Litigation Paralegal

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.

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

The City Attorney’s Office serves as the chief legal counsel to the Mayor, City Council, City Auditor, City Clerk and Recorder, and all City agencies. Its responsibilities include handling city lawsuits, prosecuting ordinance violations, providing victim support in criminal cases, representing the city in investigations and litigation, advising on contractual and transactional matters, offering regulatory and compliance assistance, addressing employment matters for the city's more than 12,000 workers, and providing guidance on local, state, and federal law.

With a team of over 250 individuals, the City Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting resident welfare, enhancing neighborhood quality of life, and responsibly managing taxpayer funds. As advocates for effective governance, transparency, and accountability, the office empowers the city to do its work and prioritizes ethical conduct in all city operations. Whether working with city agencies, engaging community stakeholders, or collaborating with external legal counsel, the office leverages its collective expertise to navigate complex legal challenges and advance key city priorities.

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $30.00 - $35.62/hour, 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 + 11 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday 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 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 three days in the office at the Wellington Webb Building (201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver 80202) and two days from home if you so choose.   Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

The Civil Litigation Section is responsible for handling most tort and civil rights actions brought against the City, its officials, and employees, except for claims and lawsuits involving the Denver International Airport and the Department of Human Services. Attorneys in the Section prepare and defend against civil actions for which governmental immunity is waived under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, including allegations of personal injury, property damage, and dangerous conditions, and civil rights lawsuits brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, the ADA, and the Colorado Law Enforcement Integrity Act. Attorneys are also responsible for appeals arising from assigned civil cases in the Colorado Court of Appeals, Colorado Supreme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Collectively, the Section handles approximately 120 lawsuits, including appeals, and over 800 claims annually.

The City Attorney's Office is seeking a Litigation Paralegal I to join its Civil Litigation & Claims Section. In this entry-level paraprofessional role, the Paralegal I will provide essential legal support to the City’s civil litigation attorneys across a variety of tasks, including calendaring, legal research, analysis, docketing, filing, discovery, and document drafting. This position offers a great opportunity for a paraprofessional eager to gain hands-on litigation experience and trial support skills in a dynamic and supportive work environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance and regular working hours.

Specifically, as a Litigation Paralegal, you will: 

• Perform litigation support as necessary, resolve problems encountered during daily operations, and determine appropriate solutions.

• Assist attorneys in the investigation of the facts of cases and ensure that all relevant information is obtained from agencies and considered as part of the case evaluation process.

• Conduct legal research in a variety of legal areas, and assist with the drafting of certain pleadings, discovery responses, complaints, affidavits, motions, and other pleadings connected with trial preparation.

• Collect, compile, organize, and analyze various data for use in reports and pending litigation matters, including ensuring appropriate redaction, de-duplication, indexing, issuance of litigation holds, and the creation of privilege logs.

• Maintain complex litigation calendars, noting deadline dates for responsive pleadings/motions, court appearances, and other important dates. Remind attorneys about upcoming deadlines in advance.

• Assist attorneys in preparing for depositions, motions hearings, oral arguments, and trials, including operating appropriate technology to assist with the presentation of exhibits to the jury or court.

• Ensure compliance with civil court and judge specific rules and procedures, including calendaring deadlines, the creation of exhibit notebooks and witness lists, and general pleading requirements.

• Assist with locating witnesses and issuing subpoenas and subpoena duces tecum for appearances at depositions and trials.

• Organize and track case documentation to ensure that it may be quickly located. Ensure all case related matters, including electronic communications, are stored in the case management filing system and internal databases are appropriately maintained. Assist in the creation of litigation files and ensure information related to pending lawsuits is accurate and kept up to date.

• Other duties as assigned in so far as they relate to supporting the attorney team, which can include, but is not limited to expert witness communication, proactive planning with defense teams, archiving items, etc.

We are looking for a detail-orientated individual who is willing and able to provide contextual support to team members. Candidates should be motivated to learn new skills/practice and be a dependable person. They should also be conscientious person, willing to assist others when needed and open to change as the City’s priorities shift over time.

Preferred candidates will have:

• Knowledge of electronic court filing procedures and rules for state and federal courts, including appellate courts.

• Experience with and proficiency with the following: Microsoft Office, Adobe-Pro, Westlaw or LexisNexis, and case management software.

• Ability to effectively communicate with clients, attorneys, and other staff members.

• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Paralegal Certification is preferred, but not required.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work well under pressure.

• Education requirement: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.

• Experience Requirement: One (1) year of full-time paralegal equivalent experience in a public or private law office, not including internships.

• Education/Experience Equivalency: Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

This posting will accept applications until 11:59 PM on Sunday, November 24, 2024. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

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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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