ICES: Data, Discovery, Better Health
Managing Attorney
ICES: Data, Discovery, Better Health, Boulder, Colorado, United States, 80301
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 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:
CLS is excited to hire a Managing Attorney for our Boulder Office. The Managing Attorney will join CLS’s leadership team and supervise a talented team of two lawyers, a paralegal, an intake specialist, and a pro bono coordinator. The Managing Attorney will also provide support, training, and supervision to a robust and experienced network of volunteer and contract attorneys and paralegals, and will be responsible for the quality, quantity, and coordination of the office’s litigation and advocacy.
The Managing Attorney will handle the day-to-day operations of the office, as well as some grant writing, community outreach, and private attorney involvement coordination. To ensure that CLS continues to deliver high quality legal services to eligible clients, the Managing Attorney will have an active, but reduced, caseload and exercise judgment and creativity in attempting to solve legal problems. We seek an individual who will lead in an empathetic and trauma-informed way and who will excel as a supervisor, administrator, attorney, and representative of Colorado Legal Services in the community. The Managing Attorney will report to the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director.
Our Boulder office is centrally located near restaurants, walking and hiking trails, the University of Colorado, and shopping areas.
Essential Duties:
Provide the oversight, assistance, guidance, and supervision necessary to ensure the effective administration, operation, and management of the unit.
Cultivate a culture that supports staff while holding the office to CLS’s high expectations of performance.
Maintain an active, but reduced, caseload, which includes the following duties:
Delivering sound legal counsel and exceptional advocacy for clients that aligns with program objectives and meets the standards set forth by CLS Casehandler guidelines.
Displaying patience, empathy, and sound judgment while providing clear and transparent communication to clients, managing their expectations effectively.
Performing client and witness interviews, carrying out thorough case investigations, and drafting necessary legal documents and pleadings in family law, consumer law, housing law, and public benefits cases.
Ensuring comprehensive and current documentation of client case notes in case management system.
Representing clients in court and before administrative agencies and collaborating with other CLS attorneys and paralegals, as needed.
Provide supervision and guidance for other casehandlers, including periodically reviewing their legal work and providing training, professional development, employee coaching, and performance evaluation.
Oversee and manage staff workloads, client relations, and interpersonal conflict, and make recommendations to Senior Leadership for performance improvements or disciplinary action consistent with the terms of CLS’s Collective Bargaining Agreement as needed.
Ensure that the office functions accurately, effectively, and efficiently while adhering to the regulations of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), CLS’s major federal funder.
Ensure compliance with CLS and LSC policies, as well as requirements of other grant funders.
Review and close all office cases in a timely manner to ensure compliance with LSC regulations and the current LSC Case Service Report Handbook.
Recruit private pro bono and contract attorneys and provide assistance, training, and supervision to volunteers and contract attorneys as needed.
Periodically review Boulder Office case acceptance protocols and solicit input from office staff, community partners, clients, and the judiciary to ensure the Office prioritizes cases that are responsive to the legal needs of the community.
Attend management meetings, participate in statewide substantive task forces, and provide case support and assistance to other CLS casehandlers as needed.
Lead hiring processes for new staff, and orient and train new staff in partnership with the Director of People and Culture.
Serve as an organizational leader in advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by leading by example, participating in meetings, and prioritizing an organizational culture of joy, resilience, and inclusion.
Serve as the office’s community liaison, maintaining contact with local human service agencies, local government agencies, organizations serving domestic violence survivors, the local access to justice commission, and the local bar association in developing and implementing strategies for assisting low-income clients and vulnerable client groups.
Participate in agency and community meetings as the program's representative and make presentations to community groups about the services provided by CLS and its funding needs.
Assist CLS’ Grant Manager with grant management activities, such as communicating with grantors, gathering data for and completing grant reports, and working with the Grants Manager as needed to apply for grant funding.
Handle leave request approvals, timesheet review, reimbursement requests, and other administrative tasks as needed.
Oversee operations of the office, including communicating regularly with senior leadership.
Required Qualifications:
Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado or ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable.
Experience in direct client representation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to travel to client appointments or outreach events as needed.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and willingness to embrace technological innovation.
Demonstrated commitment to providing trauma-informed legal services for, and empathy towards, low-income persons, seniors, and other vulnerable populations.
Preferred Qualifications:
Prior supervisory or management experience.
Experience in one or more of the following substantive areas: family law, consumer law, housing law, and public benefits.
Experience working with volunteers or pro bono projects.
Fluency in oral and written Spanish.
Experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in an organizational setting.
Compensation & Benefits:
We 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, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and also matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually with full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 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. 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:
To be considered for the Managing Attorney position, please submit your cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and list of references no later than
Monday, October 21st . If you have questions about this position, please contact: Karen Vilner, Director of People & Culture, at kvilner@colegalserv.org. CLS will not review applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. Please no solicitations from recruitment firms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging:
CLS embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an Equal Opportunity Employer in a serious way. We are committed to building and retaining a workforce that respects and seeks to empower each individual and represents a variety of diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences within our workforce. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position.
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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 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:
CLS is excited to hire a Managing Attorney for our Boulder Office. The Managing Attorney will join CLS’s leadership team and supervise a talented team of two lawyers, a paralegal, an intake specialist, and a pro bono coordinator. The Managing Attorney will also provide support, training, and supervision to a robust and experienced network of volunteer and contract attorneys and paralegals, and will be responsible for the quality, quantity, and coordination of the office’s litigation and advocacy.
The Managing Attorney will handle the day-to-day operations of the office, as well as some grant writing, community outreach, and private attorney involvement coordination. To ensure that CLS continues to deliver high quality legal services to eligible clients, the Managing Attorney will have an active, but reduced, caseload and exercise judgment and creativity in attempting to solve legal problems. We seek an individual who will lead in an empathetic and trauma-informed way and who will excel as a supervisor, administrator, attorney, and representative of Colorado Legal Services in the community. The Managing Attorney will report to the Northern Colorado Advocacy Director.
Our Boulder office is centrally located near restaurants, walking and hiking trails, the University of Colorado, and shopping areas.
Essential Duties:
Provide the oversight, assistance, guidance, and supervision necessary to ensure the effective administration, operation, and management of the unit.
Cultivate a culture that supports staff while holding the office to CLS’s high expectations of performance.
Maintain an active, but reduced, caseload, which includes the following duties:
Delivering sound legal counsel and exceptional advocacy for clients that aligns with program objectives and meets the standards set forth by CLS Casehandler guidelines.
Displaying patience, empathy, and sound judgment while providing clear and transparent communication to clients, managing their expectations effectively.
Performing client and witness interviews, carrying out thorough case investigations, and drafting necessary legal documents and pleadings in family law, consumer law, housing law, and public benefits cases.
Ensuring comprehensive and current documentation of client case notes in case management system.
Representing clients in court and before administrative agencies and collaborating with other CLS attorneys and paralegals, as needed.
Provide supervision and guidance for other casehandlers, including periodically reviewing their legal work and providing training, professional development, employee coaching, and performance evaluation.
Oversee and manage staff workloads, client relations, and interpersonal conflict, and make recommendations to Senior Leadership for performance improvements or disciplinary action consistent with the terms of CLS’s Collective Bargaining Agreement as needed.
Ensure that the office functions accurately, effectively, and efficiently while adhering to the regulations of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), CLS’s major federal funder.
Ensure compliance with CLS and LSC policies, as well as requirements of other grant funders.
Review and close all office cases in a timely manner to ensure compliance with LSC regulations and the current LSC Case Service Report Handbook.
Recruit private pro bono and contract attorneys and provide assistance, training, and supervision to volunteers and contract attorneys as needed.
Periodically review Boulder Office case acceptance protocols and solicit input from office staff, community partners, clients, and the judiciary to ensure the Office prioritizes cases that are responsive to the legal needs of the community.
Attend management meetings, participate in statewide substantive task forces, and provide case support and assistance to other CLS casehandlers as needed.
Lead hiring processes for new staff, and orient and train new staff in partnership with the Director of People and Culture.
Serve as an organizational leader in advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by leading by example, participating in meetings, and prioritizing an organizational culture of joy, resilience, and inclusion.
Serve as the office’s community liaison, maintaining contact with local human service agencies, local government agencies, organizations serving domestic violence survivors, the local access to justice commission, and the local bar association in developing and implementing strategies for assisting low-income clients and vulnerable client groups.
Participate in agency and community meetings as the program's representative and make presentations to community groups about the services provided by CLS and its funding needs.
Assist CLS’ Grant Manager with grant management activities, such as communicating with grantors, gathering data for and completing grant reports, and working with the Grants Manager as needed to apply for grant funding.
Handle leave request approvals, timesheet review, reimbursement requests, and other administrative tasks as needed.
Oversee operations of the office, including communicating regularly with senior leadership.
Required Qualifications:
Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado or ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable.
Experience in direct client representation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to travel to client appointments or outreach events as needed.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and willingness to embrace technological innovation.
Demonstrated commitment to providing trauma-informed legal services for, and empathy towards, low-income persons, seniors, and other vulnerable populations.
Preferred Qualifications:
Prior supervisory or management experience.
Experience in one or more of the following substantive areas: family law, consumer law, housing law, and public benefits.
Experience working with volunteers or pro bono projects.
Fluency in oral and written Spanish.
Experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in an organizational setting.
Compensation & Benefits:
We 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, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employee's 403(b) retirement account and also matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually with full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally, CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 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. 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:
To be considered for the Managing Attorney position, please submit your cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and list of references no later than
Monday, October 21st . If you have questions about this position, please contact: Karen Vilner, Director of People & Culture, at kvilner@colegalserv.org. CLS will not review applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. Please no solicitations from recruitment firms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging:
CLS embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an Equal Opportunity Employer in a serious way. We are committed to building and retaining a workforce that respects and seeks to empower each individual and represents a variety of diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences within our workforce. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position.
#J-18808-Ljbffr