OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
Traditional 235 work days per year
FTE: 1.0
Salary Range: $83,366 - $102,108
Application Deadline: April 30th, 2024.
If the position is not filled by then, we may consider applications submitted after the deadline. Interested applicants must apply online by visiting the Denver Public Schools job board at careers.dpsk12.org.
Essential Functions and Objectives:
Ensures practices, policies, and dealings of the District meet legal and regulatory requirements to protect the organization from legal action and to defend the District when legal action is taken. Provides counsel to District leaders on assigned areas such as contracts, transactional, student data privacy, and/or operations and business management. Works closely with the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel in the assigned area.
- Drafts, reviews, and negotiates contracts and facility use managements.
- Assists with responses to records requests made under the Colorado Open Records Act.
- Develops legal strategies and provides legal advice and counsel for client groups and District leaders as needed to assure the District’s compliance with applicable rules, policies, procedures, practices, and laws.
- Performs legal research and provides verbal and written analysis that also considers District policies, procedures, and practices.
- Independently drafts or works with other Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel on written work product, including pleadings, briefs, and legal research memoranda.
- Responds to directives from Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel
- Develops and builds consensus and resolves conflicts.
- Represents the District in adversarial meetings, hearings, and court proceedings.
- Assists in the planning and development of policy, procedures, and processes for the District, assigned client groups, and the legal department in order to optimize efficiency, address areas of legal risk, and address the diverse needs of client groups.
- Develops and conducts trainings for assigned client groups.
Knowledge, Experience & Other Qualifications:
- Two (2) or more years of relevant experience in contracts, student-data privacy laws, transactional and operations experience working with government entities, or other experience with non-profit entities supporting public interest.
- Familiarity with state and federal laws and regulations that govern the activities of the District.
- Work style that yields high results when working independently or as part of a team.
- Ability to work effectively with legal and non-legal staff, outside legal contacts, and the community.
- Ability to organize work and paper flow effectively and efficiently.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop and build consensus and resolve conflicts.
- Understanding of broad concepts with the ability to integrate legal input into major District policy decisions.
- Demonstrated strong research and verbal and written communication skills.
- Commitment to the District’s policies on equity and inclusion.
- High degree of integrity in handling confidential information.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, Google Suite, and/or Project Management Software (e.g. Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint) as well as Westlaw.
- Knowledge of District policies, regulations, and current District consent decrees and related implementation plans.
- Verbal and written fluency in second language preferred.
Education Requirements:
- Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited institution required.
Additional Information:
- Work Year Calendars (including accrued time off): http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/1129
- Benefits (including DPS contributions): http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/1397
- Compensation Structures: http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/244
- Employee must live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working for Denver Public Schools
About Denver Public Schools:
Denver Public Schools is committed to meeting the educational needs of every student with great schools in every neighborhood. Our goal is to provide every child in Denver with rigorous, enriching educational opportunities from preschool through high school graduation. DPS is comprised of nearly 200 schools including traditional, magnet, charter and alternative pathways schools, with an enrollment of more than 90,000 students.
DPS has become the fastest-growing school district in the country in terms of enrollment and the fastest-growing large school district in the state in terms of student academic growth. Learn more at dpsk12.org.
Denver Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.