Administrative Appeals Judge (Exempt) / (Environmental)

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Diverse environmental case portfolio

Mentorship by experienced attorneys

Training and development opportunities

Public service and work/life balance

Job summary

State of Washington, ELUHO, seeks an Administrative Appeals Judge to preside over hearings for the Pollution Control Hearings Board and Shorelines Hearings Board. The role involves impartial case management, legal research, and timely written decisions on environmental matters.

You will interact with boards, staff, and parties, providing due process and administrative support while upholding ethics and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Admitted to the practice of law in Washington, in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association.
• Knowledge of environmental law demonstrated through research, writing, coursework or practice.
• Valid Driver’s License, free from serious traffic violations.

Responsibilities

• Preside over prehearing conferences and hearings to ensure fairness and issue decisions.
• Conduct legal research and provide timely, high-quality draft decisions to boards.
• Conduct mediations between PCHB and SHB parties to achieve mutual resolution.
• Assist with open public meetings, public records requests, and case organization.

Skills

accountability

dependability

attention to detail

office technology

workload management

legal research

legal writing

proofreading

legal terminology

citations

knowledge retention

active listening

team building

diversity & inclusion

Job description

This posting date has been updated. If you've previously applied, you need not reapply.

Application review will be on-going and will continue weekly until filled. The hiring manager reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time. It will be in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.

Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5p.m, however the schedule can be adjusted with approval.

Location: This position requires some travel for meetings, conferences, and hearings, however we offer flexibility to work remotely.

This is a unique opportunity to be a judge for Washington State’s quasi-judicial environmental boards. With your experience you will help the Pollution Control Hearings Board and Shorelines Hearings Board issue decisions on important environmental matters impacting Washington’s natural resources, citizens, communities, and economies.

ELUHO Offers:

• A highly diverse case portfolio of environmental legal issues
• Cutting edge cases with legal issues of first impression
• Opportunity to work directly with top environmental lawyers across the state and nation
• Mentorship by experienced environmental attorneys
• Opportunity to gain experience as an impartial mediator and judge
• Camaraderie in a supportive team atmosphere
• Training and development opportunities
• Comprehensive compensation packages, including benefits and paid leave
• The fulfillment of public service
• A healthy work/life balance

About us:

The Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office (ELUHO) is a small state agency that supports three independent, quasi-judicial boards: the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB), the Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB), and the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB). Together, ELUHO and the boards strive to provide an easily accessible forum for independent, expeditious, and efficient review of various state agency and local government environmental and land use decisions.

The Pollution Control Hearings Board was created in 1970 and reviews environmental permitting and enforcement decisions. Respondents to Board cases include the Department of Ecology, local air pollution control authorities, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local agencies such as ports and municipalities. There are over 40 separate environmental statutes that are appealable to the Pollution Control Hearings Board. Jurisdictional areas include water and air pollution, water resources, hydraulic project approvals, forest practices, toxic pollution, oil spills and hazardous waste, dairy nutrient management, floodplain management, solid waste, surface mining, greenhouse gas emissions – cap and invest, derelict vessels, and several other areas.

The SHB was established in 1971 and reviews permitting and enforcement decisions of local governments and the Department of Ecology under the Shoreline Management Act.

The boards’ appeal processes provide citizens with accessible administrative review of agency environmental decisions made by the state and non-state agencies. The boards issue decisions setting forth legal analyses of claims, and if a case goes to hearing, the boards issue findings of fact and conclusions of law that inform all parties of the reasons for the decision. Most cases before the PCHB and SHB are reviewed de novo. Parties can appeal board decisions to the courts.

ELUHO values diversity and provides a workplace inclusive of different cultures, backgrounds, and ideas. We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees and their families. We support healthy lifestyles and a healthy work/life balance, and we aim to provide employees with professional development opportunities.

What you will do as an Administrative Appeals Judge:

As an Administrative Appeals Judge, you will play a critical role in supporting the PCHB and SHB. You will preside over prehearing conferences and hearings to ensure fairness as well as issue legally sound procedural decisions. As presiding officer, you will be responsible for the overall case management of assigned cases.

Administrative Appeals Judges conduct legal research, provide high quality and timely draft decisions to the boards on all substantive issues, conduct mediations with PCHB and SHB parties to achieve mutual resolution, and provide parties with procedural assistance. You will interact directly with hearing participants and provide due process in an efficient, effective, and ethical manner.

Administrative Appeals Judges work closely with PCHB and SHB members, legal support staff, administrative staff and management to foster an environment that supports the mission, vision, values and goals of ELUHO. You will support ELUHO’s administration by assisting with open public meetings, public records requests, case files and organization, employee trainings, and other administrative areas.

Who we are looking for:

You are an attorney with excellent legal analysis and writing skills and demonstrated knowledge of environmental law. You are prepared to independently analyze, connect, and conduct research on a vast array of complex environmental legal issues, and effectively communicate legal theories, recommendations and arguments verbally and in writing. You are able to learn, retain, and apply rules and procedures related to environmental and administrative law. You have the ability to assume a judicial temperament by remaining impartial, considering competing arguments, and rendering informed and unbiased recommendations and decisions. You maintain confidentiality. As a professional, you conduct yourself with a commitment to ethics and integrity and you exercise good judgment in making independent decisions.

You communicate clearly and courteously, earning others’ trust and respect, actively listening, responding timely, and building constructive working relationships. You are adaptable to changing priorities, you effectively manage stressful or adverse situations, and you demonstrate tact and diplomacy in your interactions. Your professional competencies include accountability, dependability, attention to detail, office technology skills, workload management, legal research and writing capabilities, proofreading, recognizing and applying legal terminology and citations, knowledge retention, active listening, team building, and demonstrated self-awareness and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

You are an experienced professional who values teamwork and wants to be part of an agency where you are respected and valued. You take pride in your work and you are looking for meaningful employment in a setting that cultivates growth and longevity.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND LICENSES:

• Admitted to the practice of law in Washington, and a member in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association;
• Knowledge of environmental law, as demonstrated by legal research, legal writing, coursework, or practice experience; and
• A valid Driver’s License, free from serious traffic violations

PREFERRED/DESIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES:

• A demonstrated knowledge of administrative law and procedures;
• Experience as an adjudicator, hearings examiner or presiding officer;
• Experience as a mediator, or a willingness to complete a course of training in mediation skills;
• Litigation experience

ELUHO celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.