Paralegal 3, Civil Rights 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 Civil Rights 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. 

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 Civil Rights Division:

The Wing Luke Civil Rights Division has led some of the most visible and cutting-edge enforcement matters the office undertakes, including Washington's challenges to the federal government’s Travel Ban, Transgender Military Service Ban, and repeal of DACA. We challenge labor practices at the Northwest Detention Center and in industries ranging from aerospace to agriculture. 

The team protects the rights of Washingtonians to live and participate in our communities without discrimination on the bases of protected characteristics including: race, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, disability, or use of a service animal by a person with a disability. We take on unconstitutional police practices and challenge discrimination by nationwide companies like Motel 6, Greyhound, and Facebook. 

We also work closely with the Solicitor General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division, and other AGO divisions and state agencies to enforce Washington laws in state and federal courts. For example, we recently partnered to lead a multi-state lawsuit to protect reproductive choice and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we enforced Governor Inslee’s emergency moratorium on evictions, ensuring compliance by housing developers, affordable housing providers, and a national sorority. 

The Civil Rights Division is located in Seattle and consists of seventeen attorneys, four investigators, and six professional staff members. Each member of our team is committed to the highest-quality work. We value collaboration, diversity, creativity, and collegiality.

Interested candidates are encouraged to review the Division’s full list of cases and amicus briefs.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 3

As a Paralegal 3, you may be entrusted to perform some of the following duties:

• Take an active role in the Divisions most complex cases, either serving as a mentor, coach, or lead paralegal;
• Provide training to direct reports and support to division in areas to include discovery, trial preparation, and claims administration;
• Evaluate performance of staff and provides ongoing feedback to help staff develop and enhance their competencies and skills; 
• Assist in legal research and writing, checks citations, quotations, and statutory references in accordance with the BlueBook and local form rules specific to courts of practice; 
• Manage compliance work to ensure that all requirements of consent decree or other court judgment are met by both AGO and opposing party in connection with settlement administration; 
• Attend and participates in meetings as scheduled by the CRD 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:

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:

• Experience managing complex case workflows, deadlines, and competing priorities;
• Ability to provide guidance, mentorship, and day-to-day supervision of paralegal staff;
• Deep understanding of civil legal procedures, state and federal court rules, discovery, and document management; 
• Proficiency in legal technology and eDiscovery tools; 
• Proactive approach to identifying process improvements; 
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the mission of the AGO. 

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.