Assistant Attorney General - Regional Services Division's LNI Team, Everett

State of Washington; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 84,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedules

Telecommuting options

Health and wellness program

Mentoring program

Training and career development

Job summary

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office seeks an Assistant Attorney General in the Regional Services Division, Everett, focusing on representing the Department of Labor and Industries. The role involves litigation in BIIA and superior courts, plus advisory work for state clients.

You will handle industrial insurance cases, draft motions, manage discovery, and collaborate with the Division Appellate Team and the Solicitor General’s Office. AWAAG/WFSE framing applies.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to practice in Washington.
• Ability to manage many cases simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Willingness to travel to assigned counties and throughout the state.
• Experience in civil litigation or administrative hearings preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Department of Labor and Industries before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals and superior courts.
• Litigate industrial insurance cases and handle potential appeals.
• Draft motions, conduct discovery, and brief issues with attorneys.
• Collaborate with Division Appellate Team and Solicitor General’s Office.
• Provide client advice and guidance to state agencies and educational institutions.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Multitasking

Team collaboration

Public service mindset

Education

ABA-accredited law school degree

Washington State license to practice law

Tools

Case management software

Job description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at [e-mail]. 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.

All employees and volunteers of the Washington State Attorney General's Office serve a crucial role in the protection of the state, its people and resources, thereby providing an incomparable degree of job satisfaction. The AGO is composed of diverse, collegial and supremely talented legal professionals who are resolute in their commitment to public service and share the common goal of advancing the public interest. For more information about the AGO, we encourage you to review the Office's Annual Report which can be found HERE.

The Office appreciates the benefits of a healthy life-work balance as well as a respectful, inclusive and diverse workplace. Successful candidates will join an Office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported. The exceptional benefits of joining the AGO include:

• A competitive benefit package that includes affordable medical plan options, dental benefits and retirement plans
• Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
• Transparent salary schedule - AAG salaries are set between $83,856 and $157,080. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA
• The AGO will pay the general bar dues of someone who begins their assignment on or before January 31st per Article 10.8 of the AWAAG CBA
• Flex schedules and telecommuting options
• A formal AAG mentoring program that complements the AGO's inherently collegial and supportive environment
• Health and wellness program
• Training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide

The WA State Attorney General’s Office seeks to fill an Assistant Attorney General (AAG) position in the Regional Services Division in Everett. This position will primarily focus on representation of the Department of Labor and Industries. We are excited to offer an opportunity to join our supportive and collaborative LNI team in the Everett Section of the Regional Services Division! While workers compensation cases would be your primary assignment, RSD provides the unique opportunity to expand your experience with additional opportunities to work with a wide variety of clients including other state agencies and educational institutions

The Everett office includes 17 attorneys and 20 professional staff and provides representation to its clients through litigation and client advice. Litigation includes hearings and trials in juvenile court, superior court, and administrative hearings under the Administrative Procedures Act. RSD Everett attorneys are also responsible for handling cases appealed to the Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court. The office’s clients include:

• The Department of Labor and Industries
• Department of Children, Youth and Families in juvenile court in Snohomish and Island counties
• Department of Social and Health Services
• The Department of Employment Security
• The Department of Licensing
• Education clients

The attorney in this position represents the Department of Labor and Industries before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA) and superior courts in industrial insurance cases and occasionally in industrial insurance premium assessment, willful misrepresentation, and Crime Victims Compensation cases. Industrial insurance cases present complex legal and medical issues regarding the provision of benefits to injured workers under Title 51 RCW. Proceedings at the BIIA are conducted following Washington Civil Rules and Washington Rules of Evidence. The cases require testimony from medical and vocational experts, as well as lay witnesses. Most cases are tried within three to eight months of the date of assignment. The attorney in this position must analyze the file, evaluate the case for settlement possibilities, conduct discovery, handle motions, consult with witnesses, and brief issues within a relatively short time frame. After litigation, the attorney must analyze the BIIA decisions for potential appeals of legal issues. The attorney in this position also litigates appeals of BIIA decisions to superior court. These appeals often require briefing legal and factual issues based on the record below. Superior court appeals are tried to either a bench or a jury. In the case of jury trials, the attorney is responsible for preparing and taking the case to trial, including pretrial motions, jury instructions, voir dire, and opening statements and closing arguments. The attorney in this position may also handle appeals of industrial insurance cases in the courts of appeal. In appellate cases, the attorney will work closely with the Division Appellate Team and the Solicitor General’s Office to ensure the record before the court is complete, brief the case, participate in moot court sessions, and argue the case. The attorney in this position operates independently within Division and AGO policies and protocols.

In addition to meeting the requirements to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, the following qualifications are preferred:

• The ability to quickly adapt to a practice that involves assignment of many cases at a time, and the ability to shift from one type of work to another during a given week or day;
• An interest in civil litigation including engaging in discovery, drafting motions and briefs, negotiating with other parties and presenting oral arguments before various courts and tribunals;
• Ability to travel to the assigned counties and throughout the state;
• Ability to use electronic files and case management tools;
• The ability to contribute positively to a team and interact successfully with interested groups and members of the public;
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to multitask by managing an active caseload and meeting tight deadlines; and
• Values working in an inclusive, creative and collaborative work environment.

Applicants must have graduated from a law school accredited by the ABA or completed the WSBA's Rule 6 Law Clerk Program and; be licensed to practice law in Washington State. (Applicants who meet the other stated qualifications and are actively pursuing admission will also be considered.) The AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. The AGO greatly encourages, celebrates and values diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfill its mission of providing excellent, independent and ethical legal services to the State of Washington and protecting the rights of its people.

This Assistant Attorney General position is represented by the Association of Washington Assistant Attorneys General (AWAAG) / Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) AFSCME Council 28, AFL-CIO. AAG salaries are set between $83,856 and $157,080. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CB A. A competitive state benefits package is also offered which includes a choice of medical/dental insurance plans, retirement, life and basic long-term disability insurance. In addition, there are non-financial benefits that include working in a collaborative and supportive work environment where professional development and work-life balance are highly valued. The health, safety and professional satisfaction of all AGO staff and volunteers is critical to fulfilling the mission of the AGO to provide exceptional legal services.

If you have questions about this position and/or want to learn more about it before applying, we welcome and encourage you to contact Section Chief Jasmine Alonso at [e-mail].

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.

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 age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability 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 [e-mail]. 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 the application process, please contact the recruitment team at [e-mail]. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at [phone] or [e-mail].