Attorney Jobs in Denver, CO

Department Information

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Litigation Unit in the Revenue and Utilities Section is seeking an energetic attorney to serve as litigation counsel to the Trial Staff of the Public Utilities Commission. The Unit's cases involve important cutting-edge Colorado environmental issues concerning renewable solar and wind energy, electric vehicle infrastructure, grid modernization, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Unit's cases also involve litigation of PUC transportation matters concerning the safety and oversight of passenger carriers for hire, towing, vehicle booting, household good movers, and common carriers. We also litigate PUC proceedings concerning railroad/state highway crossings, telecommunications, and gas pipeline safety. The attorney will be part of a collaborative 10-person team that appears in litigated proceedings before the Commission's administrative law judges and Commissioners sitting en banc. The attorney will work with Trial Staff to help ensure fair utility rates for all types of customers, and also, promote safety on the transportation side of our work. Ideal candidates possess a team-focused enthusiasm for the written and oral litigation process at the administrative law level who are willing to learn the unique nuances of PUC-specific litigation while working alongside their new Unit colleagues on innovative energy law issues concerning the deployment of renewable energy resources in Colorado as well as protecting public safety in regulated transportation cases.

Description of Job

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The PUC Litigation Unit, which is part of the Revenue & Utilities section, has a caseload which focuses on energy law (gas and electric utilities litigation) and transportation matters (transportation for hire, towing, vehicle booting, intrastate movers, and common carriers). Attorneys occasionally work on telecommunications, railroad, and gas pipeline safety cases, too. The selected attorneys will handle a diverse caseload, typically partnered with one or two other attorneys in the Unit, and occasionally, may handle cases solo. A portion of the selected attorneys' caseload will concern PUC transportation matters.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates the rates, charges, services, and facilities of public utilities within Colorado. Our attorneys work with Trial Staff (e.g., engineers, accountants, rate analysts, transportation investigators, and economists) in all aspects of the PUC's unique litigation process including: preparing and filing interventions; drafting and propounding discovery requests; working with Trial Staff to produce pre-filed testimony; preparing responses to discovery requests; preparing for evidentiary hearings (including witness preparation); performing direct examinations; cross-examining witnesses; writing post-hearing statements of position; drafting exceptions to decisions; and negotiating settlement agreements. Throughout these stages, our attorneys are actively involved in strategy discussions with co-counsel and Trial Staff. Litigated matters before the PUC in energy law matters are document intensive, detailed, technical, and can sometimes involve more than a half dozen other parties and their legal counsel. These proceedings involve not only utility rates and ratemaking but also matters concerning the implementation of Colorado's clean energy goals. Litigated matters before the PUC in transportation matters often concern hearings against a single defendant, usually appearing pro se, but can also be complex, involving multiple defendants or regulated companies. The Unit is made up of 9 attorneys and a paralegal, all of whom typically devote 100% of their time to cases before the PUC.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Qualified applicants 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. For more information about admission to the Colorado Bar please review information on the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.

Further, while we know that no candidate is perfect, we are seeking applicants that have most of the following attributes:

• A minimum of three years of practice as a litigation attorney is preferred
• Strong litigation abilities, including legal writing, oral argument, client counseling, cross-examination, legal strategy, and settlement negotiation
• Knowledge of or strong interest in energy law, transportation law, Colorado public utilities law, Colorado administrative law, and/or environmental law/issues (e.g., solar, wind, electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, clean energy, renewable energy, social cost of carbon, and greenhouse gas reduction)
• Ability to assume diverse caseload with moderate supervision and have good judgment as to when to consult teammates and supervisors
• A well-developed ability to work collaboratively with a variety of people
• Self-starter who is eager to learn and develop professionally
• Excellent self-awareness and judgment
• Well-developed client service, interpersonal skills, and negotiation talent
• Passion for producing excellent work product and keen attention to detail
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and public service

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• This position offers flexible work arrangements. New employees in the PUC Litigation Unit are expected to work in office at least two days per week.
• 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. For more information about admission to the Colorado bar please review information on the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel website.
• 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.

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 provide 1) a cover letter detailing your interest in the position; 2) a resume; 3) at least one writing sample; and 4) three professional references. Use the "Attachments" feature of the online application to add documents.

Writing samples should ideally be a pleading filed with a court or administrative agency but may also be ones which demonstrate your ability to provide sound legal advice to a client or legal analysis to co-counsel. Please include a brief description of the issue/scenario, whether the written product was time-sensitive in nature, whether the work was created solely by you (or in collaboration with another attorney), and what (if any) feedback was received after the pleading was submitted or the advice was provided. In selecting the examples, you may wish to consider providing different forms – for example, written advice that was provided by email, advice that was provided in a more formal memorandum format, dispositive motions or responses to motions, and legal briefs.

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 Julie.Christopher@coag.gov or call 720-508-6511.

If you have any questions regarding this position, 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 comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package including competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans with Colorado PERA, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: 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