General Statement of Duties:
Represents the Colorado Judicial Department on various legal matters.
Distinguishing Factors:
This class performs technical legal work in order to avoid or minimize legal liability for the Colorado Judicial Department. This class is distinguished from other classifications on the basis of providing complex and highly specialized legal work for all Judicial Department personnel. This position receives supervision from the Deputy General Counsel.
Essential Functions:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform assigned essential functions listed below satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Frequency and percentage of time may vary based on assignment.
Serves as in-house legal counsel for judges, court executives, chief probation officers and other Judicial Department personnel. Provides technical legal advice to managers, supervisors and other Judicial Department personnel in order to avoid or minimize legal liability for the Colorado Judicial Department.
Conducts complex legal research; analyzes and interprets laws, rules, court rulings and regulations for clients.
Drafts and prepares specialized and complex memoranda and legal briefs. Must have an ability to work in varied areas of legal practice including civil, criminal, human resources, domestic, probate, and contract law (primarily intergovernmental agreements and memoranda of understanding).
Advises clients on legal aspects of administrative and operational issues.
May represent administrative authorities in employment disciplinary proceedings.
May develop and/or update materials and provide training on legal issues for Judicial Department personnel.
May represent the Legal Team on internal committees or as a participant in office workgroups.
Attends meetings and training as required.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Additional Comments:
The Legal Team at the Office of the State Court Administrator is looking for an attorney who is passionate about representing the Judicial Department to join their team as a Senior Assistant General Counsel.
In addition to advising judicial officers, probation officers, and other court personnel regarding general legal issues, the successful candidate may be called upon to serve as counsel during disciplinary personnel hearings, train Judicial Department personnel on legal issues, analyze pending legislation, provide guidance regarding probate issues, and respond to open records requests. Litigation experience, particularly courtroom advocacy, is preferred. Experience serving as an attorney for a governmental entity, experience as an employee for the Judicial Department of Colorado, the federal judiciary, or another state’s judicial branch, and experience responding to open records requests on behalf of a governmental entity are also preferred.
The ideal candidate must possess excellent research, analytical, and advocacy skills. This includes, but is not limited to, in-court trial advocacy skills. To be eligible for this position, the candidate must have graduated from an accredited law school, possess a certificate of admission to the Bar of the State of Colorado, have an active license to practice law before the courts of the State of Colorado, and have a minimum of five years of experience actively practicing law.
This position has the ability for remote work with the expectation of a minimum of one day in the office every other week for a Legal Team meeting. In-person attendance may also be required for other meetings/events.
This position will report to the Deputy General Counsel.
Supervisor Responsibilities:
No formal supervisory responsibility. Responsibility for one's own work product and may provide guidance, assistance or mentorship to less knowledgeable or experienced co-workers, volunteers, interns or externs. This may include scheduling of work, instructing in work methods and reviewing work product.
Physical Demands:While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands and fingers and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. This position is subject to varying and unpredictable situations; may handle emergency or crisis situations; is subject to many interruptions; may handle multiple calls and inquiries and may occasionally handle absentee replacement on short notice.
Education and Experience Equivalency:The Colorado Judicial Department is committed to ensuring equal access to and full participation in court and probation services and programs for qualified individuals with disabilities, including employees of the Colorado Judicial Department. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an important part of our culture, and we are committed to provide reasonable accommodations when needed without causing undue hardship to the Colorado Judicial Department.
Each district has an ADA Coordinator and Jury Commissioner. The ADA Coordinator is responsible for initiating the interactive process once an employee, court or probation services participant has made a request for reasonable accommodation and the Jury Commissioner is responsible for initiating the interactive process once a juror has made a request for a reasonable accommodation.
How to Apply:
For more information and to apply online, please visit our website listed below:
https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/careers
Please note:Applications must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on the closing date. Incomplete or new applications will not be accepted after this time.