Certified Paralegal I

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience. The starting pay range for this position is $28.87 - $36.81. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

Location & Schedule

In this position you will work on site at the Office of the Municipal Public Defender, at: 710 W Colfax, Denver CO 80204. This position will be 100% onsite from 8:00AM – 5:00PM with flexible work hours as needed.

Who We Are & What You’ll Do

The Office of the Municipal Public Defender has been in existence since January 1, 2015, and is overseen by the City's Chief Municipal Public Defender. The creation of this office ensures that the City and County of Denver is on the same level with other progressive municipalities providing quality in-house Public Defense services for indigent citizens in the City and County of Denver. The Municipal Public Defender's Office provides legal services to the indigent accused of Denver County who are facing the possibility of jail for traffic offenses, municipal ordinance violations, and specialty courts. We are excited to invite applications for our Paralegal II opening.

The Denver Office of the Municipal Public Defender is seeking Paralegal I applicants. The Paralegal I performs standard/intermediate level paraprofessional legal work assisting attorneys with full-range of legal support work such as research, analysis, drafting various legal documents, client contact, file documentation and providing full-range standard level paralegal assistance. The Office of the Municipal Public Defender is seeking an individual with significant experience in criminal law litigation experience as well as appeals. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in providing attorney support through all phases of the litigation process, including trial and post-trial.

The Office of the Municipal Defender represents indigent individuals in Denver's municipal and traffic courtrooms. The attorneys cover busy, fast-paced dockets with multiple clients. This job is a perfect fit for a paralegal that is highly skilled, highly organized, able to work in a fast-paced environment, and a self-starter. The Office of the Municipal Public Defender began as an independent agency representing indigent clients in 2015. The Office is dedicated to providing an inclusive and diverse work environment in which every person has the opportunity to achieve the highest professional and personal development and is accorded the highest degree of dignity and respect.

As a Paralegal I, you can expect to:

• Review, analyze, and identify various documentation by conducting legal and factual research into various cases and/or matters; Prepare and provide materials, documentation, and reports on the research results
• Assist with the preparation of basic pleadings such as motions, summons, subpoenas, exhibits, resolutions and requests and responses to discovery and prepares other legal documents as requested or required; Provide litigation support to attorneys in various cases and/or matters such as depositions, trials and hearings
• Assemble and prepare documentation and/or exhibits based on materials developed during investigatory and discovery stages
• Assist other Paralegals, at higher levels, with the preparation of witness binders for deposition and trial; Prepare exhibits for hearings, including assembling and preparing trial notebooks and/or exhibits
• Assist with depositions and trials by preparing necessary documentation to commence, continue, or terminate proceedings as instructed
• Provide support functions for documentation control, coordinating exhibits and witnesses during trials and hearings, and provide immediate research and documentation retrieval when called upon; Arrange for documentation reproduction and maintain records of the related job functions
• Assist attorneys with interviewing clients, gathering, analyzing, and researching data such as statutes, decisions, legal articles, codes and regulations; Prepare drafts of written legal documents as necessary
• Assist with minimal investigation of facts to determine causes of action and assist in case preparation; Assist in setting up case files, preparing requests and obtaining necessary documentation; Organize and index case/matter documentation, making it available and easily accessible to attorneys; File legal documentation in the proper court or filing system
• Assist in administering routine contract preparation/execution, respond to client inquiries/communications and perform document management; Draft contracts and other routine transactional documents and prepare exhibits and other attachments; Facilitate open records requests and meetings
• Perform other related duties, as assigned

Employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other City agencies to support core functions of the City during a City-wide emergency declared by the Mayor. Any one position may not include all of the duties listed. However, the allocation of positions will be determined by the amount of time spent in performing the essential duties listed above.

What You’ll Bring

OMPD is seeking someone who is detail-oriented and wants to be a part of a team of professionals whose primary focus is our clients. You must be self-motivated, very dependable, and able to think critically. The candidate should thrive in a high demanding environment that is constantly changing and be willing to assist with additional duties when needed.

The Paralegal should possess the following capabilities:

• Experience and proficiency with the following:

o MS-Word Office 2010

o  MS-Excel

o  Adobe-Pro

o  JusticeWeb

• Ability to tickle/calendar important due dates
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work independently but also be part of a team
• Must possess or be in the process of obtaining a Paralegal Certificate

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education requirement: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.
• Experience Requirement: One (1) year of full-time paralegal equivalent experience in a public or private law office, not including internships.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
• License/Certifications: Possession of Paralegal Certification. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

Required Documents

To be considered for this position, you must include the following on your job application (upload the multiple attachment(s) to the Resume/CV section on the My Experience tab):

• Resume – Required
• Cover letter – Highly preferred

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until Sunday, December 21, 2025. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than December 12th at 11:59 PM.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CL2140 Paralegal I

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$28.87 - $44.75

Target Pay

$28.87 - $36.81/an hour, based on education and experience

Agency

Office of Municipal Public Defender

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.