Closing Date: 5th June, 2026
Description:
Department Information:Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!
The Colorado Department of Law, Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section is recruiting for a First Assistant Attorney General to lead the Employment Practices and Civil Rights Unit. This is a unique leadership opportunity for an experienced attorney with an interest in employment and labor law and a passion for mentoring and professional development.
This position leads one of largest units in the office – a highly collaborative team of staff and attorneys engaged in a dynamic and fast-paced employment practice. This position works with executive leadership at various state agencies and institutions of higher education on unique labor, employment, and civil rights issues while building strong and rewarding client relationships through frequent client interaction and strategic counsel.
This role offers the opportunity to guide a talented team, shape legal strategy, and provide impactful counsel on issues affecting state agencies and institutions of higher education across Colorado.
The Office of the Attorney General offers the opportunity to be involved in challenging, interesting, and meaningful work in a fast-paced environment supported by leadership committed to providing exceptional general counsel and litigation service to its clients.
Application will be reviewed, and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Interested parties are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
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.
Description of Job:
The Employment Practices and Civil Rights Unit. The Unit focuses primarily on advising state government agencies and institutions of higher education regarding employment, labor and civil rights matters. The Unit:
- Provides advice and training to state agencies and institutions of higher education regarding the state personnel system, state and federal employment law, and compliance with the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act and related Partnership Agreements. The Unit's attorneys support clients in resolving labor and employment disputes prior to litigation. They also provide legal support to the State in collective bargaining.
- Represents state agencies in employment matters before the State Personnel Board in all phases of administrative hearing and post-hearing litigation, and occasionally in state and federal court. The Unit also handles appeals before the State Personnel Board, Colorado Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
- Represents state agencies and institutions of higher education in labor disputes before the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's Division of Labor Standards and Statistics and labor arbitrators in all phases of administrative and post-hearing litigation, and occasionally in state court.
- Provides advice to the Colorado Civil Rights Division on employment, fair housing, and public accommodation discrimination matters and prosecutes employment, fair housing, and public accommodation discrimination complaints filed by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission in administrative court and occasionally in state court.
Unit Structure. The First Assistant Attorney General (“the First”) is responsible for leading a team of 20 attorneys, 4 paralegals, and 1 administrative assistant. The Unit is divided into three pods of 5-6 attorneys and 1-2 paralegals. Each team is led by a Second Assistant Attorney General (“the Second”) who is responsible for supervising and mentoring their team. The First directly supervises the three Seconds. The First reports to the Deputy Attorney General for the Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section and participates in management and leadership team meetings for the Section and the Office.
What you will do:
As the First, you will have the opportunity to do the following:
Supervision & Administration
- Lead a collaborative team of attorneys and staff, including coaching and management of the performance evaluation and goal-setting process for each direct report. It also includes making hiring and salary recommendations, approval of leave requests, resolution of personnel matters, and other administrative tasks.
- Mentor and support the Seconds and their work as leaders.
- Report to the Civil Litigation and Employment Law Section Deputy AG on legal, operational, and personnel matters on a regular basis and seek supervisory or managerial assistance from the Deputy.
- Assist the Section Deputy AG with personnel and administrative duties affecting the work of the Unit, Section, and the Office.
Unit Leadership
- Facilitate the work and operations of the Unit, promoting collaboration, engagement, integrity, and exceptional legal service.
- Provide assistance and support to the Seconds.
- As needed, manage outside counsel.
- Provide guidance, strategy advice, feedback, and general litigation assistance to attorneys and paralegals across the Unit.
- Work closely with the section and DOL staff to develop templates, systems, and processes designed to increase efficiencies, streamline litigation, enhance client services, and promote practice excellence.
Individual Support & Coaching
- Work with the Seconds to monitor case load/capacity of attorneys and paralegals.
- Support and coach the Seconds. Identify areas of opportunity for growth and development for attorneys and professional staff. Promote teamwork, collaboration, and improved performance.
Client Service
- Carry a meaningful and independent workload, with particular emphasis on coordination of employment and labor advice across state agencies and institutions of higher education.
- Collaborate with other Section leaders to ensure appropriate staffing, representation, and case management for state and federal employment litigation.
- Collaborate with Seconds to build client relationships and develop subject matter expertise across the Unit.
- Provide oversight of advice requests, labor and civil rights matters, and State Personnel Board litigation across the Unit's pods. Ensure cross-pod collaboration to promote teamwork and consistency across the Unit.
- Monitor legislative and legal developments related to client representation.
- Ensure the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective legal services to clients while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
This announcement may be used to fill multiple attorney positions within the Civil Litigation and Employment Law 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.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights:
What we are looking for:
The First is part of the Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law frontline leadership team. As such, the strongest candidates will demonstrate excellence in the following competencies.
Communication & Listening – Inspires confidence through active listening and effective communication with clients, leadership, colleagues, and staff.
- Flexible & Adaptable Management – Accepts, adapts, and contributes positively to change; leads with new concepts and ideas; and encourages others to be equally adaptive and flexible.
- Coaching & Developing People – Invests in our talent through coaching and sponsorship and by pushing individuals outside of their comfort zones to grow as professionals.
- Creative & Strategic Problem Solving – Takes a result-oriented, open-minded, and innovative approach to overcoming challenges and dealing with crises.
- Enterprise & Growth Mindset – Balances the goals of clients, leadership, colleagues, and staff with the broader interest of the enterprise.
- Client Service, Interpersonal Skills, and Emotional Intelligence – Demonstrates and models self- awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and sensitivity in working with clients, colleagues, and staff.
Applicants for the First must meet the following criteria:
- Admitted to the Colorado bar or 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 before the first day of employment.
- Experience either supervising, leading, or mentoring other legal staff, including attorneys and paralegals.
- Preferred legal experience includes litigation, general counsel,
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