Special AAG - Environmental Protection Division, Seattle

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.    

All employees and volunteers of the Washington State Attorney General's Office serve a crucial role in the protection of the state, its people and resources, thereby providing an incomparable degree of job satisfaction. The AGO is composed of diverse, collegial and supremely talented legal professionals who are resolute in their commitment to public service and share the common goal of advancing the public interest. For more information about the AGO, we encourage you to review the Office's Annual Report which can be found HERE and view THIS VIDEO.  

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The Environmental Protection Division of the WA State Attorney General’s Office seeks an attorney to litigate significant environmental lawsuits in an exciting, creative, fast-paced environment. This position will be involved in defending environmental protections from unlawful attempts to repeal or weaken them, and affirmative litigation seeking to hold polluters accountable.

This is a two-year Special Assistant Attorney General position in connection with a legal fellowship sponsored by the New York University School of Law State Energy & Environmental Impact Center (State Impact Center). The attorney selected for this opportunity will focus on climate change, clean energy, energy and environmental justice, and other environmental protection matters. The non-partisan State Impact Center supports state attorneys general in defending and promoting clean energy, climate, and environmental laws and policies. More information about the State Impact Center can be found at https://stateimpactcenter.org/.

The Special Assistant Attorney General will work with our Environmental Protection Division and undertake affirmative investigation and litigation to protect Washingtonians and our environment. The EPD has led high-impact, innovative environmental enforcement matters, including the state’s suit against manufacturers of PFAS-laden firefighting foam products; against Monsanto for PCB damages; against a gold mining company for thousands of violations of the Clean Water Act; and against the Hanford nuclear facility for worker exposure to tank vapors. EPD has also led high-profile litigation against the federal government to defend environmental protections against regulatory rollbacks, including suits to stop oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; challenging the rollback of regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, and to stop the resumption of coal mining on federal lands without sufficient environmental study.
  
EPD attorneys bring cases arising under state or Federal law, and which may relate to a wide range of environmental and environmental justice topics, such as water and air quality, habitat protection, toxic chemicals, climate change, and worker safety. For this position, we will especially value applicants with familiarity and experience in federal administrative law, including NEPA and other environmental laws.
  
 Duties typical of attorneys within the EPD include:

• Directing and assisting in investigations and case development;
• Developing creative litigation strategies to address complex legal issues;
• Drafting pleadings, motions and memoranda from initial filing through post-judgment proceedings;
• Developing federal administrative matters, including by drafting comments on federal rulemakings and other actions and filing challenges to federal decisions.
• Representing the AGO in public settings on matters that may be of a sensitive or high-profile nature;
• Conducting all aspects of discovery; and
• Motions practice, trials, and participating in post-trial proceedings including any appeals.

In addition to meeting the qualifications to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, candidates must have a minimum of two years of civil litigation experience, with more experience preferred. Other required qualifications include:

• Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees;
• Ability to maintain productive working relationships across the division and with stakeholders, helping to identify and resolve problems;
• Experience in a full range of discovery and motions practice;
• Strong analytical, research, and writing skills;
• Excellent judgment; 
• Experience successfully handling multiple time-sensitive assignments; and
• Commitment to help create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce and culture that encourages and celebrates difference.

NOTE!  The applicants selected will be required to submit to and pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check conducted by the Washington State Patrol, Criminal Records Division.  The incumbent will submit to additional background checks as a condition of employment every five (5) years thereafter.

To serve as an Assistant Attorney General, one must have graduated from a law school accredited by the ABA or completed the WSBA's Rule 6 Law Clerk Program; and be licensed to practice law in Washington state. (Applicants who meet the other stated qualifications and are actively pursuing admission by motion will also be considered.) The AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. The AGO greatly encourages, celebrates and values diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfill its mission of providing excellent, independent and ethical legal services to the State of Washington and protecting the rights of its people.

This position is not represented by the Association of Washington Assistant Attorneys General (AWAAG) / Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) AFSCME Council 28, AFL-CIO and is considered a Special Assistant Attorney General under an agreement between the State Impact Center and the Attorney General’s Office for the benefit of the State of Washington and its residents. The selected attorney will not be an employee of the Attorney General’s Office but will be entirely identified and managed by the Attorney General’s Office.  NYU pays the salaries of the fellows, but the fellows’ sole duty of loyalty is to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office in service and acting as an agent on its behalf. The term of the position is two years.

Salary: Salary and benefits for this position, including health care benefits, are solely provided by the New York University School of Law. Though this position is not represented by AWAAG/WFSE the salary will be consistent with that of an Assistant Attorney General, which is based on JD year and experience. 

Through the agreement with NYU, the successful candidates will be eligible for subsidized health benefits (medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage) and life insurance; leave, including annual (vacation), personal, sick, and paid parental leave solely through NYU. The candidate is also eligible to participate in a retirement plan. For information regarding benefits for this fellowship, please visit NYU’s website at: https://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefit/full-time/professional-research-staff/benefits-guide-2025.html. For more information regarding the fellowship program, please visit NYU’s website at: https://stateimpactcenter.org/about/fellows-program/.

 
Interested applicants must apply by hitting the "apply" button above. In addition to the on-line application, one must upload, via the system, preferably as PDFs:

• A letter of interest;
• Resume;
• Law school transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable); and
• Writing sample (10 pages or less).

If you have questions about this position and/or wish to learn more about it before applying, please contact Division Chief Bill Sherman at 206-442-4485 or bill.sherman@atg.wa.gov.  The deadline to apply is May 26, 2025.

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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 age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability 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.