WABON Staff Attorney (LE 3) DOH8681

Staff Attorney - Legal Examiner 3 (LE 3)

Permanent · Full-time · Remote

The Washington State Department of Health is seeking a Staff Attorney to provide senior-level legal support to the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON). This position directly supports the department’s mission to protect and improve the health of people in Washington by ensuring the safe and competent practice of nursing.

The Board of Nursing safeguards public health by regulating licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and nursing technicians. WABON establishes and enforces licensing standards, monitors professional practice, ensures continuing competency, and disciplines unsafe or unprofessional conduct.

As a Legal Examiner 3, you will be assigned highly complex nursing discipline cases that often involve political sensitivity, media attention, or novel legal issues. These cases require careful judgment, advanced legal analysis, and a commitment to public safety.

Key responsibilities include:

• Advising on investigations, evidence collection, and the legal analysis of cases involving unprofessional conduct.
• Collaborating with criminal prosecutors when appropriate.
• Recommending disciplinary or alternative actions to panels of WABON members.
• Conducting in-depth legal research and applying state and federal law, case law, and administrative decisions.
• Drafting legal documents, briefs, rules, interpretive guidelines, and proposed legislation.
• Negotiating settlements and developing appropriate conditions or restrictions.
• Providing legal guidance to WABON staff and members, including support on projects, workgroups, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Serving as a subject matter expert in legislative implementation.

This position represents the senior level of the Legal Examiner series and plays a vital role in protecting the public’s health and safety by upholding the integrity of Washington’s nursing profession.

Location and Flexibility 

We value work-life balance and offer the convenience of remote work with occasional in-person collaboration opportunities. Attending events or working In-office is rarely required and would be scheduled in advance. This is a remote/home-based position available to applicants residing anywhere in Washington State, as well as those living near the Oregon/Washington border and the Idaho/Washington border. 

Required Qualifications (you must meet ONE of the options provided and any additional criteria listed): 

Experience defined below may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. 

Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.

• Option 1: Three (3) years of experience as a member of an administrative tribunal empowered to issue findings of fact and law. 

• Option 2: Three (3) years of experience in trial practice in private or public employment as an attorney.

• Option 3: Three (3) years of experience as a Legal Examiner 2 or equivalent education and/or experience.

AND for all options:

• Current active license to practice law in Washington State.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of agency, board, or commission-specific statutes and rules and related regulations and the case law relating to the statutes and rules (Uniform Disciplinary Act and Washington Administrative Procedure Act).  
• Knowledge of administrative law and procedure (including adjudicative proceedings and rulemaking), the rules of evidence and case law related to admissibility of evidence; civil procedure; constitutional law; public disclosure laws.   
• Graduated in the top 50% of law school class.

Benefits and Lifestyle

We prioritize your work-life balance and offer one of the most competitive benefits packages nationwide, tailored to support your lifestyle. Discover more about "Why DOH" by visiting Work@Health.

We are the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

At DOH, we safeguard public health in an ever-evolving world. Through collaboration with local health jurisdictions and state, federal, and private partners, our programs, and services impact every Washingtonian and visitor daily. We're driven by Equity, Innovation, and Engagement, as outlined in our Transformational Plan for the future of Washington health.

Conditions of Employment:

This position is covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative. 

I am prepared, with or without accommodations, to do the following:

• Commit to a full-time 40-hour workweek schedule (flexible work schedule requests must be approved supervisor).
• Communicate through applications such as MS Teams and MS Outlook, and by phone while working remotely.
• Adjust my work schedule occasionally to align with business needs, which may entail working evenings and weekends.
• This position is eligible for teleworking 
• Perform my job duties either remotely from home or in person at the designated DOH site location.
• Occasional travel may be necessary, sometimes requiring overnight stays or trips out of state. You must be able to legally drive a vehicle or arrange alternative transportation for state business.
• Engage in emergency response exercises and high-priority assignments as assigned during emergency events. 

APPLICATION DIRECTIONS:

To apply, click "Apply" and complete the application. Attach your resume, and cover letter. 

In your Applicant Profile, include at least three professional references (including a supervisor, a peer, and someone you’ve supervised or led, if applicable). Please do not include private information such as social security number or year of birth.

Do attach the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• DD-214 (if applicable)

Veterans Preference: Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference must attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or a signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. Please remove or cover any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers and birth year

Do not include or attach the following – these documents or details will not be reviewed:

• REMOVE personal photos – do not submit any documents containing personal photos. 
• Transcripts (unless specifically requested in the Application Directions)
• Certifications or Diplomas
• Projects or Portfolios
• Letters of Recommendation

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: We regard diversity as the foundation of our strength, recognizing that differing insights and abilities enable us to reflect the unique needs of the communities we serve.  

DOH is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on race/ethnicity/color, creed, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, the presence or perception of a disability, veteran’s status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity. 

Questions and Accommodations: If you have questions, need assistance with the application process, require an accommodation, or would like to request this posting in an alternative format, please contact Andrea Thieme at employment@doh.wa.gov and reference the recruitment number (DOH8681).

Technical Support: Reach out to NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627 for technical support and login issues. 

This recruitment may be used to fill positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment are filled, the candidate pool may be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days. 

Only applicants who follow the directions and complete the Application Process in full will have their responses reviewed for consideration. 

Experience and education selected, listed, or detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable on the submitted applicant profile.