Attorney - County Services Section - Civil Division

King-County,-W; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 93,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office seeks a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County Services Section in Seattle. This role advises on public records issues, handles subpoenas, and represents clients in related litigation.

Responsibilities include collaboration with public records officers and potential representation for Regional Animal Services in hearings and appeals. Hybrid work schedule offered; candidates must be Washington State Bar qualified and committed to equity and social

Qualifications

• Excellent client relations and interpersonal communication skills.
• Outstanding analytical abilities with a willingness to advise on complex matters.
• Enjoy working independently and as a team in a fast-paced, diverse legal practice.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Experience with advising and client representation related to the Public Records Act and government records retention preferred.
• Civil litigation experience desired.
• Commitment to equity and social justice work, including ongoing cultural competence development.
• Must be Washington State Bar qualified.

Responsibilities

• Advise the PAO and County Services clients on public records matters and respond to subpoenas.
• Represent clients in public records related litigation and coordinate with public records officers.
• Jointly represent Regional Animal Services including hearings and appeals to the Hearing Examiner or writs of review to Superior Court.
• Provide back-up representation to other County Services section clients.

Skills

Client relations

Analytical abilities

Independent & team work

Legal research & writing

Public Records Act knowledge

Civil litigation

Equity & social justice

Washington Bar admitted

Job description

The Civil Division has an opening for a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the County Services Section. The County Services Section represents many departments of County government that provide core governmental services, such as the Assessor, the Jail, the Sheriff, the Public Health Department, the Department of Community and Human Services, and Regional Animal Services of King County.

Attorneys in this section provide a wide array of legal advice on all operational issues faced by these clients, including regulatory compliance, public records, and contracts. These same attorneys handle disputes related to the actions of these County agencies, which may include hearings, appeals, and litigation. The PAO public records team, which handles all public records requests to the PAO, is also part of the County Services Section.

About the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

Guided by our core values of Integrity, Compassion, Professionalism, and Leadership, 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 composed of six divisions that are further organized into specialized units:

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 race, equity, and social justice principles, and to work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.

To learn more about the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO), please visit our website.

This position’s primary responsibilities will include advising the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and other County Services section clients on public records matters, responding to subpoenas, and representing clients in public records related litigation. The role requires the ability to collaborate closely with the public records officers and provide timely responses. The attorney will also jointly represent the Regional Animal Services, handling hearings, administrative appeals to the Hearing Examiner, and/or writs of review to Superior Court. The attorney may provide back-up representation to other County Services section clients.

• Excellent client relations and interpersonal communication skills
• Outstanding analytical abilities with a willingness and initiative to advise on complex and ambiguous matters
• Enjoy working independently and as a member of a team in a fast-paced, diverse, and challenging legal practice
• Excellent legal research and writing skills
• Experience with advising and client representation related to the Public Records Act and government records retention preferred
• Civil litigation experience desired
• Commitment to equity and social justice work, including ongoing cultural competence development
• Must be Washington State Bar qualified

Salary: $92,770 - $153,722 annually commensurate with 1 - 15 years of experience.

Special Requirements

• Member in good standing with the Washington State Bar.
• Must submit to a criminal history check.

Location

The Civil Division is located in the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle.

Telecommuting

Attorneys in the Civil Division enjoy a hybrid work schedule that allows telecommuting three days one week, two days the next, with in-office work required on Wednesdays. If a successful candidate is new to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, they may be required to work in-office three days every week for six months.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.