Attorney - Employment Section - Civil Division

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 123,000 - 174,000; Full time

Job summary

King County's Civil Division in Seattle seeks an enthusiastic and analytical attorney to join the Labor and Employment Section, focusing on litigating administrative matters and advising County agencies.

The successful candidate will litigate in labor arbitrations and provide preventative counseling on discrimination, investigations, wage/hour, and leave issues, while advising on King County Code and court/legislative policies within a collaborative, equity-driven team.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Litigate labor and employment administrative matters for County clients in arbitrations and administrative fora.
• Provide preventative advising to County clients on labor and employment law, including discrimination, investigations, discipline, wage/hour, and leave issues.
• Advise on applicable King County Code provisions, Executive, Superior Court, District Court, and Legislative policies.

Skills

Client relations

Analytical abilities

Persuasive advocacy

Legal research & writing

Labor arbitration

Team collaboration

Diversity and equity

Litigation experience

Job description

About the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) is in search of an enthusiastic and analytical attorney to join our team in the Labor and Employment Section, focusing on both litigating administrative matters and advising County agencies.

Generally, the Civil Division provides comprehensive legal services to King County government, including all County elected and appointed officials, department heads, and with the managers of numerous county agencies and departments. Serving in its role as an in-house law firm for the County, the Civil Division works closely with its clients in solving a wide range of legal problems by providing legal advice and representation of King County. The Civil Division is composed of about 65 lawyers organized into seven specialized sections: (1) Contracts, (2) County Services, (3) Transportation & Real Property, (4) Labor and Employment, (5) Land Use, (6) Natural Resources, and (7) Litigation.

Core Values

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.

The successful candidate will litigate labor and employment administrative matters on behalf of all County clients (Executive departments, Council, PAO, Superior Court and District Court) in labor arbitrations and in other administrative forums including the King County Personnel Board, the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC), and the King County Personnel Board. This position does not generally handle state/federal employment litigation, which is handled separately in the Litigation Section.

The successful candidate will also act as in-house counsel on labor and employment issues providing preventative advising to County clients all aspects of labor and employment law, including but not limited to discrimination issues, workplace investigations and discipline, wage and hour issues, labor issues, and leave issues. The successful candidate will also advise on applicable King County Code provisions, Executive, Superior Court, District Court and Legislative branch policies.

We are providing a courtesy link to the Rules of Professional Conduct for candidates to consider and review to ensure they are meeting any requirements, particularly for those who currently represent individuals in any King County-related matters. In the supplemental question section, please acknowledge you have reviewed this and that you’re aware of these obligations.

Key Qualities

• Outstanding client relations skills;
• Exceptional analytical abilities;
• Ability to present a persuasive case to a fact finder;
• Excellent legal research and writing skills;
• Ability to effectively represent the County in labor arbitrations and in other administrative forums;
• Demonstrates initiative and an ability to successfully work with a team on complex matters;
• Strong commitment to Race, Equity and Social Justice, including continued development of personal cultural humility/competence and applying that development to advising and representation;
• 3-5 years previous litigation and/or labor and employment law experience desired but not required.

Salary

122,671 - $174,028 annually commensurate with 3 - 20 years of experience.

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.

Special Requirements

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

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.

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.