Paralegal I/ Family Advocate

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is seeking to hire a motivated individual as a Paralegal I/ Family Advocate to join our office. The Paralegal I/Family Advocate will be responsible for providing administrative support to Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) unit deputies, and to provide immediate crisis intervention to families and vulnerable witnesses, with the highest priority being safety. Specific duties will include initiating contact with patients’ family members upon receipt of discovery and providing support and information to families and witnesses throughout the ITA proceedings. This includes responding to family members’ questions and concerns, explaining the legal process, and keeping them informed of court hearings and the outcomes. The paralegal/advocate will consult and coordinate with prosecutors daily regarding case issues as a representative of the families’ concerns, needs, and input.

• We exercise the power given to us by the people with fairness and humility.
• We serve our diverse community, support victims and families, and hold individuals accountable.
• We develop innovative and collaborative solutions for King County and the State of Washington.

* In addition to the benefits listed on the benefits tab, employees with less than 2 years of service will receive .25 per hour less than the hourly salary table due to a mandatory contribution toward the Teamsters Pension Trust that was voted by members of the collective bargaining agreement between our office and Teamsters Local No. 117.  This contribution is made by the employee and after two years it is paid by the employer. 

• Support, assist and inform family members throughout the ITA proceedings:  Provide earliest contact and crisis intervention, be available to respond to questions or concerns and explain the ITA process.
• Assist with addressing emotional and physical needs to reduce the impacts of trauma and victimization.
• Deploy advocacy skills: Crisis intervention, case management and de-escalation techniques; development of coordinated safety plans with family members and vulnerable witnesses as needed.
• Inform and refer family members and vulnerable witnesses in filing for civil protection orders and/or extreme risk protection orders (ERPO) as needed.  Communicate with the hospital a “Duty to Warn” if a family member is in the process or has a protection order against the patient.
• Connect family members with community resources and service providers.
• Advocate and speak on behalf of the family and prepare family members for court testimony.
• Initiate contact with family upon receipt of petition and maintain contact throughout the process with the intent to identify and address any safety concerns, keep the family informed of the status of the case, and gather the families input for the prosecutor and courts.
• Consult and coordinate with prosecutors regularly regarding case issues and proceedings as a representative of the family’s concerns, needs and input – includes informing prosecutor of family’s willingness to assist with prosecution and of additional discoverable information or pertinent facts to the case gained through contact with the family.
• Communicate case updates to appropriate family members; comply and explain to the family HIPPA requirements and refer family to the hospital for a release of information (ROI) from the patient in order for the family to receive patient psych/medical information.
• Foster relationships with teammates and external agency partners: Hospitals, Evaluators, Attorneys, Paralegals. Law Enforcement, and other system entities to empower, support and educate families throughout the ITA system process.
• Assist paralegal team with PBK input and duties, as needed.
• Answer phone calls and respond to e-mails in a timely manner.
• Assist unit supervisor and staff supervisor as requested.
• Perform related work or other projects as requested or required.
• Actively participate in PAO equity work, attending equity trainings and discussions

• Knowledge of civil, appellate, and criminal law terminology, court rules and procedures. 
• Demonstrated ability to work with people in crisis. 
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; ability to communicate professionally and effectively with individuals and groups.
• Considerable knowledge of local related community resources. 
• Skill in working with diverse populations.
• Ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment and also function as a team player. 
• Ability to problem-solve and identify needed procedural and policy changes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage voluminous and sensitive caseloads.   
• Ability to demonstrate predictable, reliable and timely attendance.
• Ability to accept supervision and feedback.
• Skill in performing in a fast-paced environment with a high-volume caseload.
• Computer skills (WORD, Excel, PBK a plus), office equipment (phone, fax, copier), and organization skills. 
• Attention to detail and a low error rate in a fast-paced environment and the ability to multi-task and manage frequent interruptions. 
• Ability to comply with confidentiality requirements.
• Active participation in PAO equity work, attending equity trainings and discussions, support for the PAO’s Race, Equity and Social Justice policy and principles, work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Engage race, equity and social justice principles in regular job duties and decision making.
• Additional responsibilities and/or tasks may be incorporated, or existing ones modified as business needs evolve.

The Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.