Associate Utilities Attorney

The City of Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado (the “City”) is a municipal corporation and a home rule city duly organized and existing pursuant to Article XX, § 6 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado and the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs. This entry-level position will provide general legal services for the City and its enterprises, primarily including its utility enterprise, Colorado Springs Utilities (“Utilities”), as defined by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, Colorado Constitution Article X, § 20 and City Charter VII, § 7-90, as part of a team of Utilities Division attorneys in the City Attorney's Office. More information about the City is available at www.coloradosprings.gov.

Utilities owns and operates electric generation, transmission and distribution facilities, water and wastewater treatment plants, water supply and distribution systems, a wastewater collection system, a natural gas distribution system, a fiber optic system, and solid waste landfills and impoundments, along with other utility infrastructure. Utilities also has power purchase agreements for renewable energy as part of its power portfolio.

Reporting Relationship

All attorneys for the City are hired by the City Attorney and are part of the City Attorney's Office. All attorneys are exempt and at-will to the City Attorney. This position will report to the Utilities Division Chief, who is generally responsible for all enterprise/transactional matters for Utilities and who in turn reports directly to the Deputy City Attorney.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

In this entry-level position, you will be part of the Colorado Springs City Attorney's Office Utilities Division. You will provide general transactional and advisory legal services for Utilities and other City departments and enterprises, including providing appropriate legal advice and drafting services to the Utilities Board of Directors, City Council, various boards and committees, and departments.

This position will be responsible for representing Utilities in transactional matters, to include drafting, negotiating, analyzing, and advising clients on contracts; assisting departments with issues involving Utilities’ system extensions and standards; drafting, analyzing, and interpreting Utilities’ tariffs, rules and regulations, and standards; performing research and advising clients regarding regulatory requirements applicable to Utilities; and negotiating intergovernmental agreements with other governmental entities. Other job duties will include issuing or reviewing legal opinions, drafting City Ordinances and Resolutions, analyzing City Charter and City Code provisions, advising Utilities and City staff on all applicable laws and regulations, presenting information to City Council in its legislative capacity and in its role as the Utilities’ Board of Directors, and communicating with the public on occasion. In addition, you will perform duties and responsibilities assigned by the City Attorney/Chief Legal Officer, Deputy City Attorney, or Utilities Division Chief. As an entry-level position, a significant part of this position will be to support attorneys in the Utilities Division and other Divisions with projects and assignments related to the City of Colorado Springs.

This position requires knowledge of substantive law; use of an electronic case management system; the ability to analyze, interpret, and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and legal precedent; computer proficiency; superior oral and written communication skills; superior research, interpersonal, and collaboration skills; and the ability to work as a successful member of a team of attorneys representing the City in all its functions.

Why Become a Local Government Lawyer? Click the following link to find out:

https://imla.org/municipal-law-as-a-career/

• Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Law degree from an ABA (American Bar Association) accredited law school
• Admission to the Colorado Bar as an attorney in good standing

Additional Considerations:

• For applicants who are not yet admitted to the Colorado Bar, consideration may be given for those pending bar results, those eligible for admittance through the military spouse exception, or those eligible for admittance through reciprocity. 

The following qualifications are not required, but they are considered desirable. If you possess any of the preferred qualifications, please include specific details in your application. This information may be used to identify a top group of applicants.

• Experience in providing legal advice on matters related to utilities, municipalities, or local government
• Experience representing or working with a Colorado or other governmental entity  
• Experience advising a city council or other legislative/advisory board
• Experience with the Colorado Open Records Act
• Legal experience working on transactional matters

Please contact Jeffrey Plunkett at jeffrey.plunkett@coloradosprings.gov for any questions about this position.

The background check process for this position includes being fingerprinted. Fingerprints will be used to check the FBI's criminal history records.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION YOU MUST ATTACH (1) YOUR RESUME, (2) A COVER LETTER, AND (3) A WRITING SAMPLE TO YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION. The writing sample must have been drafted within the last five (5) years, be less than five (5) pages in length, not be a pleading, and cannot be privileged and confidential attorney-client communication unless the author has obtained a privilege waiver. FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL THREE MATERIALS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM CONSIDERATION.

Salary : $85,526 - $102,672