Assistant Attorney General (Professional Boards and Programs)

Full Job Description

The Revenue & Regulatory Law (R&R) section of the Colorado Department of Law is seeking a dynamic and committed Assistant Attorney General to join the Professional Boards and Programs (PBP) Unit.

In this role, you will help protect Coloradans through the state’s regulation of licensed professions.

This dedicated public servant will be involved in diverse licensing litigation work as well as providing general counsel to clients represented by the unit.

This position is a great opportunity for an attorney with a passion for litigation and who takes pride in building strong client relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

WHO WE ARE
The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is the "People's Lawyer." The Attorney General, Phil Weiser, was elected by the people of Colorado and is the State's chief lawyer and law enforcement official. Our vision for the Department of Law is: "Together, we serve Colorado and its people, advancing the rule of law, protecting our democracy and promoting justice for all." Our core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drive our actions and demonstrate our focus on being principled public servants who are innovative and better together.

Visit our website to learn more: https://coag.gov/.

Requirements

The PBP Unit is the largest of the 10 units within the R&R section.

The R&R section represents state regulatory agencies, including the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), the Department of Revenue, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Local Affairs.

R&R is the largest section in the Department of Law, comprised of approximately 125 team members who tackle a diverse array of legal challenges for nearly 100 state agencies, boards, commissions, and divisions.

DORA’s Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) licenses over 50 different professions, occupations, and industries.

The work of the R&R section plays a critical role in protecting public health and safety by providing oversight of these industries and professions to ensure all licensees are providing appropriate, competent, and safe services to Coloradans.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The PBP Unit is made up of one administrative assistant, three paralegals, and 16 attorneys who represent approximately 40 programs within DPO, including boards, licensure offices, committees, and commissions.

This work promotes consumer protection through regulating, licensing, and taking disciplinary action against licensees and pursuing litigation against unlicensed persons who engage in a regulated profession without a license.

This attorney’s primary role will be to serve as litigation and general counsel on behalf of a variety of clients, including the Colorado Board of Nursing and the Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure.

They will also have the opportunity to provide general counsel services. The attorney’s responsibilities may include any of the following:

• Independently handle litigation, negotiation/mediation, hearings, and appeals of cases on behalf of clients represented by the Unit;
• Litigate matters that require immediate action including prosecuting license suspensions and opposing actions to seal criminal records;
• Enforce the clients’ practice acts against unlicensed persons through actions for injunctive relief in Colorado District Courts;
• Attend board meetings as general counsel;
• Advise client boards and program directors on litigation and general legal issues;
• Provide training to DOL attorneys and/or client representatives and staff; and
• Assist other attorneys with client counseling and litigating cases on behalf of other clients represented by the Unit and the R&R section.

The attorneys on our team represent our clients’ interests in a variety of settings, including professional licensure and disciplinary actions.

The position involves an administrative law practice before the Office of Administrative Courts, as well as some practice in Colorado District Court and the Court of Appeals.

Additionally, our work involves advising clients in all aspects of their regulatory functions and responsibilities, including Open Meetings and Open Records laws and assisting with the promulgation of rules and policies.

Occasionally, Unit attorneys will be asked to represent board members in federal court on constitutional challenges to state statutes that they are charged with enforcing.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an attorney who is: 1) interested in litigation; 2) eager to work in a supportive multi-disciplinary team; and 3) motivated to do work that directly impacts the lives of Coloradans.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Qualified applicants must be admitted to the Colorado Bar or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar and be in good standing at the time of application. Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application and application for Practice Pending Admission before the first day of employment. For more information about admission to the Colorado Bar please review information on the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.

Candidates should have: 1) a litigation background; 2) a demonstrated ability to handle negotiations, litigation, and trials independently and effectively; 3) proficient client communication skills; and 4) excellent writing skills.

Essential skills for this position:

• Ability to manage a significant caseload, including working closely with Unit paralegals
• Comfort with and enjoyment in litigating cases and advising clients in a general counsel role
• Excellent research, writing, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to provide advice on complex matters
• Committed and eager to serve the public in a consumer protection-related role
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Enthusiasm about working with a smart, collaborative, and fun team

THIS POSITION REQUIRES AT LEAST ONE WRITING SAMPLE. PLEASE REVIEW THE "HOW TO APPLY" SECTION OF THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Conditions of Employment:

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.

Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application and application for Practice Pending Admission before the first day of employment.

For more information about admission to the Colorado bar please review information on the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel website.

• Colorado Department of Law participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Additional Information

HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must establish an account with governmentjobs.com and complete the online applications including the Contact Information section. Applicants are not required to complete the Work Experience, Education, or Additional Information sections of the online application.

Applicants must provide 1) a cover letter detailing your interest in the position; 2) a resume; 3) at least one writing sample; and 4) three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.

Writing samples should demonstrate your ability to provide sound legal advice to a client. The writing samples should be products that were created solely by you. Please include a brief description of the issue/scenario presented, whether the issue was time-sensitive in nature, and what (if any) feedback was received after the advice was provided. In selecting the examples, you may wish to consider providing different forms – for example, written advice that was provided by email, advice that was provided in a more formal memorandum format, dispositive motions or responses, legal briefs.

The Department of Law is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Julie Christopher, at Julie.Christopher@coag.gov or call 720- 508-6511.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact our Legal Talent Director at LegalTalentDirector@coag.gov.

WHY WORK FOR US

We Embrace Flexibility
We aim to produce outstanding work product for our clients, be efficient with our time, and support each other as team members – which also means we embrace flexible working arrangements when and where possible.

We Are Committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At the DOL, our commitment to DEI is thriving. We know that we are better together when our differences are valued and everyone is inspired and empowered to contribute. As such, we strive to provide a safe environment where individuals feel valued and respected for who they are; demonstrate a behavior and mindset where differences are welcomed, and individuals are treated equally and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce. We empower an active Diversity Equity & Inclusion Impact Team that creates approaches to ensure safe spaces and a culture supportive of people being their authentic selves, hosts events and programs on DEI areas important to our employees, enables development and sustainability of resource groups that give a voice to historically marginalized populations, focuses on retaining our incredible talent, and more! If your professional goals include promoting growth and innovation with colleagues who recognize that we are better together when our differences are valued and respected, then DOL is your place to be!

We Have Strong Core Values
Our core values drive our actions. At the Department of Law, we are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, rigorous legal analysis, and careful evaluation of facts; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to identify the best approach, make deliberate decisions, and look to improve; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other and collaborate.

We are Committed to Developing our Attorneys
We are deeply invested in our talent and regularly provide meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth through training and coaching. Further, our professional development and performance goal setting process is collaborative and ongoing, and aimed at helping our attorneys grow and succeed.

We Offer Excellent Benefits
In addition to the comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package including competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans with Colorado PERA, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a state government employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

A borrower may qualify for forgiveness by making 120 on-time payments while employed full-time in public service, if they have certain kinds of federal loans in a qualifying repayment plan

Free access to a recently renovated on-site fitness center

Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program

Employer-paid mental health and counseling services through Colorado State Employee Assistance Program

Employer-paid annual attorney registration dues

Employer-provided access to professional development training and CLE through PLI, Department of Law University and other entities