Legal Assistant jobs in Denver, CO

​​Organization Overview:  

​Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program, with thirteen offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including family law, public benefits, eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking, and many others. ​CLS has strengthened lives, assisted families, and supported communities–one person at a time for over 90 years. We are committed to providing high-quality, free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the lives of those we serve.   ​ 

​​Position Summary:​ 

[THIS POSITION IS FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY]. The Interim Assistant Supervising Attorney of the Denver Consumer Unit (CU) works in concert with and reports to the Supervising Attorney of the Denver Housing and Consumer Unit to lead and guide a team of staff (attorneys, paralegals, administrative staff) in providing assistance in representation to individuals with consumer issues, including but not limited to foreclosure and mortgage issues, debt collection defense, consumer bankruptcy, repossessions, utility shutoffs, and other consumer areas as needed.  The Interim Assistant Supervising Attorney is expected to lead a team of no more than 8 people within the CU. The CU serves the Denver-metro area which includes Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties, along with seniors above the age of 60 in Clear Creek County. 

​​Essential Duties: ​ 

• Lead a team of no more than 8 attorneys and paralegals in providing legal assistance and representation to individuals in the metro Denver area;      

• Assist in staff training, professional development, and performance evaluation; 

• Assist in strategic planning and short- and long-range goal setting for the team and the unit, including identifying and pursuing opportunities for strategic, impact, and appellate litigation to advance protections for low-income consumers in Colorado through the legal system; 

• Assist in the coordination and implementation of systemic consumer work and community outreach; 

• Assist in overseeing the statewide work of the Home Defense Project, which works to defend low-income homeowners from foreclosure; 

• Lead the hiring of team members and assist in the hiring of unit members on other teams; 

• For the team, oversee and manage staff workloads, client relations, and interpersonal conflict, and, working with the Supervising Attorney, make recommendations to Senior Leadership for performance improvements or disciplinary action consistent with the terms of CLS’ Collective Bargaining Agreement; 

• Maintain an active but not full caseload; 

• Assist with grant management activities as needed, including grant application, administration, and reporting; 

• Complete administrative tasks such as leave request approvals, timesheet review, and reimbursement requests; and 

• Promote an office culture that emphasizes equity, diversity, inclusion, harmony, cohesiveness, work quality, continuous improvement, and excellent customer service. 

​​Required Qualifications: ​ 

• Three or more years of experience as an attorney; 

• Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado or ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable; 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; 

• Detail-oriented with strong critical thinking and analytical skills; 

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.  

​​Preferred Qualifications: ​ 

• Three or more years legal experience in all of the following areas of consumer law: representation in defending debt collection cases, filing for bankruptcy (Chapter 7 or 13), and providing representation to homeowners in defending against foreclosure actions; 

• Experience with appellate work. 

• Prior supervisory or leadership experience with a legal services program or law office. 

• Bilingual in English/Spanish. 

​​

Compensation & Benefits 

We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, as well as partial employer paid premiums for spouses/dependents, based on a sliding scale. We also offer Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and also matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually with full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 paid holidays per year. 

CLS values its employees’ commitment to working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life balance. We promote and foster a diverse, inclusive, equitable, and psychologically safe work environment, striving to be a “Best Place to Work” in Colorado. 

How to Apply 

PLEASE NOTE: THIS POSITION IS FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY. To be considered for this position, please submit your cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and list of references no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024. If you have questions about this position, please contact: Karen Vilner, Director of People & Culture, at kvilner@colegalserv.org. 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging 

CLS embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an Equal Opportunity Employer in a serious way. We are committed to building and retaining a workforce that respects and seeks to empower each individual and represents a variety of diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences within our workforce. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position.