assigned and led by the Deputy Director for Advocacy and/or one or more of the regional Advocacy Directors
Actively participate in internal Task Force meetings to ensure that CLS attorneys are identifying trends, and help brainstorm solutions to challenges raised within Task Forces
Participate in internal or external coalition meetings dedicated to strategically identifying solutions to recurring challenges or trends facing CLS clients
Conduct legal research to advance strategic advocacy
Conduct factual research on trends impacting CLS clients, including reviewing court files and CLS’s case management system
Draft portions of letters, public comments, memos, and other written work product that is not tied to a specific case to advance strategic goals
Partner with the Director of Communications to advance media strategies
Serve as lead casehandler or co-counsel on appeal
Draft briefs and motions or sections thereof
Conduct legal research on key topics
Review and edit briefs drafted by other staff
Participate in moots to help other attorneys prepare for oral arguments
Lead or co-counsel cases that CLS approves for affirmative litigation in order to achieve strategically-chosen impacts for CLS clients and other similarly-situated low-income Coloradans
Ensure compliance with all LSC regulations, including restrictions on class actions and fee-generating cases
Mentor and guide less experienced attorneys across the program in working through complex legal issues, with an emphasis on consumer law
Staff cases with other CLS attorneys and support them in advancing the best interests of their clients
Conduct formal trainings and presentations in Task Forces and other forums
Stay up to date on changes within Consumer Law by seeking out articles, reviewing cases, and participating in CLEs and other training
Bring forward key changes in the law as training topics to CLS Leadership and leaders of the Consumer Task Force
Participate in coalition meetings with CLS partners working on Consumer Law issues