Supervising Paralegal 2, Agriculture and Health Division

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.

This position will remain open until a sufficient number of candidates have applied. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General reserves the right to close this announcement at any time without notice.

Position and Salary:

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Supervising Paralegal 2 in the Agriculture and Health 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: $59,844 - $80,460 

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 AGO Agriculture and Division:
 The Agriculture and Health Division (AHD) comprises approximately 24 attorneys and professional staff who work in the civil litigation space and are charged with the important work of keeping Washingtonians safe from: 

• Predatory health care practitioners and facilities
• Drinking water toxins
• Dangerous agricultural activities and food processing practices
• And much more

AHD also provides litigation and advice on topics such as:

• Medical cannabis regulation
• Funding of innovative life sciences research and clean energy technology
• Ethical treatment of animals
• Historic and archaeological artifact preservation, including tribal land burial sites

The vital work of protecting vulnerable adults and ensuring the health and safety of Washingtonians, animals, and Washington resources is exemplified in AHD through cases like Daybreak, Tri-Cities Animal Shelter, and the efforts to save the Davis-Meeker Garry Oak tree.

Paralegal 2 Position & Essential Functions
 As a member of the AHD Professional Staff team as a Paralegal 2, you will be engaged in challenging and crucial work promoting the rights of Washingtonians in an assortment of courts, including administrative boards, state superior courts, court of appeals, and occasionally federal courts. 

You will work with collaborative colleagues who put mentorship into practice and challenge you to excel in your strengths and help you develop in areas outside of your comfort zone. If you are a self-starter and eager to learn more in the paralegal space all why making a difference in your community, this might be the opportunity for you.

Essential Functions & Duties:

This role is both a legal support role and will be responsible for carrying a caseload and a supervisor of a team of four Paralegal 1s. Legal support duties may include but are not limited to:

• Supervision: Supervise, train, mentor, and coach four Paralegal 1s in the performance of all duties at a senior level.
• Management Team: As a member of the division's management team, you will attend regular and special management meetings, participate in division business planning, and model and provide leadership to promote teamwork, motivate staff, and produce high quality services. 

• Legal Document Management: Review legal documents for proper format and ensure court rules are followed. 
  • Draft and prepare pleadings, discovery, and case information including case analysis, as needed.
  • Initiate correspondence and pleadings for attorneys' signatures.
  • Proofread, format, cite check, and finalize letters, memos, reports and pleadings at attorney's request. 
  • Compile exhibits and attachments, maintains service lists, and ensure that legal documents are prepared and processed to meet legal requirements and all filing deadlines.
• Court Rules: Maintain a working knowledge of the procedures, rules, and policies, for electronic and hard copy filings in administrative, state, federal, and appellate courts.
• Independence: In absence of attorney, judge, or equivalent, independently take appropriate action on urgent items. 
• Collaborative Environment: Work with positive mentors and supportive co-workers who encourage you to pursue growth opportunities while doing work that benefits and protects the people of Washington.

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

• Three 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

Preferred Qualifications:
 The most competitive candidates will exhibit the following: 

• Experience with litigation and expert knowledge of pleadings and the deadlines they trigger.
• Ability to remain calm and help calm others during stressful events.
• Strong communication skills, with an emphasis on listening and bringing people together. 
• Experience with leading, mentoring, coaching, or training others. 

Ideal Candidate Profile:
 The ideal candidate will be a legal support professional who thrives in the face of a new challenges. They will enjoys working on a tight knit team and be uniquely gifted with the ability to bring out the best in others. They will have a desire to be a team player, public servant, and champion in protecting the rights of Washingtonians.

Typical successful backgrounds for this position include:

• Washington State civil litigation experience
• Private practice legal support experience
• Court rules and statues legal support work
• Discovery production and assisting at hearings and trials

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.

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.