City and County of Denver

Senior Assistant City Attorney - Employment and Labor Law

City and County of Denver$131K — $177K *
Legal & Accounting
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Jurisprudence degree or equivalent.
  • At least 3 years of experience as an attorney.
  • 7 years of employment and/or labor law experience preferred.
  • Substantial experience with federal and state labor laws.
  • Strong written and oral advocacy skills.
  • Excellent attention to detail with strong organizational skills.
  • Licensure to practice law in Colorado is required.

Responsibilities

  • Represent the City and County of Denver in legal matters related to labor relations.
  • Provide legal advice on workplace laws to city management.
  • Handle grievance, arbitration, and unfair labor practice proceedings.
  • Review and ensure compliance of city handbooks and policies.
  • Conduct management training on labor relations and workplace issues.
  • Draft and prepare legal documents, including settlement agreements and memos.
  • Assist junior attorneys and provide legal opinions on complex matters.

Benefits

  • Guaranteed life-long pension after 5 years of service.
  • 457B Retirement Plan.
  • 140 hours of paid time off (PTO) earned within the first year.
  • 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 wellness day, and 1 volunteer day per year.
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans effective within one month of start date.
  • Support for a hybrid workplace model allowing flexibility in work location.
Full Job Description
What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $131,770 - $177,890/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

Location

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.

What You’ll Do

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 is seeking a Senior Assistant City Attorney (Labor Relations) to join the Employment & Labor Law Section. This role provides legal counsel to city officers and employees and representation in the defense of legal cases before administrative agencies and trial and appellate courts. The Senior Assistant City Attorney may also provide guidance and mentorship to junior attorneys. We are looking for an experienced attorney with a strong background in labor relations, as well as substantial expertise in employment and traditional labor law matters.

The Employment & Labor Law Section represents Denver, the third largest employer in the State of Colorado, in all employment matters. The attorneys in this section regularly appear in federal and state courts, as well as in administrative hearings and arbitrations.

This Senior Assistant City Attorney position presents a challenging and rewarding opportunity for an attorney with labor relations experience, who thrives in a fast paced, team-oriented and constantly changing environment.

The responsibilities for this particular Senior Assistant City Attorney position include:

  • Representing the City and County of Denver as the employer but will also include providing advice and counsel work regarding federal, Colorado and local workplace laws and other assignments, as needed.

  • All facets oftraditional 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.

  • 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, providing City officers and employees with counsel and advice and preparing formal legal opinions on complex matters, in specialized legal areas

  • Other related duties as assigned or requested.

Any one position may not include all of the duties listed. However, the allocation of positions will be determined by the amount of time spent in performing the essential duties listed above.

What You’ll Bring

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 and labor law issues that include advising clients on legal issues involving:

    • Federal and State Labor Laws

    • Title VII

    • FMLA

    • ADA

    • ADEA

    • FLSA

  • Experience in public sector preferred

  • Strong written and oral advocacy skills

  • Traditional labor experience preferred

  • Civil litigation experience preferred

  • Excellent attention to detail

  • Strong organizational and project management skills

Required Minimum Qualifications

  • 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.

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open untilSunday, July 27, 2026.Pleasesubmit your application as soon as possible and no later thanJuly 27that 11:59 PM.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CL0357 Assistant City Attorney Senior

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click .

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$134,933.00 - $229,386.00

Target Pay

$131,770 - $177,890/annually, based on experience and education

Agency

City Attorney's Office

Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

City and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.

About City and County of Denver

The City and County of Denver is the capital and most populous city in the state of Colorado. It is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains, just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The city is known for its beautiful scenery, outdoor recreation opportunities, and vibrant cultural scene. The City and County of Denver provides a wide range of services to its residents, including public safety, transportation, parks and recreation, and community development. The city is governed by a mayor and a 13-member city council.
Learn more about City and County of Denver
Size
11,000 employees
Industry
Revenue
$4 billion

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