Deputy Legal Counsel

WHERE YOU WILL WORK

The Governor’s Office of Legal Counsel is seeking a talented, motivated, and experienced attorney committed to making a Colorado for All. We provide legal advice to the Governor, the Governor’s Office, and his cabinet in areas of legal complexity and importance. The attorneys in the office play key roles in legislative bill review and engagement, policy research and development, drafting of executive orders, judicial appointments at all levels of Colorado courts, granting of clemency, media responses, and designing and implementing strategic policies and goals. Further, we represent the Governor in discussions with stakeholders and elected officials, advocate for the Governor’s agenda and policy objectives, and work with the Office of the Attorney General to manage litigation involving the state, the Governor and agencies.

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

Position Title: Deputy Legal Counsel

Department: Office of Legal Counsel

FLSA Status: Exempt

Organizational Relationships: This position reports to the Chief Legal Counsel and is part of the Governor’s Office team. This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

Expected Annual Travel: None

Summary of Functions: The OLC is a six-member team of four attorneys, a paralegal and an executive assistant that work together to support the Governor. This position has the opportunity to advise the Governor, the Governor’s Office, and agencies on legal and policy challenges facing the administration, develop creative solutions to complex problems, and work in a fast-paced environment committed to making an impact in our state. On any given day, the work could touch criminal law, health care, education, the economy, energy, natural resources, ethics, and other topics. Requires use of research and analysis skills to evaluate complex laws, case law and legal principles to provide actionable advice - sometimes within hours. Requires written and oral communication to convey legal opinions and options, engage with stakeholders, and represent the Governor.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide and communicate legal advice to the Governor and cabinet

• Interpret state and federal laws, rules, and regulations

• Provide legal consultation to Governor’s staff

• Monitor and respond to ethics issues

• Provide and communicate policy advice

• Draft and coordinate executive orders

• Review requests for public records under the Colorado Open Records Act

• Monitor and ensure compliance with all litigation holds

• Serve as liaison with the Office of the Attorney General

• Work with outside counsel, on behalf of the state in state and federal court

• Draft, monitor, and review pending legislation

• Draft and review veto messages and signing statements

• Manage various criminal justice legal issues, including clemency

• Assist with the development of executive branch ethics policies and training

• Assist in the state’s legal response to emergency and crisis situations

• Review contracts, memorandums of understanding, leases, and other documents

• Review rules and regulations submitted for the Governor’s approval

• Advise the Governor on gubernatorial appointments, including judges

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

To be considered for this position, applicants must:

• Have a minimum of five years of legal or policy experience;

• Be admitted to the Colorado Bar or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar; and

• Be in good standing with the respective state bar at the time of application.

Further, we are seeking candidates who have many of the following skills and experience:

• Requires good standing with the respective state bar at the time of application.

• Excellent writing and communication skills.

• Experience in critical and creative thinking.

• Possession of a strong work ethic.

• Commitment to public service and Colorado.

• Able to manage several diverse projects at the same time.

• Comfortable with successfully completing projects on short timelines.

• Strong people skills, including experience working effectively with a wide range of constituencies in diverse communities and ensuring a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Five or more years experience as a Human Resources leader and/or providing legal counsel to Human Resources professionals in the areas of federal and state employment/labor law (including compliance/enforcement and best practices).

A cover letter and resume must be submitted with the application for consideration. These must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.  

The State of Colorado/Office of the Governor offers a generous benefits package including:

• Generous annual leave and sick leave accruals

• 10 or more paid holidays per year

• Medical plans - choice of Cigna or Kaiser; several plan options (including High Deductible Health Plan and HSA with state-provided financial contribution); most plans offered with generous state contribution towards premium

• Wellness program enrollment opportunity; includes $20/month reimbursement

• Prescription drug coverage; many preventive medications covered at no cost

• Dental plans (choice of 2)

• Vision plan (premium for basic plan paid by state; buy-up option available)

• Flexible spending accounts (general purpose, limited purpose and dependent care)

• State-paid life insurance policy of $50,000

• Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined contribution or defined benefit) with COPERA (Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association) with required employee salary deferral with generous state contribution*.  

• Optional COPERA 401(k) and 457 retirement plans, with Roth option, for additional retirement savings

• State-paid short-term disability coverage

• Additional optional life and long-term disability plan options

• Access to the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program: offers confidential mental health counseling, professional coaching, employee mediation, 24/7 crisis support

• BenefitHub Discount Program (thousands of discounts and cashback offers)

• Credit Union of Colorado membership opportunity

• RTD (transit) Ecopass

• Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits, please visit the state’s benefits portal: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

*For information on mandatory employee salary deferral (in lieu of contribution to Social Security), see COPERA for details: https://www.copera.org/member-contribution-rates

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. 

ADAAA Accommodations

The Office of the Governor 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 Staffing Coordinator (the Director of Human Resources) at gov_hr@state.co.us.

Conditions of Employment

Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment.

Effective September 20, 2021, employees will be required to attest to and verify that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and may be required to submit to regular serial testing. Upon hire, new employees will have three (3) business days to provide attestation to their Covid-19 vaccination status with proof of vaccination.  Testing, if required, will take place in-person and will be considered paid work time. 

Note:    Fully Vaccinated means two (2) weeks after a second dose in a two-dose series of the COVID-19 vaccine, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two (2) weeks after the single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, all as defined by the State of Colorado’s Public Health Order and guidance issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. 

Salary : $100,000 - $110,000