Associate General Counsel

General Purpose:
Responsible for providing legal advice and services to CIRSA as part of the General Counsel Department team. Associate General Counsel duties include: Under the supervision of the Deputy Executive Director/General Counsel, provide legal advice to the Board of Directors, Executive Director, and staff in matters pertaining to CIRSA; analyze federal and state laws, legislation, and regulations affecting CIRSA and its membership; draft memoranda, articles and publications on legal, risk, insurance, and liability issues affecting CIRSA members; prepare resolutions, contracts, policies, and other legal documents pertaining to CIRSA, its operations, coverage programs, and services to members; provide assistance to CIRSA members, including preparation of sample documents and publications, review of ordinances, policies, and contracts, consultation on CIRSA Liability Hotline matters, and training of elected and appointed officials and employees.

Position Requirements:
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides legal analysis, advice, and support as needed to CIRSA Board, department heads, and staff, by responding to requests for assistance from the same and, when appropriate, by anticipating issues before they arise.
• Provides legal assistance to members by reviewing ordinances, policies, contracts, and other documents; responding to telephone and email inquiries regarding employment liability and other liability and risk issues; analyzing legislative and judicial developments and preparing memoranda, articles, and publications concerning the same; and preparing handbooks and sample documents, policies, and procedures on legal and risk management topics.
• Provides in person and live or recorded virtual trainings as requested to elected and appointed officials and staff of member entities; assists with internal trainings for CIRSA staff.
• Analyzes proposed and adopted legislation and judicial decisions affecting CIRSA and its members.
• Responds to inquiries from members or organizations.
• Supports General Counsel in matters related to complex claims including reviewing disputed claims and researching and analyzing coverage issues.
• Attends meetings, to include claim reviews, departmental meetings, board meetings, meetings with CIRSA members, legal proceedings, seminars, conferences, and CIRSA-sponsored events.
• Performs a variety of administrative functions such as writing and coordinating various reports to include status reports on matters handled by General Counsel Department, member services reports, mileage reports, and expense reports.
• Provides in person and virtual trainings to CIRSA members elected and appointed officials and staff, including preparation of presentation materials.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

Job Qualifications:
Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Laws and regulations pertaining to public entity self-insurance pools
• Laws and knowledge pertaining to the interpretation of insurance policies
• Laws and knowledge pertaining to the obligations of insurers
• Laws pertaining to local government and public official and public employee liability
• Laws and knowledge pertaining to law enforcement liability and law enforcement services
• Workers' compensation laws
• Laws pertaining to employment practices
• Laws pertaining to the formation, organization, and operation of municipalities, special districts, and other entities covered by CIRSA
• Proper English
• Computers and related software applications
• Claim filing and handling procedures and policies
• Human resources, group dynamics, and diversity issues
• Interpreting and analyzing insurance coverages
• Researching and analyzing legal issues
• Negotiation skills
• Ability to advise claim representatives of coverages, exclusions, defenses, and other legal issues arising from claim files
• Ability to appear in judicial, legislative, and administrative proceedings
• Ability to make public presentations and provide training to elected and appointed officials, staff, and attorney groups
• Ability to prepare publications and memoranda on complex subjects to audiences with diverse comprehension abilities, to include publications geared to audiences with non-legal background
• Conducting and facilitating meetings
• Solving problems and resolving conflict
• Working collegially and professionally in diverse environments and under demanding circumstances
• Demonstrating ethical integrity
• Preparing written reports
• Organizing, managing, and prioritizing multiple tasks simultaneously
• Identifying emerging issues and exercising initiative to identify new programs and services
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, member representatives, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Education, Formal Training, Licenses:
Law degree and license in good standing to practice law in Colorado; Valid Driver's License

Experience:
Seven years progressively responsible experience in local government, including experience in employment, police issues, insurance, claims and risk management matters; or any equivalent combination of education; and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a typical indoor office setting
• Mostly sedentary with periods of mobility and light physical activity
• Work is typically performed at CIRSA's office and from home per a hybrid work schedule
• Travel to CIRSA member locations within the State of Colorado 10% - 25%

Physical Activities:

• Ability to effectively interact with other individuals (co-workers, public, members, etc.)
• Use and normal maintenance of office machines (copier, computer, printer, phone, etc.)
• Handling of files weighing up to 25 lbs including floor to waist and overhead lifting
• Ability to lift, push, and move office supplies weighing up to 30 lbs.
• Ability to bend, stoop, stretch, reach, carry, grasp, and turn objects
• Ability to climb stairs and stand, sit, and walk for up to 60 minutes at a time
• Frequent and repetitive use of hand and fingers to operate office equipment, use computer keyboard and computer mouse, take notes and messages, and to perform other office tasks
• Acceptable eyesight to read printed material and a computer monitor and to operate office equipment
• Acceptable hearing to communicate with others in person or through telephonic means
• Acceptable verbal and conversation skills to effectively communicate with others via the phone, at in-person and virtual meetings, and to greet and assist employees and others