Assistant Attorney General - Public Safety Unit

Full Job Description

Requirements

Diverse Work

Attorneys in the Public Safety Unit handle a wide variety of complex and impactful legal matters, including:

• Supporting the Divisions of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security & Emergency Management with federal grant reviews and related legal questions
• Representing and advising state agencies in litigation involving federal grants
• Appearing in criminal and civil court in response to subpoenas for criminal justice records
• Providing legal guidance on firearms issues, including waiting periods and background checks
• Advising on significant constitutional issues, such as Fourth Amendment matters
• Counseling law enforcement on compliance with Colorado’s Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act
• Offering legal advice on data privacy and immigration issues
• Representing and advising the Forensic Services Crime Lab
• Assisting the Division of Fire Prevention and Control with wildfire-related legal issues, suppression licensing, rulemaking, and prevention efforts
• Supporting criminal justice research and victims’ services initiatives
• Advising and supporting the Sex Offender Management Board and the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board
• Providing legal advice on critical and emergent law enforcement and first responder matters

WHAT YOU WILL DO

In this role, you will:

• Be a trusted advisor: Provide legal counsel advice on a wide range of issues—from policy and compliance to open records requests, subpoenas and legislative mandates.
• Litigate: Represent CDPS in state courts, handling cases that include civil rights, subpoenas duces tecum, open records challenges, judicial review, administrative challenges, and criminal and civil matters.
• Shape policy & law: Interpret new legislation, review rules, policies, and procedures, and advise Boards and Commissions on governance, draft rule memoranda, compliance, and transparency.
• Serve in times of need: Support state emergency responses and collaboration with federal and local partners on critical disaster funding and public safety measures.
• Educate & lead: Advise and recommend essential mandatory training courses, develop client-focused sessions on emerging legal issues, and strengthen Colorado’s commitment to open, effective, and ethical governance.

This recruitment may be used to fill more than one Assistant Attorney General position in the Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section.

Why You Should Join

At the Department of Law, you will:

• Make a tangible impact: Your work will directly influence public safety, civil rights, and the lives of Coloradans across the state.
• Engage in challenging, meaningful cases: From complex advice matters to real-time emergency support, your practice will never be routine.
• Grow as a leader: Collaborate with some of Colorado’s most dedicated attorneys while building specialized expertise in high-profile areas of law.
• Work for justice, not billable hours: Experience the satisfaction of meaningful public service with a healthy work-life balance.
• Be part of a community: Join a team that values collaboration, professional development, and a shared commitment to justice, equity, and inclusion.

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.

Who We’re Looking For

We know no candidate checks every box, but we are especially interested in attorneys who bring:

• At least five years of general counsel and/or civil litigation experience (administrative or regulatory law a plus).
• Experience litigating in state courts in criminal and/or civil matters with strong familiarity with the Colorado Rules of Evidence and Procedure.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• A solutions-oriented mindset and creative problem-solving ability.
• Confidence in developing strong client relationships and navigating fast-paced, high-stakes matters.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• A passion for public service and a desire to make Colorado safer, fairer, and stronger.

Applicants must be admitted to the Colorado Bar (or eligible to waive in) and in good standing at the time of application.

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

The Office of the Attorney General offers challenging, interesting, and meaningful work. We are an equal opportunity employer and believe that a diverse work force adds quality and perspective to the services we provide to the public. Candidates with diverse qualities and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Conditions of Employment:

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

The Public Safety Unit functions on a hybrid work model. New employees are generally expected to work in-office 2-3 days a week.

The unit will typically designate one day per week as an in-office day for the entire team.

Public Safety Unit attorneys are expected to attend in-person meetings with client stakeholders at CDPS’s various locations.

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.


This position is non-classified and is not subject to appeal rights.

Additional Information

HOW TO APPLYApplicants must establish an account with governmentjobs.com and complete the on-line applications including the Contact Information section.

Applicants are not required to complete the Work Experience, Education, or Additional Information sections of the on-line application.Applicants must provide 1) a cover letter detailing their interest in the position and their relevant experience; 2) a resume; 3) a writing sample, and 4) three professional references.

Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.Applicant may redact information that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.ADAAA RequestsThe 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 hr@coag.gov.For general information regarding this position and other attorney opportunities at our office, please contact our Legal Talent Director at legaltalentdirector@coag.gov.







WHY WORK FOR USWe Embrace FlexibilityWe 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 InclusionAt 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 ValuesOur 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 AttorneysWe 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.