Senior Labor & Employment Litigation Attorney

City and County of Denver; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

A guaranteed life-long monthly pension

457B Retirement Plan

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

The City and County of Denver seeks a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the Employment & Labor Law Section to provide counsel to City officials and manage complex litigation. The role emphasizes traditional labor relations, wage/hour issues, and advisory work in a fast paced public environment.

Ideal candidates bring seven+ years of relevant experience, strong writing and advocacy skills, and a track record in advising on union matters and collective bargaining contexts.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in employment law issues including advising clients on Title VII, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, FLSA.
• Public sector employment experience preferred.
• Civil litigation experience and strong written/oral advocacy skills required.

Responsibilities

• Represent the City and County of Denver as the employer in federal/state courts and administrative forums.
• Advise on wage and hour, leave management, and workplace issues; review policies for compliance.
• Draft memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings; conduct legal research; supervise junior attorneys.

Skills

Litigation experience

Labor relations

Employment law advising

Advocacy skills

Education

Doctor of Jurisprudence or Bachelor of Laws

Job description

## Senior Labor & Employment Litigation AttorneyApply: Downtown Denver: Full time: Posted Today: End Date: October 26, 2026 (17 days left to apply): R0082600# About Our Job 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 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, 1 wellness day and 1 volunteer day per year* Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date ## Location The City and County of Denver currently 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 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 Denver 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. The Denver City Attorney’s Office seeks a Senior Assistant City Attorney to join the Employment & Labor Law Section. This position provides legal counsel to City officers and employees and represents the City in legal matters before administrative agencies and trial and appellate courts. The position may also provide lead work and guidance to junior attorneys. We are seeking a seasoned attorney with significant litigation experience and a strong background in labor relations, including advising on employment and traditional labor law matters. This position presents a challenging and rewarding opportunity for a senior-level attorney with substantial litigation experience, who thrives in a fast-paced, constantly changing work environment, embraces challenges and enjoys having the opportunity to create new law. Senior attorneys are responsible for serving as lead counsel on some of the City’s most complex litigation and mentoring attorneys with less experience. Job responsibilities for a Senior Assistant City Attorney in the Employment & Labor Law Section include: Legal Work:* Representing the City and County of Denver as the employer in federal and state courts, administrative hearings, EEOC/CCRD charges, and other forums;* Providing advice and counsel to clients regarding federal, state and city laws, rules, etc., and other assignments, as needed.* Advising management on federal and state wage and hour issues, leave management, disability accommodations and other workplace issues.* Reviewing handbooks, policies and forms for legal compliance.* Conducting management training regarding labor relations, federal, state and local workplace issues, harassment, discrimination and retaliation.* Negotiating and preparing settlement agreements, ordinances, resolutions, and other legal documents as necessary.* Drafting and preparing memoranda, motions, briefs and pleadings to be filed in judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings.* Conducting or assisting with legal research.* Assisting attorneys working in specialized areas with litigation, research and related activities.* As assigned by the City Attorney, preparing formal legal opinions on complex matters, in specialized legal areas* All facets of traditional labor relations, including:* Representing management in the formation of new collective bargaining units in the City* Providing legal advice to City managers and executives regarding union organizing, campaigns, card checks and neutrality agreements;* Handling grievance, arbitration and unfair labor practice proceedings; and* Negotiating and/or providing legal advice regarding collective bargaining agreements.* Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. Leadership and Collaboration:* Supports and implements the vision of the Section and the City Attorney’s Office as a whole, which includes facilitating and promoting integration of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness strategies into work and the work environment.* Ensures appropriate collaboration with Section leadership to achieve section, agency, or Mayoral priorities.* Open to new organizational structures, procedures, technology, and overall change.* Promotes teamwork and encourages regular communication between team members, Section leadership, and clients. ## What You’ll Bring We are looking for an attorney who is a skilled litigator but also enjoys a mix of advisory work, works well in a team environment, is a strong legal writer with excellent communication skills, is eager to venture into the city’s new and traditional collective bargaining landscapes, and who is passionate about working in public service. 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 lawsuits and a variety of other legal work at the same time. Our ideal candidate, in addition to having the required qualifications as listed below, will have at least seven (7) years of employment and/or labor law experience, including:* Substantial experience in employment law issues that include advising clients on legal issues involving:* Title VII* FMLA* ADA* ADEA* FLSA* Experience in public sector employment* Traditional labor experience preferred* Civil litigation experience preferred* Strong written and oral advocacy skills* Excellent attention to detail* Strong organizational and project management skills ***Preferred experience must be demonstrated on the application in addition to resume and cover letter. Applications submitted without a resume and cover letter may not be considered. Your cover letter should address the extent of your litigation experience, why you are interested in the position, and why you are the right person for the position.*** ## 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. ## Application Deadline This posting will accept applications until 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.