Senior Assistant General Counsel (Hybrid) *Waiver of Minimum Qualifications Approved.

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Colorado Judicial Department seeks an experienced Senior Assistant General Counsel to represent the department on varied legal matters and provide strategic legal counsel to judges, court executives, and HR teams.

The role involves advising on employment law, drafting agreements, and representing the department in personnel matters, with remote work possible subject to approval and statewide travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law before Colorado courts.
• Five years of professional legal experience.

Responsibilities

• Serves as in-house counsel for judges, court executives and other Judicial Department personnel.
• Provides technical legal advice to managers and staff to minimize legal liability.
• Performs complex legal research and analyzes statutes, rules and regulations.
• Drafts memoranda and briefs across civil, criminal, HR, domestic, probate and contract law.
• Advises clients on administrative and operational legal issues.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Advocacy

Communication skills

Intergovernmental affairs

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Bar admission in Colorado

5 years legal practice

Job description

Department Information

The Judicial Department works to provide equal access to justice, contribute to public safety, and strengthen the rule of law across Colorado. Together our courts and probation departments are committed to impartial and timely dispute resolution; support for families, litigants, and victims; client rehabilitation; and meaningful community engagement.

Description Of Job

General Statement of Duties

Represents the Colorado Judicial Department on various legal matters.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform assigned essential functions listed below satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Frequency and percentage of time may vary based on assignment.

• Serves as in-house legal counsel for judges, court executives, chief probation officers and other Judicial Department personnel. Provides technical legal advice to managers, supervisors and other Judicial Department personnel in order to avoid or minimize legal liability for the Colorado Judicial Department.
• Conducts complex legal research; analyzes and interprets laws, rules, court rulings and regulations for clients.
• Drafts and prepares specialized and complex memoranda and legal briefs. Must have an ability to work in varied areas of legal practice including civil, criminal, human resources, domestic, probate, and contract law (primarily intergovernmental agreements and memoranda of understanding).
• Advises clients on legal aspects of administrative and operational issues.
• May represent administrative authorities in employment disciplinary proceedings.
• May develop and/or update materials and provide training on legal issues for Judicial Department personnel.
• May represent the Legal Team on internal committees or as a participant in office workgroups.
• Attends meetings and training as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Additional Comments

Responsibilities for this position include providing legal advice to the human resources division and administrative authorities; drafting employment agreements; conducting research on labor and employment law and policies; advising on personnel rules and policies; representing the administrative authority in personnel hearings and mediation; and responding to charges of discrimination from the EEOC and the CCRD. Other duties may include, among others, analyzing legislation, responding to open records requests, and providing training to employees and judicial officers on legal issues.

Applicants who have extensive experience with state and federal employment laws and regulations and who possess experience with the above areas including employment litigation, particularly defending employers, are preferred. The ideal candidate must possess excellent analytical skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and proven advocacy skills.

This position allows for some remote work subject to the approval of the General Counsel. Travel within the state may be required for particular meetings/events.

This position will report to the Deputy General Counsel.

Supervisor Responsibilities

No formal supervisory responsibility. Responsibility for one's own work product and may provide guidance, assistance or mentorship to less knowledgeable or experienced co-workers, volunteers, interns or externs. This may include scheduling of work, instructing in work methods and reviewing work product.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands and fingers and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. This position is subject to varying and unpredictable situations; may handle emergency or crisis situations; is subject to many interruptions; may handle multiple calls and inquiries and may occasionally handle absentee replacement on short notice.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights

In accordance with P.R.S Rule 13.D. This position has been granted a waiver of the minimum education requirements.

Senior Assistant General Counsel – Minimum Education And Experience Equivalency

Graduation from an accredited law school; possession of a certificate of admission to the Bar of the State of Colorado; active license to practice law before the courts of the State of Colorado and five years of experience practicing in the field of law.

Alternative Minimum And Experience Equivalency

Graduation from an accredited law school; possession of a certificate of admission to the Bar of the State of Colorado; active license to practice law before the courts of the State of Colorado; five (5) years of professional human resources experience involving employment law, labor relations, employee relations, workplace investigations, EEO/ADA/FMLA compliance, personnel policy development, or advising management on employment matters, including at least one (1) year as a licensed attorney practicing employment law.

The Office of General Counsel at the State Court Administrator’s Office is looking for an attorney who is passionate about employment law to join their team as a Senior Assistant General Counsel.

Supplemental Information

The Colorado Judicial Department is committed to ensuring equal access to and full participation in court and probation services and programs for qualified individuals with disabilities, including employees of the Colorado Judicial Department. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an important part of our culture, and we are committed to provide reasonable accommodations when needed without causing undue hardship to the Colorado Judicial Department.

Each district has an ADA Coordinator and Jury Commissioner. The ADA Coordinator is responsible for initiating the interactive process once an employee, court or probation services participant has made a request for reasonable accommodation and the Jury Commissioner is responsible for initiating the interactive process once a juror has made a request for a reasonable accommodation.