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:

The Boulder Office of Colorado Legal Services is made up of a managing attorney, Community Grant Attorney, Pro bono Coordinator, Family Violence Justice Paralegal, and Intake Specialist, and we are looking for a Staff Attorney to join our team. This attorney will provide advice, brief services, and/or full representation to clients who have experienced domestic violence, most often in domestic relations matters. The attorney will also work with colleagues to conduct outreach and build and maintain relationships with community partner organizations.While we have a strong interest in candidates with domestic violence and domestic relations experience, we will also help train a more junior attorney who is curious, eager to learn, empathetic, capable of multi-tasking, a strong writer, and committed to public service.

Like all CLS staff, the Family Violence Justice Grant attorney will work to advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for CLS staff and clients, and will engage in training about and practice Trauma-Informed Client Representation.

We are centrally located near 30th Street and Baseline Road in Boulder, Colorado and have easy access to hiking trails, shops, and lunch spots. Although it is important for us to meet the needs of our clients by being in the office regularly, we also offer flexible and hybrid work arrangements.

Essential Duties: 

• Assume an active caseload of domestic relations cases, including civil protection orders, dissolution of marriage actions, and allocation of parental responsibilities actions.
• Provide legal advice and high-quality representation in accordance with program priorities and CLS Casehandler Standards;
• Demonstrate patience, empathy, and common sense in all client and inter-office communications, effectively managing client, colleague, and supervisor expectations;
• Conduct client and witness interviews, engage in case investigation, and prepare legal documents and pleadings;
• Maintain thorough and up-to-date records in case management systems;
• Consult and co-counsel with other CLS attorneys and paralegals, where appropriate;
• Effectively litigate on behalf of clients, negotiate in good faith, and ethically and diligently work on the client’s behalf;
• Develop relationships with client-eligible community organizations and local partner agencies, including organizations that serve domestic violence survivors;
• Attend program meetings;
• Together with domestic violence advocates and CLS staff, develop and execute training for domestic violence providers and attorneys; 
• Develop and present client-facing outreach materials to better educate client populations; 
• Travel within the 20th judicial district and Broomfield County, as appropriate;
• Promote an office culture that emphasizes equity, diversity, inclusion, harmony, cohesiveness, work quality, continuous improvement, and excellent customer service; and
• Complete administrative tasks such as leave requests, completing timesheets, technology and cybersecurity training, and timely submitting reimbursement requests. 

Qualifications: 

• Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado, or ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable;
• Excellent legal writing skills
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills;

• Detail-oriented with strong critical thinking and analytical skills;
• Ability to establish trust and rapport with clients;
• Strong commitment to advocacy in the public interest and passion for social justice;
• Passion for supporting survivors of domestic violence and other vulnerable populations;
• Commitment to learn trauma informed care practices within the first six months of employment;
• Sensitivity to the legal needs of low-income individuals, seniors, individuals with disabilities, minorities, and individuals with limited English proficiency;
• Collegial and collaborative; and
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and other case management software
• Bilingual fluency in Spanish and English is a plus, but not required

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range is $66,422-108,011 and is commensurate with years of experience, with newer attorneys on the lower end of the scale.We also 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, a 403(b) retirement account, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Additionally, CLS offers a $350.00 monthly stipend (to be used as you choose), generous paid time-off and 12.5 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; therefore, we offer flexible work schedules and hybrid work arrangements as appropriate. 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 use the "Apply for This Job" link for this job opening on our careers page. We will not be reviewing applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. Please reach out to Karen Vilner, our Director of People & Culture, at kvilner@colegalserv.org if you have any questions about the position. 

Please no solicitations from recruitment firms.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging:

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