Staff Attorney

Job Description

Job Description

Position: Staff Attorney
Agency: Colorado Office of Public Guardianship
Status: Full-Time
FLSA: Exempt
Location: Greenwood Village, CO (Hybrid)
Reports to: Supervising Staff Attorney
Salary: $120,000 - $140,000 DOE [$10,000 - $11,666.67 monthly]

• Salary placement within the range will be based on qualifications and experience.

Are you a licensed Colorado attorney who wants to use your legal skills in service of vulnerable adults? If so, this role offers the opportunity to provide direct legal representation and advocacy within an agency dedicated to protecting the health, safety, and independence of Colorado's most vulnerable adults.

The Colorado Office of Public Guardianship (OPG) is seeking a Staff Attorney to provide legal consultation, analysis, representation, and advocacy for OPG client matters following appointment, including guardianship, fiduciary, probate, benefits, mental health, housing, and related legal matters.

You will work under the direction of the Supervising Staff Attorney, handling assigned legal matters, appearing in court and administrative proceedings, and providing legal guidance to Guardians, Senior Guardians, and other agency staff regarding the administration of guardianships.

The Agency: Colorado Office of Public Guardianship

OPG provides public guardianship services to eligible indigent and incapacitated adult individuals who have no responsible family members or friends available and appropriate to serve as guardian, lack adequate resources to compensate a private guardian, and are not otherwise subject to a guardianship petition under C.R.S. § 26-3.1-104. OPG's duties and services are codified in the Office of Public Guardianship Act, C.R.S. §§ 13-94-101 – 13-94-111 (2017, 2019).

Mission Statement:
The mission of the Colorado OPG is to provide guardianship services for indigent and incapacitated adults when other guardianship possibilities are exhausted, securing the health and safety of these individuals while safeguarding their individual rights and preserving their independence wherever possible.

The office's effectiveness depends heavily on independence, professionalism, collaboration, and public trust.

Colorado Office of Public Guardianship Agency Website

Position Overview

The Staff Attorney provides legal consultation, analysis, representation, and advocacy for OPG client matters following appointment, including guardianship, fiduciary, probate, benefits, mental health, housing, and related legal matters. This position handles assigned legal matters, prepares and files pleadings, appears in court and administrative proceedings, and provides legal guidance to agency staff regarding the administration of guardianships.

The Staff Attorney works under the direction of the Supervising Staff Attorney and escalates complex, novel, high-risk, or policy-sensitive legal issues as appropriate. The role supports OPG's fiduciary responsibilities and helps ensure legal services are provided in accordance with applicable law, ethical standards, and agency expectations.

Staff Attorney - Official Job Description

Essential Job Functions:

• Serve as counsel for assigned OPG client matters in OPG's fiduciary capacity as guardian
• Provide legal guidance to Guardians, Senior Guardians, and other agency staff regarding guardianship administration, fiduciary duties, medical and mental health treatment decisions, public benefits, housing, probate, and related legal matters
• Prepare, review, and file pleadings, petitions, motions, memoranda, and other legal documents related to probate, benefits, mental health, fiduciary, and guardianship matters
• Represent OPG clients in court hearings, administrative proceedings, negotiations, and other legal matters as assigned
• Participate in shared on-call responsibilities and provide legal guidance for urgent or critical incidents as assigned
• Investigate fiduciary, asset, probate, benefits, or liability issues involving OPG clients, including matters involving former fiduciaries
• Coordinate with conservators, public administrators, courts, service providers, and other stakeholders regarding legal matters affecting OPG clients
• Handle assigned administrative hearings, intervention matters, restoration or modification of rights matters, petitions to determine liability, petitions for accounting, and related legal proceedings
• Conduct legal research and analysis and provide recommendations to the Supervising Staff Attorney and OPG leadership as appropriate
• Support analysis of proposed legislation, legal trends, or policy issues as assigned
• Maintain accurate legal records, documentation, deadlines, and case-related information
• Perform other related duties as assigned

What Success Looks Like

Over time, you will successfully:

• Provide sound, timely legal representation and guidance across your assigned caseload
• Build trusted working relationships with courts, conservators, and agency staff
• Escalate complex or high-risk legal matters appropriately and with clear analysis
• Manage a demanding caseload while maintaining accuracy and attention to deadlines
• Contribute legal expertise that strengthens OPG's fiduciary and compliance posture

What We Are Looking For

The strongest candidates for this role are attorneys who:

• Bring strong legal research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion in sensitive client matters
• Communicate legal information clearly to non-legal staff, courts, and stakeholders
• Manage competing deadlines and high-stress legal matters effectively
• Work collaboratively with legal staff, Guardians, Senior Guardians, and leadership
• Are motivated by meaningful public service work

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must clearly demonstrate the following qualifications in their application materials:

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school, an active license to practice law in Colorado, and membership in good standing with the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation (must be licensed to practice law in Colorado)
• Two (2) to four (4) years of legal experience in public-sector legal practice or in fields related to but not limited to probate, guardianship, conservatorship, fiduciary responsibility, mental health law, public benefits, administrative law, civil law, and litigation.

Preferred Qualifications

You will stand out if you possess:

• Experience in probate, guardianship, conservatorship, fiduciary responsibility, civil law, mental health law, public benefits, administrative law, or related practice areas
• Experience appearing in court or administrative proceedings
• Experience working with vulnerable adults, individuals with disabilities, older adults, or individuals with complex service needs
• Experience working in a public-sector, nonprofit, legal services, healthcare, human services, or court-connected environment
• Experience drafting pleadings, motions, memoranda, legal correspondence, or policy-related legal analysis
• Familiarity with Colorado probate, guardianship, mental health, or public benefits systems

Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of laws and regulations governing guardianship, fiduciary duties, probate practice, and related legal proceedings
• Knowledge of laws and systems related to public benefits, mental health, housing, care, services, placements, and support for OPG clients
• Knowledge of general legal matters that may affect OPG clients, including administrative law, landlord-tenant law, criminal matters, public benefits, family law, and related civil matters
• Strong legal research, analysis, writing, negotiation, and courtroom advocacy skills
• Ability to draft pleadings, motions, memoranda, correspondence, and other legal documents
• Ability to communicate legal information clearly to agency staff, courts, providers, and other stakeholders
• Ability to manage deadlines, competing priorities, large caseloads, interruptions, and high-stress legal matters
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and comply with legal and ethical obligations
• Ability to work collaboratively with legal staff, Guardians, Senior Guardians, leadership, courts, and external partners
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard legal or business systems

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have any direct reports or supervisory responsibility.

Benefits and Equal Opportunity

The position includes a comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, paid leave and holidays, retirement through Colorado PERA, and eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Click here for more information regarding employee benefits: State of Colorado Employee Benefits

The Colorado Office of Public Guardianship is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to full inclusion and reasonable accommodations.

Conditions of Employment:

• The selected candidate must reside in Colorado within 30 days of employment. Relocation assistance or reimbursement is not provided for this position. (Applies to external hires only.)
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check. (Internal candidates with a current, valid background check on file are not required to repeat this process.)
• Employment is also contingent upon successful completion of the required Colorado Adult Protective Services (CAPS) background check. (Internal candidates with a current, valid CAPS clearance on file are not required to repeat this process.)
• Employment is contingent upon completion and satisfactory clearance of a credit check, consistent with applicable Colorado law and the financial responsibilities of the position. Selected candidates will be required to obtain a credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus and provide a copy of the report and credit history as part of this process.

Work Environment

This is a hybrid position based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, with the ability to appear in Colorado courts and proceedings as required, including potential virtual court appearances. General hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, with shared weekly and weekend on-call responsibilities.

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as review may begin before the posting closes.