Senior Assistant City Attorney - Prosecution and Code Enforcement

City and County of Denver; United States; Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

(Pension) Life-long monthly pension

457B Retirement Plan

PTO: 140 hours in first year + 12 paid

Health, dental and vision plans

Job summary

The City and County of Denver is seeking an experienced attorney at the Senior level for the Prosecution and Code Enforcement (PACE) Section within the City Attorney’s Office. You will handle complex municipal prosecutions, provide legal counsel across multiple agencies, and lead diverse teams in a fast-paced environment.

Required are a JD (or equivalent), at least 3 years of municipal litigation experience, and Colorado bar admission by the date of hire.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Jurisprudence or Bachelor of Laws degree.
• Three years of attorney experience in municipal, district, or appellate courts.
• License to practice law in Colorado by date of hire or within the required timeframe.

Responsibilities

• Advise Denver Police Department, Department of Excise & Licenses, and other agencies on criminal law and regulatory issues.
• Draft memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings for judicial and administrative proceedings.
• Prosecute municipal criminal cases and support various legal teams within the City.
• Conduct legal research and provide formal opinions on complex matters.
• Mentor less experienced attorneys and promote teamwork within the Section.
• Engage in drafting proposed city ordinances and provide guidance to City officers.

Skills

Legal research

Team collaboration

Multi-tasking

Leadership

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

About Our Job Note: This job posting is open to current City and County of Denver employees ONLY and employees, including those impacted by the 2025 layoffs. 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.

Who We Are The City Attorney’s Office serves as the chief legal counsel to the Mayor, City Council, City Auditor, City Clerk and Recorder, and all City agencies. Its responsibilities include handling city lawsuits, prosecuting ordinance violations, providing victim support in criminal cases, representing the city in investigations and litigation, advising on contractual and transactional matters, offering regulatory and compliance assistance, addressing employment matters for the city's more than 12,000 workers, and providing guidance on local, state, and federal law. With a team of over 250 individuals, the City Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting resident welfare, enhancing neighborhood quality of life, and responsibly managing taxpayer funds. As advocates for effective governance, transparency, and accountability, the office empowers the city to do its work and prioritizes ethical conduct in all city operations. Whether working with city agencies, engaging community stakeholders, or collaborating with external legal counsel, the office leverages its collective expertise to navigate complex legal challenges and advance key city priorities.

What We Offer The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $$134,933 - $172,000/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 + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday and 1 volunteer day and 1 wellness day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

Location 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.

What You’ll Do

The Denver City Attorney’s Office seeks a dedicated, experienced attorney for a Senior level position in its Prosecution and Code Enforcement (PACE) Section. The PACE section staffs seven courtrooms in Denver County Court, including 4 trial courtrooms, 2 arraignment courtrooms, and 1 traffic courtroom. PACE also supports three additional dockets: a wellness docket, a municipal juvenile docket, and a homeless outreach docket held in the community. In addition to the courtroom work of traditional prosecution offices, PACE also staffs several diverse legal teams within the City. The PACE Public Nuisance team litigates civil public nuisance cases filed against vehicles or real property that have been used in the commission of certain predicate criminal offenses. The Neighborhood Partnership team works closely with other City agencies and community members to find solutions for neighborhood issues that don’t lend themselves to traditional prosecution methods. Through its Excise- and- Licenses and Marijuana Teams, the Section also provides legal counsel and administrative law support to the Department of Excise and Licenses, which administers and regulates over 100 types of business, liquor, and marijuana licenses. The Mental Health Team handles mental health commitments, emergency medication commitments, Extreme Risk Protection Orders when evidence supports the temporary removal of firearms from a person to protect public safety. We seek an attorney with a demonstrated, successful track‑record handling complex issues in a fast‑paced environment, significant prosecutorial experience, and experience with regulatory and administrative litigation.

• Advising the Denver Police Department, the Department of Excise & Licenses, and other client agencies regarding a variety of matters, including criminal law and procedure, First Amendment issues, administrative and regulatory issues, and preemption issues
• Providing legal advice to City agencies regarding the application and impact of federal and state statutes and regulations, city ordinances, and charter provisions
• Drafting memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings to be filed in judicial and administrative proceedings
• Assisting other attorneys with prosecution, litigation, research, and related activities
• Assisting in drafting proposed city ordinances
• Conducting or assisting with legal research
• Providing City officers and employees with counsel and advice and formal legal opinions on complex matters in specialized legal areas
• Prosecuting municipal criminal cases
• Promoting teamwork and encouraging regular communication between team members, Section leadership, and PACE Team overall
• Exhibiting a high-level of leadership, professionalism, and respect
• Performing other related duties as assigned or requested by Section Director or City Attorney
• Employees may be re‑deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other City agencies to support core functions of the City during a City‑wide emergency declared by the Mayor.
• Any one position may not include all of the duties listed. However, the allocation of positions will be determined by the amount of time spent in performing the essential duties listed above.

What You’ll Bring

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 filed against the City and its employees. The right candidate must be outcome‑and results‑oriented, ethical and fair, have good common sense and sound judgment, be capable of working on and managing several complex and varied lawsuits and/or issues at one time, demonstrate an ability to develop attorneys with less experience, exhibit a high level of leadership and professionalism, and creatively, independently, effectively handle complex litigation in the best interest of the City, its officials and employees. Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:

• At least three (3) years of experience as an attorney at law including two years of experience prosecuting and defending legal cases in municipal, district, and appellate courts
• Strong research and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Ability to motivate and set an example for others
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work effectively in a fast‑paced environment

Required Minimum Qualifications Education requirement: Doctor of Jurisprudence degree or Bachelor of Laws degree. Experience Requirement: Three (3) 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

Position Type Unlimited Position Salary Range $134,933.00 - $229,386.00 Target Pay $134,933 - $172,000/annually, based on experience and education Agency City Attorney's Office Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real‑time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [e-mail] with three business days’ notice.

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. For information about right to work.