The Colorado Department of Law – Office of the Attorney General will begin accepting applications in the fall of 2023 for the fellowship program term that begins in October 2024.
As a fellow at the DOL, you will have the opportunity to develop as a lawyer by working on exciting (and sometimes novel) legal matters; drafting memoranda, briefs, and pleadings; and working collaboratively with other lawyers in the section. You will be provided with feedback on your work and be given opportunities for mentorship and networking internally and externally. In addition, as part of the program, all Fellows participate in 6-month professionalism series and have the opportunity to earn a Certificate of Trial Advocacy by completing the Colorado Trial Advocacy Program. Fellows may also earn free CLE credits through the DOL, CBA, and PLI and may volunteer on office-wide impact teams.
Fellowship Opportunities
AGO Multi-Section Fellowships
The Attorney General’s Fellowship Program provides opportunities for new attorneys to gain practical experience in the public sector while enjoying the personal satisfaction of serving the residents of Colorado and our many state agency clients. Our work at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office encompasses criminal prosecution, consumer protection, civil rights, torts, contracts, eminent domain, administrative law, tax, environmental law, violence prevention programs, public health, school safety, energy, and much more. These Fellows enrich their legal experience, broaden their exposure to the public sector, and assume substantial individual responsibility for their work. In addition to exposure to state agencies, Fellows may become integral members of teams working on an array of projects, including high-profile investigations and trials. They also receive training and supervision in particular practice areas to enhance proficiency and develop skills while in the program. These Fellowships have a one-year term – from October through October. Fellows may be assigned to multiple Sections, or a dedicated Section, depending on need and availability. While Section assignment is not guaranteed, applicants should include any preferred Section(s) of interest in their materials.
Consumer Protection (CP) Section Fellowship
The CP Fellow will have the opportunity to work across multiple units within the Consumer Protection Section, investigating and prosecuting consumer fraud, antitrust, and consumer credit cases. This will include reviewing consumer complaints, taking witness testimony, reviewing document production, filing enforcement actions/lawsuits, engaging in motions practice, attending and participating in depositions, appearing in court, and generally assisting fellow unit attorneys with prosecutions. The CP Fellow will regularly interface with other attorneys in the Section, participate in case strategy meetings, and research and analyze topical matters of state and federal law pertaining to consumer protection. The CP Fellow will also have opportunities to engage with other Fellows and attend training throughout the Department of Law designed specifically for newer attorneys. This CP fellowship has a one-year term – from October through October.
Natural Resources & Environment Fellowship
This fellow works directly with the Natural Resources and Environment Section, which represents nearly all of the natural resources and environmental functions of state government in partnership with our client agencies. This fellow may also advise the Attorney General and state officials about a wide variety of issues related to natural resources and the environment. This NRE Fellowship has a one-year term—from October through October.
Ralph L. Carr Appellate Fellowships
Carr Fellows work directly with Colorado’s Solicitor General in preparing briefs and oral arguments, working on cutting-edge, multi-state litigation, and advising the Attorney General and state officials about a wide variety of federal and state constitutional issues. Carr Fellows also work with the Office’s Criminal Appeals Section, where they will brief approximately twenty-five appeals each year, and gain oral argument experience. This is a great opportunity to work closely with some of the state’s most experienced appellate advocates and obtain extensive brief-writing experience at the outset of their legal careers. Many applicants come to the fellowship after completion of a judicial clerkship with a federal or state appellate court, but the Department of Law encourages strong applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Carr Fellowships typically have two-year terms (i.e., October 2023 through October 2025) but occasionally have one-year terms depending on interest and availability.
Who is Eligible to Apply
All DOL Fellowships are open to recent law school graduates. We encourage applications from those who are intellectually curious, passionate about public service, and excited to delve into the work. The DOL is most interested in candidates who have excellent writing skills and attention to detail; have the confidence and ability to ask good and thoughtful questions; are eager to engage; and have a strong academic record (i.e., strong GPA or who show a steady improvement of grades during law school). Further, while we welcome applications from those who have experience related to the work of the section, we will look more broadly at candidates who have diverse professional and academic backgrounds and who are eager to bring their diverse experiences to the program. Applicants who have completed a judicial clerkship or judicial internship will likely be well-prepared for this Fellowship, but prior clerkship experience is not required.
All individuals must commit to taking the Colorado bar exam no later than July before the October their fellowship term starts or be a member of the Colorado bar before beginning work. The annual salary is $60,000 plus medical/dental benefits for 2023 law school graduates, and $67,000 for Fellows in their second year of the Fellowship or who come to the fellowship with at least one year of legal experience. Note: Bar passage or eligibility to waive into the Colorado Bar is required to join the program.
How to Apply
Applications will open in the fall, and applicants must submit separate cover letters and applications for each unique fellowship position. For example, if you want to apply for the AGO Multi-Section Fellowship, the Carr Fellowship, and the NRE Fellowship, you will submit three separate applications. Also, if you are applying for an AGO Multi-Section Fellowship, please indicate in your cover letter the sections in which you are most interested.
Select candidates will be invited for first-round interviews with the Fellowship Committee and second-round interviews with the individual sections. Required materials must be submitted electronically to fellowship.program@coag.gov with the title of the unique fellowship in the subject line (i.e. Natural Resources & Environment Fellowship Application or Carr Fellowship Application).
Your application packet should include:
- Cover letter that highlights: (1) your commitment to public service and your interest in this Fellowship; (2) your experience in the subject matter area and/or other relevant work; and (3) how you think your background and experience would add value in the Fellowship.
- Resume that includes bar memberships, leadership experience, community service or volunteer experience, status of application for bar membership, and cumulative law school GPA.
- Law school transcript.
- Three references (not letters of recommendation) from individuals who are familiar with your work and abilities, including their phone and e-mail contact information and an indication of the working relationship.
- Writing sample (the shorter and less edited the better). Submissions may be portions of a longer sample, but please include no more than 10 pages, total. Applicants are encouraged to provide a writing sample that demonstrates the candidate’s legal analysis and abilities.
As part of the interview process, finalists may be asked to prepare an additional writing sample based on a fact pattern supplied by the office. All finalists will complete a third-round interview with the attorney general before a final offer is made.
What is the Timeline
Applications open in the fall one year prior to the fellowship start. First-round interviews are anticipated between November and December, with any follow-up interviews. We aim to have offers out in late December, but no later than the end of January.
Why Work for Us
We Embrace Flexibility
We aim to produce outstanding work product for our clients, be efficient with our time, and support each other as team members – which also means we embrace flexible working arrangements when and where possible.
We Are Committed to Diversity
At the Department of Law, we know that we are better together when our differences are valued and everyone is inspired and empowered to contribute. As such, we strive to provide a safe environment where individuals feel valued and respected for who they are; demonstrate a behavior and mindset where differences are welcomed and individuals are equally treated and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce that contributes to creative problem solving and delivers excellent work.
We Have Strong Core Values
Our core values drive our actions. At the Department of Law, we are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, rigorous legal analysis, and careful evaluation of facts; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to identify the best approach, make deliberate decisions, and look to improve; and 4) “better together,” by working to support each other and collaborate.
We are Committed to Developing our Attorneys
We are deeply invested in our talent and regularly provide meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth through training and coaching. Further, our professional development and performance goal-setting process is collaborative and ongoing, and aimed at helping our attorneys grow and succeed.
We Offer Excellent Benefits
In addition to the comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package including competitive medical and dental health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans with Colorado PERA, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a state government employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. A borrower may qualify for forgiveness by making 120 on-time payments while employed full-time in public service, if they have certain kinds of federal loans in a qualifying repayment plan
- Free access to a recently renovated on-site fitness center
- Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program
- Employer-paid mental health and counseling services through the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
- Employer-paid annual attorney registration dues
- Employer-provided access to professional development training and CLE through PLI, Department of Law University and other entities.
Conditions of Employment
- The final candidate for employment must successfully pass a thorough criminal background investigation.
- Effective September 20, 2021, employees will be required to attest to and verify whether or not they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Employees who have not been fully vaccinated may be required to submit to serial testing in the future. Upon hire, new employees will have three (3) business days to provide attestation to their status with proof of vaccination. Vaccinated employees must provide proof of vaccination.
Note: Fully Vaccinated means two (2) weeks after a second dose in a two-dose series of the COVID-19 vaccine, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two (2) weeks after the single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, as defined by the most recent State of Colorado’s Public Health Order and current guidance issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.