Paralegal 2, Government Compliance & Enforcement Division, Olympia

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary
The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Paralegal 2 in the Government Compliance & Enforcement Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and  is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Paralegal 2 (Range 55) salary range: $61,644- $82,872

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The following stipends may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend.  
• Incumbents assigned to a position designated as requiring dual language skills will receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend. 

The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities.

Excellent benefits
Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance.  Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:

• Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
• A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources;
• Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!

About the Government Compliance and Enforcement (GCE) Division:

GCE’s 56 attorneys and professional staff are located on the Capitol Campus with direct access to downtown Olympia and the beautiful State Capitol grounds. GCE provides legal services to nearly 40 state agencies, boards, and commissions, including those that protect citizens by regulating a variety of professions and industries. We offer a professional and inclusive work environment where teamwork, high quality legal service, and work-life balance are highly valued.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 2

This position supports the AGO’s mission by providing advanced paralegal assistance which, absent the paralegal, would be performed by an assistant attorney general. These services support the attorneys in the practice of law.

This Paralegal 2 position will be part of a 7-person paralegal team supporting attorneys in GCE’s Health Section that litigate before the Boards and Commissions that regulate health care professions, including the Washington Medical Commission, the Dental Quality Assurance Commission, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, the Washington State Board of Nursing, and the Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission. The Health Section’s cases involve a wide variety of allegations including provider impairment, practicing below the standard of care, involvement in drug diversion, overprescribing opioids, or engaging in sexual misconduct.
  
 Under the direction of a Paralegal 3 or an Assistant Attorney General, duties may include but are not limited to the following areas:

• Preparing or reviewing client charging documents: analyzing case fact situations for identification of legal issues and determination of statutory violations in administrative cases; and making recommendations to attorneys. 
• Discovery: analyzing investigative or client files for identification of attorney-client privilege and work product documents; drafting requests for production, and requests for admissions. Independently contacting client agencies to obtain documents necessary to complete answers to discovery; and reviewing answers to discovery for completeness, evasiveness and propriety of objections. 
• Working with clients and witnesses: preparing and coordinating the production of documents for experts; interviewing and reviewing testimony of expert and lay witnesses and prepare summaries of such conversations for the attorney; preparing questions for depositions and summarize deposition transcripts; and keeping clients and witnesses informed of case status.
• Trial/Hearing Preparation: drafting discovery, prehearing and dispositive motions and replies; drafting witness/exhibit lists and prehearing statements by identifying legal issues, potential witnesses, and exhibits to be used at hearing; drafting declarations and affidavits for clients and witnesses; organizing key documents for use at hearing or trial; and coordinating witness testimony and the management of witnesses at the hearing or trial.
• Databases: using databases to track documents, exhibits, depositions, and records; and analyzing, coding, and entering document information into databases.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Required Education & Experience:

Research suggests that women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they are confident they meet 100% of the listed qualifications. We strongly encourage all interested individuals to apply, and allow us to evaluate your combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities demonstrated using an intentional equity lens. 

Combination of four years of experience* through:

• Paralegal certification
• Two-year paralegal degree
• Paralegal plus (or nine-month paralegal, post BA) certification,

and/or

• Paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney

OR

• One years’ experience as a Paralegal 1 in Washington State Service.

*You may have gained applicable paraprofessional experience through previous Paralegal or Legal Assistant work.

Examples of paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney:

• Preparing legal pleadings and legal correspondence
• Ensuring and verifying timely and proper service of legal documents
• Calculating, verifying, and calendaring critical events and other dates
• Managing case documents, files and exhibits
• Tracking and organizing discovery documents
• Researching legal issues and verifying legal citations and references for accuracy

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state.  We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor.  The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities.  This includes: 

• Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes)
• And much more!

Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest.  If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you!   Learn more about the AGO here.   

Commitment to Diversity:

Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO. This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds-- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people.  Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment. One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019.  Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2024 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

Applications Instructions

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

 Read the Following Information Completely:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.
• The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations Requests

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment. Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.