Paralegal 1 - Regional Services Division, WA State Office of the Attorney General

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 1 in the Regional Services Division. This position is located in Vancouver, Washington and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
  
Paralegal 1 (Range 51) salary range: $55,836 – $75,108  
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.

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 telework options for most positions, a Wellness Program, the Employee Assistance Program, and numerous affinity groups to foster community and connection.
 

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General 
Join an agency whose work impacts the lives of every resident of Washington State.
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.  

Division Information
The Regional Services Division is made up of seven sections located in communities across Central Washington and Western Washington outside the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia corridor. The division provides legal services to a variety of state agencies and institutions of higher education in the counties surrounding each of the seven locations. By sharing information and strategies across the division, the employees in Regional Services are able to provide excellent legal services through the efforts of employees who live in and play an active part in the communities they serve.

Paralegal 1 Position Description and Job Duties
Our Paralegal 1 staff provide critical support for Assistant Attorneys General in litigation of state matters, preparing for trial, and applying knowledge of court rules related to legal practice, subject matter, and court filing procedures in civil and appellate matters.
  
As a Paralegal 1, you may be entrusted to perform some of the following duties: analyze facts, compose documents and pleadings, schedule and/or interview witnesses, research legal issues and evaluate the facts of cases, coordinate the preparation for litigation, track status of cases from summons to trial, and draft legal notices.
   
 If you are interested in a dynamic career that protects the interests of the people of Washington, please apply and become part of our team.

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 three 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

*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
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to produce supporting documents - Focusing on results in supporting/assisting one or more individuals by providing paralegal services in preparing letters, legal notices, agendas, and reports.  Also analyze facts, schedule witnesses, and evaluate facts of the case in preparation for litigation.
• Communicates effectively - Consistently complies with accepted rules of English grammar and composition; able to translate information through written and verbal language, including e-mail, into understandable messages for intended receiver; uses responsiveness in communicating with others, using adequate grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• Contributes to a positive work environment. Treats others with respect; treats others fairly and without prejudice or bias; approaches situations by giving people the benefit of the doubt, addresses concerns in a professional and respectful manner directly with the individual(s) involved or that person's supervisor; does not engage in, and discourages, office gossip; builds constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation, and mutual respect. Is willing to flex and adapt to build and maintain strong relationships with peers, managers, and customers, sharing information, making decisions, and implementing solutions to problems or request to achieve successful solutions.
• Critical Thinking - Use and apply problem solving and decision making skills to the daily performance of the work assignments.
• Knowledge and proper application of court rules, procedures and requirements.
• Listens proactively - Listens and responds constructively to other team members' ideas and offers support for others' ideas and proposals.
• Proofreading to assure accuracy - Reads with comprehension drafted, original or other written materials and documents, that may include citations, rules and regulations, using ability to make corrections to effectively resolve problems or inaccuracies in punctuation, spelling or omitted language; ability to accurately discern intended context of main ideas or essential message of document content.
• Reading, comprehending, and retaining information -Accurately reads, interprets, understands and retains information from written materials or instructions; effectively applies information in communicating with others, or in solving problems and carrying out work activities; ability to correct inaccuracies in punctuation, spelling or language; ability to discern intended meaning of main items or messages of document and place in context.
• Stress tolerance - Effectively handle highly stressful or adverse situations, working calmly and accurately and helping to calm others. Use skill at handling and controlling emotions.
• Timeliness/promptness - Is readily available during designated work hours, acknowledges customers with immediate response and provides estimated time when requested information will be provided.
• 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.

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:

• 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.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application.
• Please be sure to remove private information such as your Social Security number, date of birth, etc. 
• 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.

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".

Equal Employment Opportunity & Accommodations Requests
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 Megan Davis at 360-709-6013 or 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.