Assistant Attorney General - NRE, Air Quality Unit

Find a rewarding career making a difference:
Join the Office of the Attorney General!

The Natural Resources and Environment Section's Air Quality Unit is seeking an experienced attorney to help protect and improve Colorado's air quality through innovative and impactful legal work. This attorney will represent one or more client agencies within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, providing strategic legal counsel and litigation support on complex environmental and administrative law matters. Working in close partnership with client agencies, the Air Quality Unit addresses some of Colorado's most significant environmental challenges, including climate change, ozone pollution, and the implementation of air quality regulations, with a strong commitment to environmental justice and the protection of disproportionately impacted communities.

Colorado is a national leader in advancing air quality policy, offering a unique opportunity to work on precedent-setting legal issues that influence the state, the nation, and beyond—all while enjoying a collaborative work environment and a healthy work-life balance.

The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is the “People’s Lawyer.” The Attorney General, Phil Weiser, was elected by the people of Colorado and is the State’s chief lawyer and law enforcement official. Our vision for the Department of Law is: “Together, we serve Colorado and its people, advancing the rule of law, protecting our democracy and promoting justice for all.”

Our core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drive our actions and demonstrate our focus on being principled public servants who are innovative and better together.

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As an Assistant Attorney General in the Natural Resources and Environment Section's Air Quality Unit, you will provide legal counsel and representation to one or more client agencies within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on a broad range of environmental and administrative law matters. You will represent client agencies in rule makings before the Air Quality Control Commission, administrative enforcement proceedings, and civil litigation, and participate in complex settlement negotiations.

Working as part of a collaborative team of experienced environmental attorneys, you will develop and manage a diverse practice advising clients on statutory interpretation, program implementation, administrative procedure, open meetings and open records laws, enterprise governance, and other legal issues affecting Colorado's air quality programs. You will also support the Department's legislative and rule review process and contribute to addressing some of Colorado's most significant environmental challenges, including ozone reduction, climate change, and environmental justice.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to build an environmental law practice, gain substantial litigation experience, and work on matters that have a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of Colorado communities.

In this role, you will also have the opportunity to:

• Represent the State of Colorado in complex civil litigation involving the federal Clean Air Act, the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act, and other state and federal environmental laws through all phases of litigation, including investigation, discovery, motions practice, trial, settlement, and appeal.
• Provide strategic legal counsel and representation to the Air Pollution Control Division and other client agencies on complex air quality, environmental, and administrative law matters, including regulatory compliance, enforcement, and program implementation.
• Participate in complex negotiation and litigation on behalf of the Air Pollution Control Division and other client agencies.
• Conduct legal research and prepare written legal analyses, pleadings,