Navigating Legal Careers in Colorado: Opportunities and Insights

The Colorado Legal Job Market at a Glance

The legal job market in Colorado offers a dynamic and evolving landscape for legal professionals. Over the past few years, Colorado has experienced a strong demand for legal talent, particularly in the areas of corporate law, intellectual property, and litigation. The state’s robust economy, coupled with a flourishing tech sector and active real estate market, has contributed to the demand for lawyers with expertise in these fields.
Corporate law remains at the forefront of legal hiring in Colorado, given the strong presence of technology, start-ups, and the growing film industry in the state. Intellectual property lawyers are in high demand due to the increasing number of technology companies and the state’s growth as a center for innovation and creative industries. Meanwhile, litigation and dispute resolution roles continue to be sought after, as more businesses and individuals require legal representation in a variety of disputes .
In terms of growth trends, Denver remains one of the strongest markets in the state for legal jobs, especially in commercial litigation, healthcare, labor, and employment, and real estate law. Boulder, Aurora, and Colorado Springs are also experiencing steady growth in demand for legal talent. Entry-level positions are available, although the competition for mid to senior-level attorneys remains strong.
When comparing to other states, Colorado offers a unique blend of career opportunities, work/life balance, and a high quality of life. The state boasts a lower cost of living and a reputation for outdoor activities, which are appealing to many lawyers and their families. While the legal job market in Denver can be competitive, its growth and stability make it an attractive destination for legal professionals considering relocation.

Leading Legal Employers in the State of Colorado

Several major employers hire or maintain in-house legal personnel to handle the legal work for their corporate or government entities. These major employers in Colorado include well-known law firms, corporations and government agencies that attract the attention of many lawyers seeking employment.
Law Firms
Some of the top law firms in Colorado include Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP, Holland & Hart, Kutak Rock, McKenna Long & Aldrich LLP, Polsinelli Shughart, P.C., Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Sherman & Howard L.L.C. and Spencer Fane LLP. According to The National Law Journal, these top law firms are recruited by Am Law 200, Regional Leaders, and Colorado law firms in 2017. The Am Law 200 ranks the top 100 US firms based on an analysis of revenue per lawyer and profitability per lawyer.
Corporations
Corporations often have in-house legal departments to handle real estate and environmental matters. Some of these top employers include Arrow Electronics, Inc., CoBiz Financial Inc., DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., Dish Network Corp., Front Range Capital Partners, Goodrich Corporation, Arrow Electronics, Lockheed Martin, IBM Corp., Medtronic, Inc., QEP Resources, Redwood Trust, Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., Swiftpage, ViaWest, Western Union, and Vail Resorts Inc.
Government Employers
Top employers in the state and federal governments include Administrative Office of the Courts, City of Aurora, Colorado, State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Law, City of Boulder, Colorado, City of Castle Rock, City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Department of Law, Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, County of Jefferson, Colorado, Douglas County, Co., and Weld County.

In-Demand Legal Specialties

The landscape of legal specializations in Colorado is as diverse as the communities that make up the state. The state’s unique blend of natural beauty, tech innovation, and demographic diversity has led to the emergence of several in-demand legal specializations.
Environmental law is perhaps the most prevalent field for legal practitioners in the state. Colorado’s breathtaking scenery is largely the result of an array of federal and state laws promoting environmental conservation. As such, Colorado employs a broad range of environmental laws governing air and water quality, wildlife protection, and land use regulation. Environmental lawyers in this state often represent clients in regulatory matters, land use planning issues, and litigation concerning the violation of environmental laws.
Immigration law is another key area for legal experts in Colorado, with the state seeing continued inflow of immigrants over the past few years. Immigration laws are complex and ever-changing, and lawyers working in this field often focus on helping immigrants navigate the process of obtaining green cards, work visas, student visas, or family-based immigration status. The increasing number of companies attracted to Colorado’s thriving job market have also necessitated expertise in employment-based immigration issues.
Given the state’s status as a technology innovation hub, tech law is another prominent area for legal practitioners in Colorado. This specialization covers a wide range of fields, from intellectual property rights to software patents to information technology law. Tech lawyers in Colorado are in high demand as local businesses navigate the myriad regulations concerning privacy, data breaches, and cyber threats.
Another area of increasing demand is labor and employment law, which deals with issues like wrongful termination, workplace safety, and employment discrimination. As new businesses crop up around the state, labor and employment lawyers are increasingly sought after to ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws, handle disputes among employees and employers within the workplace, and assist with the hiring and termination process.
These legal specializations represent just a snapshot of the dynamic and growing legal career opportunities in Colorado.

Becoming an Attorney in Colorado

Obtaining a Colorado law license is a multi-step process that should start with meeting or exceeding law school admissions requirements. In order to attend most American Bar Association-accredited law schools, a law school candidate must: – hold a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree; – take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT); – complete a law school application, including a personal statement; – have two or three letters of recommendation; and – pay all application fees. Once a law school applicant submits and passes the admissions requirements, the applicant can begin outlining an LSAT study plan. A plan should include mirroring the types of questions on the test by grading practice questions, completing a number of practice LSATs, and completing speed drills and exercises. However, most first-year students who take the LSAT will be busy with law school coursework, so a study plan might not be possible at that time. As a result, starting to gather study materials and commit to a plan before law school may be beneficial. Once law school coursework is completed, the next step is submitting an application to take the Colorado bar exam. The Colorado Board of Law Examiners requires a successful applicant to: – be a registered user of the Colorado Supreme Court’s electronic filing system, and: – file a uniform application for admission as a lawyer without examination; – submit undergraduate and law school transcripts; – submit character and fitness evaluations; – speak at an orientation before the exam; and – sit for the bar exam. There are several deadlines for each part of the application , which are strictly enforced. The Colorado bar exam is given over a two-day period in February and July and is administered in four parts: a 10-minute tutorial, six multiple-choice questions, an Essay Question I and II (three hours each), and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). A passing score of 132 is required on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) best 8 of 12 scaled score. Similarly, a 75 is required for each essay. To prepare for the Colorado bar exam, a graduate can review samples of multiple-choice questions, sample essay answers, and structure study sessions. For example, a recent graduate can employ a comprehensive outline that includes questions covering Colorado statutory distinctions and recent case law, practice MBEs and general outlines using past questions as a guide, and identify study sessions every few days to keep the material fresh. The Colorado bar exam is no easy feat, but it is an attainable goal. So, if you’re interested in starting a legal career in Colorado, the first step involves taking the LSAT and attending an ABA-accredited law school. Colorado lawyers have a chance to renew their licenses every three years. According to 2015 Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, all Colorado lawyers must take a minimum of 45 hours of continuing legal education (CLE), including 7 hours of ethics and/or professionalism, during each three-year period.

Finding Opportunities through Networking and Professional Growth

Continuing education and professional development are cornerstones to a successful legal career. Local Colorado law schools maintain strong relationships with Colorado Continuing Legal Education (CLE) board. Attorneys may also work with bar associations to identify and take courses. The following are CLE options worth noting.
Practicing attorneys in Colorado may avail themselves of extensive CLE programs through the Denver Bar Association. Several dozen programs are offered each month, including:
The Denver Bar also provides opportunities to join practice sections. These groups, which operate like traditional committees, focus on substantive areas of law, including real estate, labor and employment, family law, business law, and others. Members of a section enjoy resources made available by the association, including regularly scheduled meetings, networking identified above, and the opportunity to participate in CLE programming.
The Colorado Bar Association is the third and final option for CLE programming outside of the four law school sponsored programs. Many of the offerings closely parallel the options available through the Denver Bar Association, as well as the extensive CLE found through the Center for Legal Inclusiveness.
It is impossible to overstate the importance and value of networking. For young professionals, the importance of networking cannot be stressed enough. Those who begin and develop their professional netwoor while they are in school ultimately go on to lay the foundation for their post-graduation legal practice and early professional opportunities. Colorado provides a host of opportunities for children of the legal community to lay the critical groundwork for a successful future career.
For young professionals, the opportunity to network and meet with professional contacts becomes even more important. Young lawyers may look to the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, which provides diverse options throughout the state to connect those new to the profession with seasoned professionals.
The Colorado Hispanic Bar Association is another central resource devoted to promoting inclusive access to the legal profession, as well as general support for marginalized groups.
Over the next few decades, Colorado’s legal community will change rapidly. The state’s population is continually diversifying, creating new and exciting opportunities, including opportunities in the areas of business transactions, litigation, mediation, arbitration, and other burgeoning legal practice areas. In addition, business law is becoming increasingly globalized, adding a significant dimension to the work that can be done in the state.

Legal Job Resources in Colorado

Given the growing number of law firms in Colorado there are a number of resources specifically dedicated to the search process. These specialized sites typically post and source jobs from the top firms in the state. ColoradoLawJobs.com is a specialized job board that exclusively focuses on actively recruiting for quality law firm positions. The site’s database features 24/7 access to new job posts, which include everything from paralegals to senior partners. Capital Staffing provides a touch more personal attention to their candidates by performing one-on-one national searches in the top markets of the U.S. If you have a few years of experience, Capital Staffing is an excellent resource for assisting firms with finding and hiring attorneys at all levels.
If you are looking for litigation opportunities, Discovery Legal searches out premiere attorney talent in Colorado by performing nationwide , hands-on legal recruiting. Their high client demands include recruiting bright, qualified litigators within a specific geographical area across a range of practice areas. LAT Recruiting also helps candidate’s market themselves as a valuable and sought after attorney. They assist candidates in identifying a marketing plan to distinguish themselves in a large and crowded market.
Several of the larger national sources for legal jobs do maintain specialized portions of their site that are solely focused on law firm positions. Indeed, SimplyHired, Lawjobs.com and Jobing.com are some of the most popular and resourceful job boards available. In addition, they provide résumé posting, registration alerts, industry calendar and search functionality by area of practice. You can also register to receive email notifications when new jobs are available that fit your preferred area of interest.