Paralegal 3, Government Compliance & Enforcement, 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 3 in the Government Compliance and Enforcement Division. This position is located in Olympia, 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. 

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 GCE Division:

The Government Compliance and Enforcement Division (GCE) is a professional and inclusive work environment where teamwork, high quality legal service, and work-life balance are highly valued. GCE includes 57 attorneys and professional staff 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.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 3

As a Paralegal 3, you will supervise paralegals supporting legal work for several client agencies including: the Department of Financial Institutions, the Criminal Justice Training Commission, the Executive Ethics Board, the Public Disclosure Commission, the Gambling Commission, and the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises. You work may include performing the following duties:

• Reviewing charging documents and other appropriate pleadings by analyzing case fact situations for identification of legal issues and determination of statutory violations in administrative cases and making recommendations to the attorney. 

• Exercising a high level of knowledge on how to utilize litigation support software, such as Everlaw, for collection, document management, tracking, review, and production.
• Assisting with responding to written requests for discovery by analyzing investigative or client files for identification of attorney-client privilege and work product documents, contacting client agencies to obtain documents necessary to complete answers to discovery, and review answers to discovery for completeness and the propriety of objections. 
• Drafting interrogatories, requests for production, and requests for admissions. 
• Drafting witness and exhibit lists by identifying legal issues, potential witnesses, and exhibits to be used at hearing. 
• Drafting declarations for clients and witnesses. 
• Delegated responsibility for supervising paralegals including: conducting performance evaluations; assisting with personnel issues; participating in the interviewing and selection of paralegal applicants; assigning cases based on paralegal workload and case type; acting as a mentor and resource to division paralegals; acting as liaison between paralegals, attorneys and legal assistants within the division; and conducting paralegal meetings. 
• Keeping clients and witnesses informed of case status. 
• Assisting AAGs in the preparation for hearings by organizing and identifying key documents for use at hearing or trial, and by coordinating witness testimony.

• Participating in meetings as scheduled by the GCE management 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:

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 five 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 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:

• Adaptability and flexibility
• Attention to detail
• Experience managing deadlines and competing priorities
• Ability to provide coaching, guidance, and mentorship of staff
• Database/spreadsheet/research proficiency
• Proactive approach to identifying process improvements
• Prior supervisory experience is also desirable

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.

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.