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Job Description
Salary
- Summary
Legal Extern Program - Summer 2025
This is a 10-week program for law students during the summer between their first and second years of law school. The externship program is designed to give students a meaningful experience and exposure to public service law practice in our office. It is an excellent way to become acquainted with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, pursue an interest in adult criminal, civil, or juvenile law, and to determine whether these practice areas are future career paths for the externs. These positions are unpaid, but many law schools offer credit for externship programs.
About the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
Our mission is to do Justice:- We exercise the power given to us by the people with fairness and humility.
- We serve our diverse community, support victims and families, and hold individuals accountable.
- We develop innovative and collaborative solutions for King County and the State of Washington.
Our office is comprised of six divisions that are further organized into specialized units: To learn more about the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO), please visit our website.
We value diversity and strive to hire a workforce that reflects the community that we serve. It is essential to our mission that we create and maintain an office that is diverse and inclusive. All PAO employees are expected to participate in PAO equity work and attend equity trainings and discussions. PAO employees are expected to comply with equity and social justice principles, and to work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.- Job Duties
Externs will be assigned to one or more deputies and assigned to a specialized unit in one of the following divisions: Civil Division, Economic Crimes & Wage Theft Division, Gender-Based Violence & Prevention Division, Juvenile Division, Mainstream Criminal Division.
Duties in the Mainstream Criminal Division, Economic Crimes & Wage Theft Division, and Gender-Based Violence & Prevention Division may include:- Witness contact, coordination and interviews.
- Legal research and writing.
- General preparation and support prior to and during trial.
- Assisting in the review of cases for charging consideration.
- Trial preparation and legal research and writing.
- Collaborate in case staffing, where the extern will discuss the progress of cases with attorneys, victim advocates, and other members of the team.
- This extern will have the opportunity to learn about restorative justice principles and practices and how they can be applied to juvenile delinquency response.
- Participate in depositions, mediations, court hearings and trials.
- Legal research and writing.
- Attend client meetings.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
- Candidates must have a genuine interest in criminal, juvenile, or civil law and procedure.
- Basic legal and writing skills.
- Willingness to work under frequent deadlines in the fast paced environment of criminal and civil litigation.
- Able to work at any of our two locations (Seattle and Kent).
- Must submit to a criminal history check.
- Must be a current 1L, who will be between their first and second years of law school during summer 2025.
- Supplemental Information
Work Locations:
- Mainstream Criminal, Economic Crimes & Wage Theft, Gender-Based Violence & Prevention - King County Courthouse in Seattle or Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
- Civil Division - Columbia Center in Seattle.
- Juvenile Division - Clark Children & Family Justice Center in Seattle.
Wages: Many law schools offer credit and some offer fellowships or grants. Our office also offers an $85/week travel stipend (primarily adult criminal practice).
Application Process: Interested candidates should apply through this recruitment and include:
1. Cover letter
2. Resume
3. List of three references
4. Writing sample 5-10 pages in length
Applications or supplemental questionnaires that state "see my resume" or that are blank are considered incomplete and will not be competitive.
Timeline:
Applications due: February 21, 2024 at 12:00 noon.
Interviews by our extern selection committee will take place March 6th and March 7th for competitive applicants.
Consideration for Future Employment: Summer externs applying for our 2L summer intern program will be evaluated carefully by their supervising attorney. There is no guarantee that an externship will lead to a Rule 9 Intern position or a future position with our office.
* If you are enrolled in Seattle University School of Law's evening program and are interested in an Extern position, but unable to work full-time, please contact Amanda Kossman for other options.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Persons with disabilities may request special accommodations from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in order to participate in a selection process or to perform work once hired. Requests for accommodations should be made as soon as possible. This may be done by a written letter or an appropriate alternative format to our offices, or phone 206-477-1204.
- $85/per week
