Disability Law Colorado (DLC) is a statewide, nonprofit legal organization dedicated to advancing the rights of Coloradans with disabilities. DLC works to achieve fairness and justice for people with disabilities through advocacy, litigation, policy leadership, education, and outreach. As Colorado’s designated Protection and Advocacy System (P&A), we use our federal authority to serve clients with disabilities—everywhere from nursing homes to prisons, schools to voting booths. We believe that disability justice should be at the core of work and that people with disabilities know best what it means to live in inclusive communities. DLC operates eight federally mandated P&A programs for people with disabilities and hosts three programs focused on older Coloradans.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Disability Rights Attorney will be responsible for providing legal service to clients with disabilities, including advice, negotiation, representation in administrative hearings, litigation in state and federal court, and administrative and policy advocacy in accordance with program priorities and case handling policies. The Disability Rights Attorney will handle multiple cases and advocacy projects with appropriate supervision depending on experience, including leading individual client litigation, administrative practice, appellate advocacy, technical assistance, systemic advocacy, outreach, training, and policy advocacy. As a key member of the Community Access and Youth Advocacy Team, the Disability Rights Attorney works on issues such as disability discrimination in housing, employment, and transportation.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Disability Rights Attorney reports directly to the Community Access and Youth Advocacy Attorney Team Leader. The Attorney has no direct reports and collaborates across the organization.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are an overview of the primary duties and responsibilities of the Disability Rights Attorney and should not be considered an all-inclusive list:

• Provides legal services to clients with disabilities (both adults and youth), including self-advocacy assistance, advice, negotiation, representation in administrative hearings, litigation in state and federal court, and administrative and policy advocacy.
• Participates in litigation with support from the attorney team leaders and Director of Legal Services, on statewide impact activity, including institutional and group litigation and policy advocacy beneficial to people with disabilities.
• Stays up to date on legal developments in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations.
• Conducts investigations and monitoring in conjunction with other attorneys and advocate(s), as needed.
• Conducts outreach and training, in coordination with the Outreach and Communications Manager, to increase the capacity of individuals with disabilities to be self-advocates, advance awareness about disability rights issues, and inform the public about DLC’s services.
• Educates policy makers on disability-related issues, in collaboration with DLC’s Policy Liaison.
• Writes organized and concise public reports, reports to other oversight and enforcement agencies, and internal reports regarding findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from investigations or monitoring activities.
• Maintains timely and accurate records in accordance with records retention schedules, laws and regulations, ethics, and other requirements.
• Works collaboratively on teams with a spirit of cooperation to support any of DLC’s advocacy, monitoring, or litigation.
• Represents DLC on councils, commissions, work groups, and stakeholder groups, as assigned by supervisor.
• Collaborates with other DLC staff to plan and develop agency priorities, goals, and objectives; and prepare annual program and performance reports.
• Travels throughout Colorado as needed to conduct investigations/monitoring and provide advocacy and client services.
• Attends Board meetings, as requested by the Director of Legal Services and/or Executive Director.
• Attends staff meetings and internal trainings.
• Consistently promotes a professional image of DLC and enthusiastically supports the ideals, mission, and goals of DLC.
• Exhibits work performance consistent with the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct and the National Disability Rights Network’s Standards.
• Exercises discretion, independent judgment, and ethical approaches in job performance.
• Performs other duties, as assigned by supervisor and/or the Director of Legal Services.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The individual must also possess these qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the Colorado Bar or admission before beginning this role.
• Ability to obtain suitability credentials from the Social Security Administration, as required by our grant, within the first six months of employment. You do not need to complete this process before applying for this position. For more information about the process, please see: shorturl.at/abeR6
• Ability to work independently in a hybrid or remote environment, as well as under general supervision and on a team.
• At least six months of experience practicing law or serving as a legal intern or law clerk.
• At least six months of experience working with or volunteering with communities experiencing marginalization.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information.
• Demonstration of appropriate and professional behavior in working with members of the public who may often be in crisis or frustrated with service availability.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent dispute resolution, negotiation, mediation, and facilitation skills.
• A commitment to understanding and updating knowledge about disability legal issues, including how to work with people with disabilities of all kinds.
• Diligence and attention to detail in maintaining accurate records, maintaining confidentiality, and following records retention guidelines.
• Commitment to providing services and advocacy that are focused on continuous improvement, the values of the Protection and Advocacy System, integrity, disability justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Expertise using Microsoft Office products and other technology, such as Zoom, printers, scanners, file-sharing platforms, databases, timekeeping software, and other applications required to perform the essential functions of the job.
• Comfort with offering training and outreach to a variety of audiences within DLC’s mission.
• Ability and flexibility to travel throughout the state and work nonstandard hours, as needed for monitoring, investigations, training, advocacy, and litigation.
• Ability to conceptualize and develop initial and ongoing case strategies and creative solutions.
• Ability to remain impartial when conducting investigations.
• Ability to triage multiple responsibilities, adapt to client needs (e.g., communication, language, cultural, disability access), be flexible with work assignments, foster collaborative problem-solving, strengthen relationships, and address external and internal concerns and needs.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The following qualifications are highly desired to advance DLC’s work, but they are not required:

• Bilingual or multilingual.
• Admitted to the United State District Court for the District of Colorado and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10thCircuit.
• Experience practicing civil rights law, especially disability law.
• Three or more years of legal practice experience.
• Experience advocating for/with youth in a nonprofit environment.
• Familiarity with administrative processes and complaints at the state and federal levels.
• Familiarity with relevant systems, including jails, prisons, state hospitals, nursing homes, regional centers, Community Centered Boards, special education, Medicaid, guardianship, vocational rehabilitation, group homes, and/or host homes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Applicants for this position must live in Colorado or be willing to relocate to Colorado before they begin the position.

DLC promotes a mostly remote work environment, with the understanding that employees will travel and meet in person as needed for conducting their job functions and collaborating with other staff members, the Board, clients, and partners. (DLC currently has office space in Denver, which is available but not required for employees’ use.) DLC provides equipment to employees to work successfully in a remote environment, including, but not limited to, laptops and phones. This position might require periods of frequent in-state travel to support clients’ needs, however.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Disability Law Colorado offers competitive salaries; generous leave; and an excellent benefits package, which includes a 403(b) retirement savings plan and medical, dental, vision, life, and short term and long-term disability insurance. DLC employees also enjoy a 36-hour workweek as full-time employment, as well as flexible hours.

APPLICATION PROCESS

We are committed to having our staff and work reflect our communities. The call of disability rights work is: “Nothing about us without us.’’ We welcome all applicants committed to this work. We highly encourage candidates with disabilities and others with lived experience and diverse backgrounds to apply.

DLC will consider applications as they are received. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates should submit a cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume to Esther Brieno with the subject line: Disability Rights Attorney. Candidates wishing to mail or fax their materials, instead, may send them to:

Esther Brieno, Operations Manager

Disability Law Colorado

455 Sherman Street, Suite 130

Denver, CO 80203

FAX: (303) 722-0720

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $62,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Denver, CO 80203

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