Paralegal 2 | Children, Youth, and Families Division | Tumwater

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 2 in the Children, Youth, and Families Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
 
Paralegal 2 Salary Range (55): $62,880 - $84,528 annually
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 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 Children, Youth, and Families Division

The Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) Division is comprised of 34 attorneys and 33 professional staff who together provide advice and representation to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Staff in each Attorney General’s Office location handle litigation for DCYF, and the CYF Division has the responsibility for doing so locally, as well as coordinating this work for the AGO statewide and advising DCYF leadership.

Our division is dedicated to fostering a positive and supportive workplace. We prioritize employee growth through a culture that recognizes hard work and provides active support for career advancement. Like the rest of the Attorney General’s Office, the CYF Division values diversity and enjoys a collegial, inclusive, and respectful working environment in which every person demonstrates commitment to providing exceptional legal services. 

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 2 

Our team is expanding, and we are excited to welcome a new Paralegal to join our collaborative Juvenile Litigation (JUV) section, where together we can make a meaningful impact. This position will provide crucial support to our client, DCYF, in fulfilling its mission to help families in need of support with the safety and care of their children. This role presents an excellent opportunity to contribute to this mission while developing valuable paralegal skills in litigation and discovery.

In this role, you will support our Juvenile Litigation Assistant Attorneys General (AAGs) by: 

• Developing legal strategy and analyzing, selecting, and summarizing documents to identify information relevant to factual or legal issues.
• Preparing for trial, including identifying, locating, organizing, and preparing exhibits and trial notebooks for dependency and termination of parental rights trials. 
• Review and prepare responses to formal discovery requests. Manage, organize, and track voluminous discovery, including redacting confidential information and use of electronic discovery databases and supporting tools, i.e., Everlaw. 
• Serve as liaison with opposing counsel on developing a discovery plan for electronic and paper production.
• Independently review matters referred from our client agency and independently contact the client to obtain additional factual information and evidence in support of the case, draft pleadings, memoranda, affidavits, and correspondence necessitated by litigation.
• Serve as initial point of contact for client, opposing counsel, pro se litigants and/or courts; provide case information, schedule hearings, obtain information for attorney, if necessary.
• Coordinate work with experts, including communications to retain experts, manage contracts, and securely provide records.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple 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 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

• One year 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 posses the following skills and abilities:

Demonstrated Knowledge of and Experience in:

• Knowledge of Paralegal processes and procedures
• Experience in all components of trial preparation
• Experience in state and federal courts filing procedures
• Utilization of court systems, i.e., Odyssey, JIS/JABS
• Understand the components of electronic discovery processes

Demonstrated Ability to:

• Effectively communicate in both written and verbal forms
• Ability to problem solve and implement decision-making skills in the daily performance of work assignments 
• Multi-task and/or shift priorities to conduct necessary business
• Work independently
• Research and comply with state and agency policies and procedures
• Effectively use Microsoft Office Suite applications, case management systems, and data bases

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 Instructions 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.
• The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

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.