Paralegal 3, Torts 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.

Position and Salary
 
The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Paralegal 3 in the Torts Division. This position is located in Seattle, Washington, and  is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Paralegal 3 Salary Range 59, $66,023 - $88,800 

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. 

• Note: Effective July 1, 2025, Paralegal 3s assigned to work within King County receive Group C Assignment Pay in addition to their base pay. The Group C pay percentage received at this classification is a limited premium and applies at the Paralegal 2 classification.
  • King County Paralegal 3s – 5% Group C Assignment Pay

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 Torts Division:

The Torts Division is the largest division within the Attorney General’s Office and is responsible for defending tort claims and lawsuits brought against Washington State agencies, officers, and employees. Its work spans a wide range of complex and impactful legal issues, including highway design, release and supervision of offenders, injuries on state property, medical malpractice, employment disputes, childcare and custody matters, auto accidents, maritime injuries, false arrests, and allegations of excessive force. In addition to litigation, the Division provides legal and risk-management guidance to the Office of Financial Management and state agencies on tort-related matters. Attorneys and professional staff in our division handle cutting-edge civil cases that test and shape the boundaries of tort law while developing expertise across diverse subject areas such as civil rights, employment, and child welfare. With a collaborative culture, strong infrastructure, and robust opportunities for professional growth, the Torts Division offers a dynamic environment where dedicated professionals can make a meaningful impact on public service and the administration of justice across the state.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 3

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is seeking a highly skilled Paralegal, with strong litigation experience, exceptional organizational skills, and supervisor experience to join the Torts Division in our Seattle location. This position plays a critical role in supporting the AGO’s mission by performing complex paralegal work in civil tort litigation involving diverse and challenging subject areas. This position provides essential leadership within the Division by supervising, mentoring, and developing legal support staff. In addition to comprehensive paralegal support, this role will serve as a resource for staff, promotes a collaborative and professional work environment, and support strategic improvements in efficiency and service delivery.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, adaptable to complex legal demands, and committed to the AGO’s values of integrity, professionalism, and public service. This is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the defense of the State of Washington while mentoring staff and supporting high-quality legal work in cases of statewide importance.

Essential responsibilities include: 

• Supervision and Leadership: assigning workloads, resolving conflicts, conducting training, onboarding and performance evaluations, ensuring adherence to agency policies, and contributing to the development of office procedures and team operations.
• Advanced Paralegal Support: conducting comprehensive case analysis; drafting and review a wide range of litigation documents; coordinating a wide range of discovery; managing evidence and discovery coordination; interacting with witnesses, experts, and client agencies; creating demonstrative and digital presentations for trial, mediation, and appellate matters, tracking critical deadlines, and ensuring compliance with state and federal court rules and AGO procedures.

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.

Qualifications:

Combination of six 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

• Two years’ experience as a Paralegal 2 in Washington State Service.

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

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Supervisor experience is preferred but not required. 

  Accountability & Dependability: Takes personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work, and achieves results with little oversight.

  Adaptability and flexibility: Adapts easily to changing business needs, conditions and work responsibilities, using methods to achieve successful solutions.

  Communication effectiveness: Convey clear, timely, persuasive messages, verbally or written, that impact the thoughts and actions of others; giving and receiving information; use appropriate language for the knowledge and understanding of audience or reader; maintain appropriate confidentiality; use tact and diplomacy in all interactions; use of written communication using adequate and accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling in written correspondence, including e-mail.

  Interpersonal skills: Build and maintain strong, courteous relationships with peers, managers and customers; provides assistance, information or other support to others to build or maintain relationships with them.

  Initiative: Recognize situations that warrant initiative and move forward without hesitation, reasonably resolving issues, problems and situations. Demonstrates an ongoing commitment to learning and self-improvement, seeking out opportunities to work on a team as a means to develop experience and knowledge.

  Self-Management: Manages own time, priorities, and resources to achieve goals.

  Decision Making & Judgment: Makes timely, informed decisions that take into account the facts, goals, constraints, and risks.

  Attention to Detail: Diligently attends to details and pursues quality in accomplishing tasks.

  Organization/Case Management: Collect, organize, store, maintain, and retrieve accurate records, documents and information and maintain case files to ensure smooth, efficient operation and knowledge of work product.

  Workload management: Effectively handles and organizes multiple assignments and competing priorities and urgent situations, making sound decisions to produce accurate work product thoroughly and on time.

  Analysis: Use data and information in a clear and rational thought process to assess and understand issues, evaluate evidence, form accurate conclusions, and make appropriate decisions. Identify key facts in an array of data. Recognize when pertinent facts are incorrect, missing, or require supplementation or verification, and distinguish information that is not pertinent to a decision or solution.

  Research: Effectively identify, collect, organize and document research information in ways that make the information most useful for subsequent assessment, analysis and investigation. Document and communicate results of research in a way that it can be understood, interpreted, and acted upon by end-users.

  Creative & Innovative Thinking: Develops fresh ideas that provide solutions to all types of workplace challenges.

  Stress Tolerance: Maintains composure in highly stressful or adverse situations.

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.

APPLICATION 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.