Senior Government Defense Litigation Attorney

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is

$134,933 - $172,000/annually, based on experience and education. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

• 457B Retirement Plan

• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 wellness day and 1 volunteer day per year

• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

The City and County of Denver currently supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

The Denver City Attorney’s Office is one of the largest law firms in Colorado, with over 230 attorneys and staff members comprised of paralegals, victim advocates, and other support and supervisory staff members. It may have the most diverse practice of any law firm in Colorado since Denver is a home rule city and county. Clients include the Mayor, City Council, all other elected and appointed officials, all city agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and employees. 

The Denver City Attorney’s Office is dedicated to providing an equitable, inclusive, and diverse work environment. Through Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts, we strive to respect and honor differences, create a culture of compassion, collaboration, and common purpose for sharing our talents, skills, and creativity with each other. We are committed to removing barriers and providing opportunities. The successful candidate for this position must demonstrate these core operating principles.

The Denver City Attorney’s Office seeks an Assistant City Attorney-Senior for the Employment & Labor Law Section. An Assistant City Attorney-Senior provides legal counsel to City officers and employees, and representation in the defense of legal cases before administrative agencies and trial and appellate courts. This position may also perform lead work over junior attorneys.  We are seeking a seasoned attorney with significant litigation experience as well as experience in the field of labor relations advising on employment and traditional labor law matters.

This position presents a challenging and rewarding opportunity for a senior-level attorney with substantial litigation experience, who thrives in a fast-paced, constantly changing work environment, embraces challenges and enjoys having the opportunity to create new law. Senior attorneys are responsible for serving as lead counsel on some of the City’s most complex litigation and mentoring attorneys with less experience.

Job responsibilities for an Assistant City Attorney-Senior Litigator in the Employment & Labor Law Section include:

Legal Work:

• Representing the City and County of Denver as the employer in federal and state courts, administrative hearings, EEOC/CCRD charges, and other forums;

•  Providing advice and counsel to clients regarding federal, state and city laws, rules, etc., and other assignments, as needed.

• Advising management on federal and state wage and hour issues, leave management, disability accommodations and other workplace issues.

• Reviewing handbooks, policies and forms for legal compliance.

• Conducting management training regarding labor relations, federal, state and local workplace issues, harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

• Negotiating and preparing settlement agreements, ordinances, resolutions, and other legal documents as necessary.

• Drafting and preparing memoranda, motions, briefs and pleadings to be filed in judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings.

• Conducting or assisting with legal research.

• Assisting attorneys working in specialized areas with litigation, research and related activities.

• As assigned by the City Attorney, preparing formal legal opinions on complex matters, in specialized legal areas

• All facets of traditional labor relations, including:

• Representing management in the formation of new collective bargaining units in the City

• Providing legal advice to City managers and executives regarding union organizing, campaigns, card checks and neutrality agreements;

• Handling grievance, arbitration and unfair labor practice proceedings; and

• Negotiating and/or providing legal advice regarding collective bargaining agreements.

• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Supports and implements the vision of the Section and the City Attorney’s Office as a whole, which includes facilitating and promoting integration of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness strategies into work and the work environment.

• Ensures appropriate collaboration with Section leadership to achieve section, agency, or Mayoral priorities.

• Open to new organizational structures, procedures, technology, and overall change.

• Promotes teamwork and encourages regular communication between team members, Section leadership, and clients.

We are looking for an attorney who is a skilled litigator but also enjoys a mix of advisory work, works well in a team environment, is a strong legal writer with excellent communication skills, is eager to venture into the city’s new and traditional collective bargaining landscapes, and who is passionate about working in public service. The right candidate must be outcome- and results-oriented, ethical and fair, have good common sense, sound judgment, and be capable of working on multiple lawsuits and a variety of other legal work at the same time.  

Our ideal candidate, in addition to having the required qualifications as listed below, will have at least seven (7) years of employment and/or labor law experience, including:

• Substantial experience in employment law issues that include advising clients on legal issues involving:

• Title VII

• FMLA

• ADA

• ADEA

• FLSA

• Experience in public sector employment

• Traditional labor experience preferred

• Civil litigation experience preferred

• Strong written and oral advocacy skills

• Excellent attention to detail

• Strong organizational and project management skills

Preferred experience must be demonstrated on the application in addition to resume and cover letter. Applications submitted without a resume and cover letter may not be considered. Your cover letter should address the extent of your litigation experience, why you are interested in the position, and why you are the right person for the position.

• Education requirement: Doctor of Jurisprudence degree or Bachelor of Laws degree.

• Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of experience as an attorney at law.

• Education/Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted.

• License/Certifications: Possession of a license to practice law in Colorado from the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire or a reasonable expectation of becoming licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire in accordance with C.R.C.P. 203.2, 203.3, 203.4 and 205.6. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

This posting will accept applications until 11:59 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2026. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

Job Profile

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The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

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