Senior Assistant City Attorney – DEN Legal

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience.  New hires are typically brought into the organization between $131,770 - $177,890/annually, based on experience and education. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

• 457B Retirement Plan

• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year

• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

The City and County of Denver has announced furlough days, or unpaid days off, for most employees to meet a budget shortfall in 2025. There are two fixed furlough days for all limited (temporary positions with an end date) and unlimited (permanent) employees on August 29th, the Friday before Labor Day, and November 28th, the day after Thanksgiving. If you receive an offer for this position, your annual pay will determine whether you are required to take additional furlough days. Details will be discussed during the offer process for selected candidate(s). 

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. In this position you can expect to work at the Denver International Airport at least three days a week.

Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

The Denver City Attorney’s Office is one of the largest law firms in Colorado, with over 230 attorneys and staff members comprised of paralegals, victim advocates, and other support and supervisory staff members. It may have the most diverse practice of any law firm in Colorado since Denver is a home rule city and county. Clients include the Mayor, City Council, all other elected and appointed officials, all city agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and employees. 

The City Attorney's Office is dedicated to providing an equitable, inclusive, and diverse work environment. Through Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts, we strive to respect and honor differences, create a culture of compassion, collaboration, and common purpose for sharing our talents, skills, and creativity with each other. We are committed to removing barriers and providing opportunities. The successful candidate for this position must demonstrate these core operating principles.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is the fourth-busiest airport in the United States and one of the ten busiest airports in the world, connecting our community globally through flight and business. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $36.4 billion for the region annually and employing nearly 37,000 people.

Denver’s City Attorney’s Office is seeking a Senior Assistant City Attorney to join DEN Legal, the law department for Denver International Airport. We are looking for a senior-level attorney to support the Section and the Airport in commercial and real estate matters, including contracting, concessions, finance, public safety, security, and other airport-related issues.

As a Senior Attorney, you can expect to

• Advise City and Airport officers and managers regarding contracts and complex matters, in specialized legal areas such as aviation and municipal law compliance, concession contracts, real estate transactions, contract enforcement, financial requirements and compliance, and other legal areas applicable to the City and Airport

• Negotiate and prepare contracts, ordinances, leases, permits, and other legal documents

• Assist other attorneys in other sections of the City Attorney’s Office with research and advice

• Mentor and assist newer attorneys with legal research, advice and drafting

• As needed, prepare administrative hearings and complex cases for trial, develop motions and discovery documents, and represent the City in those proceedings as well as corresponding appellate briefing and argument

Our ideal candidate will have at least five (5) years of legal experience and one or more of the following skills and experience:

• Experience in intellectual property and technology law

• Experience in commercial transactions, including concessions, food and beverage or retail businesses

• Experience with complex construction contracts, including alternative project delivery methods, or other complex contracts

• Experience in municipal, airport and/or transportation law, including but not limited to FAA, TSA and other federal law applicable to the airport

• Experience with real estate development and leasing, including transactions, planning and financing, related environmental law, and interaction with municipal or other regulators

• Experience in public safety and security

• Experience in finance, including public finance laws such as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights

• Education requirement: Doctor of Jurisprudence degree or Bachelor of Laws degree.

• Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of experience as an attorney at law.

• Education/Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted.

• License/Certifications: Possession of a license to practice law in Colorado from the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire or a reasonable expectation of becoming licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire in accordance with C.R.C.P. 203.2, 203.3, 203.4 and 205.6.

• Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

This position is expected to stay open until Sunday, October 12, 2025. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than Sunday, October 12, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Job Profile

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

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The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

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