Assistant Attorney General (Special Prosecutions)

Full Job Description

The Special Prosecutions unit of the Criminal Justice section is seeking an attorney to join its dynamic and collaborative legal team.

The Unit offers the opportunity to practice in a variety of areas of law that requires strong collaboration within the team.

The ideal candidate for this position is an experienced trial attorney comfortable with all areas of special prosecutions, including prosecuting persons crimes and economic crimes.

If you are looking for a fulfilling role within a great team that offers the opportunity to thoroughly prepare and present your cases, apply today!

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. Learn more about the Colorado Attorney General’s Office here.

Requirements

WHAT YOU WILL DOThis attorney is a part of the Special Prosecutions Unit within the Criminal Justice Section.

The position primarily advises and assists local district attorneys and investigators in the investigation and prosecution of complex, multi-jurisdictional felony offenses.

Litigation may include state grand jury investigations, charging decisions, drafting indictments and other pleadings, pre-trial motions practice, discovery, voir dire, trial, and post-trial litigation.

Frequent overnight travel within the State of Colorado will be required.All prosecutions in which the team participates involve extensive legal research and pre-trial motions work, much of which is performed by the team attorney assigned to the case.

The attorney must possess superb analytical abilities and the proven writing skills necessary to provide superior support in motions practice.

In addition, the attorney must possess strong and proven litigation skills, which enable the attorney to consult and/or participate in all aspects of the prosecution, including discovery, depositions, hearings and all phases of the prosecution of complex felony offenses.

This expertise includes being able to master the unique issues involved in conducting voir dire, trial, and managing the jury instructions.

In addition to litigation skills, effective and ongoing communication with local prosecutors and local law enforcement is essential.

This announcement may be used to fill multiple attorney positions within the Criminal Justice section at the Department of Law.

Salary Note: The Department of Law uses a wage progression compensation model. Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.

Attorneys with less than 3 years of experience as a practicing attorney will be hired as an Assistant Attorney General I (AAG I). Effective July 1, 2025, the salary range for an AAG I is $88,197-$117,964/annually.

Attorneys with more than 3 years of experience practicing as an attorney may be hired as an Assistant Attorney General II (AAG II). Effective July 1, 2025, the AAG II salary range is $102,099 - $136,558/annually.

Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Qualified applicants must be licensed to practice law in Colorado or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar. Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application before the first day of employment.

The ideal candidate for this position should have at least 3 years of experience as a prosecutor at the district court felony level.

Exceptional litigation, analysis, writing, along with consultative and persuasive communication skills are required. A working knowledge of the Colorado Rules of Criminal Procedure as well as the laws of arrest, search and seizure and procedures for acquisition of evidence or determination of identity are also essential. Working with the statewide grand jury to investigate and charge cases will also be required of the attorney selected for this position.

In addition, candidates with a background or demonstrated interest in prosecuting Homicides, Environmental Crimes, Human/Sex Trafficking, and/or complex Narcotics Trafficking including Opioid cases, Burglary, and various Fraud matters, as well as matters involving Tax Fraud, Election Fraud, and Money Laundering, will be strongly considered. Interest or background in Cybercrime/Cybersecurity is also preferred.



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.

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 will be required to travel frequently, and may include overnight travel within the State of Colorado.

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 their interest in the position and their relevant experience; 2) a resume; 3) one independent 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 Requests

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 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 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.