Assistant Attorney General (Human Services)
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Assistant Attorney General (Human Services)
Salary
$88,197.00 - $136,558.00 Annually
Location
Denver, CO
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
LAA-09879/09903-04/2026
Department
Department of Law
Opening Date
04/10/2026
Closing Date
4/24/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA
Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address
1300 Broadway, Denver CO 80203
FLSA Status
Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Type of Announcement
This announcement is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
How To Apply
Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.
Department Contact Information
If you have questions about your application contact Tori DeMare at tori.demare@coag.gov. Questions about this position and Assistant Attorney General opportunities with the Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law can be directed to Legal Talent Director at legaltalentdirector@coag.gov.
Description
Benefits
Questions
Department Information
Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!
The Human Services Unit within the State Services section is seeking two attorneys to join its dynamic and collaborative legal team. The Unit advises the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), and the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). Our attorneys engage in high-impact, complex legal work across a broad range of subject areas, appearing before federal, state and administrative courts. Many matters involved novel legal questions with statewide and, at times, national implications.
The statutes and regulations governing CDHS, CDEC and the BHA directly affect and have a substantial impact on Colorado's most vulnerable citizens. This position offers attorneys a meaningful opportunity to advance justice, equity, and public service through their legal practice, and is best suited for an attorney with strong communication skills, exemplary legal writing and analytical abilities, a desire to advocate for the populations served by our client agencies who enjoys working collaboratively while taking ownership of complex matters, and strategic thinking and the ability to develop and execute effective litigation strategy.
Applications 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 (https://coag.gov/) .
Description of Job
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Attorneys in this role often:
Litigate before federal and state district courts and the Office of Administrative Courts.
Defend findings of child abuse, neglect, and adult mistreatment made by county human services departments.
Prosecute licensing actions against childcare providers and substance absuse disorder treatment or behavioral health providers for violation of state regulations and applicable state statutes.
Defend the departments against civil complaints seeking injunctive relief.
Handle cases involving constitutional challenges, anti-discrimination laws, and other high-impact legal questions with important legal ramifications and state-wide or national impact.
Other cases involve issues related to public benefits and child support services, care and treatment of individuals living with developmental disabilities or mental health disorders, child welfare, and juvenile justice.
Advisory and Policy Work
In addition to litigation, attorneys routinely provide general counsel to CDHS, CDEC and the BHA, including:
Advising on rulemaking and legislative matters
Responding to records requests and subpoenas
Conducting legal research and drafting guidance/advice on diverse and complex legal issues.
Cases and assignments are diverse and may arise from any division across all departments, offering attorneys a broad and intellectually engaging practice. There are opportunities to collaborate with other units and sections within the office, expanding both subject-matter expertise and professional development.
This announcement may be used multiple attorney positions within the State Services section, Human Services unit 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.
Attorneys with less than 3 years of experience as a practicing attorney will be hired as an Assistant Attorney General I (AAG I). Effective July 1, 2025, the salary range for an AAG I is $88,197-$117,964/annually.
Attorneys with more than 3 years of experience practicing as an attorney may be hired as an Assistant Attorney General II (AAG II). Effective July 1, 2025, the AAG II salary range is $102,099 - $136,558/annually.
Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Human Services unit is seeking experienced, confident, and adaptable attorneys who are passionate about public service and want to be a part of a collaborative and supportive team. Ideal candidates will have enough litigation experience to jump in and manage their own caseload, assess problems, research novel state and federal issues, evaluate and identify solutions, effectively communicate those solutions and be comfortable representing clients in hearings.
Candidatesmustbe licensed to practice law in Colorado or be clearly eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar. Candidates eligible to waive into the Colorado Bar will be required to submit proof of their completed application before the first day of employment.
In addition, the best candidates will possess the following skills and attributes:
Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Experience litigating complex matters in district courts and/or administrative courts.
Strong legal writing, research, and analytical skills.
Interest in working on cases that involve children, vulnerable adults and emotionally challenging subject matters.
Some knowledge in the following areas is beneficial: administrative, juvenile, child welfare, behavioral health, privacy law, open records law, special education law, constitutional law, and appellate law.
Please note: Litigation experience does not need to be limited to formal criminal or civil proceedings, but please describe your litigation and subject matter experience in your cover letter.
THIS POSITION REQUIRES AT LEAST ONE WRITING SAMPLE. PLEASE REVIEW THE "HOW TO APPLY" SECTION OF THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.
The Office of the Attorney General offers challenging, interesting, and meaningful work. We are an equal opportunity employer and believe that a diverse workforce adds quality and perspective to the services we provide to the public. Candidates with diverse qualities and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
Colorado Department of Law participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
This position may include infrequent overnight travel within the State of Colorado.
The Human Services Unit offers flexible work arrangements. Employees are required to come into the office at least 1 day per week, and for some meetings or court hearings. Please note, flexible work arrangements may change at any time based on business needs.
This position is non-classified and is not subject to appeal rights.
Supplemental Information
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must establish an account with governmentjobs.com and complete the online applications including the Contact Information section. Applicants are not required to complete the Work Experience, Education, or Additional Information sections of the online application. Applicants must provide1)a cover letter detailing their interest in the position and their relevant experience;2)a resume;3)one independent writing sample, and4)three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.
Applicant may redact information that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
ADAAA Requests
The Department of Law 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 Coordinator, Julie Christopher at hr@coag.gov.
For general information regarding this position and other attorney opportunities at our office, please contact our Legal Talent Director at legaltalentdirector@coag.gov.
WHY WORK FOR US
We Embrace Flexibility
We aim to produce outstanding work product for our clients, be efficient with our time, and support each other as team members - which also means we embrace flexible working arrangements when and where possible.
We Are Committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At the DOL, our commitment to DEI is thriving. We know that we are better together when our differences are valued and everyone is inspired and empowered to contribute. As such, we strive to provide a safe environment where individuals feel valued and respected for who they are; demonstrate a behavior and mindset where differences are welcomed, and individuals are treated equally and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce. We empower an active Diversity Equity & Inclusion Impact Team that creates approaches to ensure safe spaces and a culture supportive of people being their authentic selves, hosts events and programs on DEI areas important to our employees, enables development and sustainability of resource groups that give a voice to historically marginalized populations, focuses on retaining our incredible talent, and more! If your professional goals include promoting growth and innovation with colleagues who recognize that we are better together when our differences are valued and respected, then DOL is your place to be!
We Have Strong Core Values
Our core values drive our actions. At the Department of Law, we are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, rigorous legal analysis, and careful evaluation of facts; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to identify the best approach, make deliberate decisions, and look to improve; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other and collaborate.
We are Committed to Developing our Attorneys
We are deeply invested in our talent and regularly provide meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth through training and coaching. Further, our professional development and performance goal setting process is collaborative and ongoing, and aimed at helping our attorneys grow and succeed.
We Offer Excellent Benefits
In addition to the comprehensiveState of Colorado benefits package (https://stateofcoloradobenefits.com/) including competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans withColorado PERA (https://www.copera.org/members/retirement-benefits) , and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service) : As a state government employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. A borrower may qualify for forgiveness by making 120 on-time payments while employed full-time in public service, if they have certain kinds of federal loans in a qualifying repayment plan
Free access to a recently renovated on-site fitness center
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program
Employer-paid mental health and counseling services through Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
Employer-paid annual attorney registration dues
Employer-provided access to professional development training and CLE through PLI, Department of Law University and other entities.
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.
01
To apply, you must submit a cover letter, resume, one or more independent writing samples, and contact information for three professional references. Applicant may redact information that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.These documents are reviewed to assess candidates, and failure to attach all may result in your application not being considered.
I confirm that I have attached all required application materials.
I have not attached all required application materials.
02
Please provide your CO attorney registration number and admission date. If you are not licensed in CO, please provide the state(s) in which you hold a license, your attorney registration number, and admission date.Assistant Attorneys General in the Colorado Department of Law must be admitted to the Colorado Bar or be 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 and application for Practice Pending Admission before the first day of employment.
03
What motivates you to pursue a career in public service law, and how does your past experience demonstrate your dedication to this field?
04
The workload of the Human Services unit includes emotionally charged cases and sensitive subject matters. Please describe your professional experience working with emotionally charged cases and/or sensitive subject matters or why you believe you will be able to successfully work on these @types of cases and subject matters.
Required Question
Employer
State of Colorado
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Website
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