Civil Litigation Attorney - Tort/Employment

LMBA; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Pension plan

Paid holidays and vacation

Flexible schedules and telecommuting

Transit/Orca program

Job summary

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office seeks an enthusiastic Civil Litigation Attorney with strong writing skills to handle tort and employment matters. Depending on interest, opportunities may include affirmative federal litigation.

Located in Seattle, the role involves advising County departments and litigating in state and federal courts, with a hybrid work schedule and competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm, initiative and ability to lead on complex matters.
• Excellent legal research and writing; appellate experience a plus.
• Strong analytical abilities and attention to detail.
• Commitment to race, equity and social justice, including cultural humility.
• Desire to litigate in state and federal courts.

Responsibilities

• Litigate cases in federal and state courts, including appeals.
• Defend King County and employees in discrimination, Title VII, and 42 U.S.C. §1983 suits.
• Advise King County departments and agencies; collaborate on complex litigation.
• Develop multi-layered strategies using negotiation, policy, legislation, and litigation.
• Engage in motions practice and appeals, addressing constitutional and statutory issues.

Skills

Team leadership

Legal research

Legal writing

Equity & social justice

Litigation in state & federal courts

Education

Washington State Bar admission

Job description

Civil Litigation Attorney - Tort/Employment

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is in search of an enthusiastic and analytical attorney with excellent writing skills to join our team in the Litigation Section, to work on tort and employment matters. Depending on interest and experience, the successful candidate may also have the opportunity to work on affirmative federal litigation.

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 representing King County and its employees in lawsuits filed in state or federal courts.

The Civil Division is composed of about 65 lawyers organized into eight specialized sections: (1) Contracts, (2) County Services, (3) Transportation & Real Property, (4) Employment, (5) Involuntary Treatment Act, (6) Land Use, (7) Natural Resources, and (8) Litigation.

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

Job Duties

Attorneys in the Litigation Section litigate cases in both federal and state court, including appeals. We defend King County and King County employees and officials in lawsuits brought by current and former employees under the Washington Law against Discrimination and Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, and in lawsuits brought by members of the public who claim personal injury or civil rights violations under 42 USC §1983.

Many of our lawsuits involve King County Metro, the Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention, and the Sheriff's Office. We also give legal advice to these and other County departments. Attorneys in the Litigation Section also have opportunities to work with attorneys across the Civil Division on complex, non-tort litigation.

Attorneys in the Litigation Section also litigate matters that focus on the county’s business and policy objectives in areas where the law is developing. Because this work often focuses on areas where the case law is uncertain, the attorneys work to develop multi-layered strategies using the tools of negotiation, policy, legislation, litigation, and/or appellate practice. With an emphasis on motions practice and appeals, attorneys handling these matters work closely with clients providing strategic advice, and regularly address issues of state and federal constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and developing common law.

Applicants must have a commitment to equity and social justice work, including ongoing cultural competence development.

The Litigation Section makes significant investments in its members by providing robust onboarding and ongoing training, resources, and support. Successful applicants will be expected to work in the Litigation Section for at least two years before seeking a position in another section.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Enthusiasm, initiative, and an ability to successfully lead a team on complex matters
• Excellent legal research and writing skills; appellate experience is a plus
• Outstanding analytical abilities
• Demonstrable commitment to race, equity and social justice, including continued development of personal cultural humility/competence
• Desire to litigate in state and federal courts
• Minimum 3-5 years of litigation experience, employment preferred

Special Requirements:

• Member in good standing with the Washington State Bar.
• Must submit to a criminal history check.
• U.S. Citizenship or a lawful permanent resident (per RCW 36.27 and 29A.04 and Article VI of the WA Constitution).

Supplemental Information

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

Salary : $118,237 - $174,107 commensurate with 3~20 years of experience.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Jessica Kozma, Section Head at [phone] or Heidi Jacobsen-Watts, Assistant Section Head at [phone]

This position is open both internally and externally and would be a lateral transfer for internal candidates.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.