Deputy Prosecuting Attorney - District Court Filing Unit (Term-Limited)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent medical, dental, and vision

Retirement plan

Paid holidays & vacation

Job summary

King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in Seattle seeks multiple term-limited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys for the District Court Unit. These roles offer meaningful courtroom experience, especially for newer lawyers, with assignments across Seattle, Kent, and Redmond and 12-month contracts.

You'll review police reports, file charges, and create detailed filing notes, under a team committed to justice and social equity.

Qualifications

• Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills.
• Strong work ethic and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Strong commitment to race, equity, and social justice issues, including cultural competency.
• Passion and eagerness to learn trial skills.
• Ability to accept feedback and coaching and apply it to practice.
• Washington State Bar qualification required.

Responsibilities

• Review police reports referred for potential charges and determine if filing is appropriate.
• Decide what cases/charges to file with sound judgment.
• Assess bail or warrants and filing decisions.
• Create detailed filing notes outlining facts and evidentiary issues.
• Identify missing evidence to request at filing stage.
• Meet constitutional requirements and manage filing backlogs.
• Court calendar coverage may be required in Seattle, Kent, or Redmond.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Analytical skills

Teamwork

Equity & social justice

Bar admission WA

Job description

Summary

The Mainstream Criminal Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking multiple highly motivated attorneys with a commitment to justice, integrity, compassion, leadership, and professionalism to join our office as term-limited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys in the District Court Unit. These are excellent opportunities to develop expertise and gain courtroom experience, particularly for new and less experienced attorneys. If you seek enriching, meaningful work and a chance to serve your community while working as part of a dynamic team, this opportunity may be for you.

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 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

Job Duties

Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys (DPAs) cover work at courthouses in Seattle, Kent and Redmond. All deputies are expected to be able to work at any of those locations. The starting location will be in Seattle.

Attorneys hired into these roles are primarily assigned to work in our District Court Unit handling gross misdemeanor cases. Core business hours are 8:30-4:30, with the occasional weekend or holiday calendar coverage required. The main responsibility for this role is to be part of the District Court Unit Filing team which includes the following responsibilities:

• Review police reports referred for potential charges, applying knowledge of the applicable RCWs, relevant case law and internal filing standards in order to make a well-reasoned determination if a charge can or should be filed.
• Exercise good judgement and discretion while deciding what cases/charges to file.
• Exercise good judgement as it relates to bail or filing cases on warrant.
• Create detailed filing notes that outline facts, spot evidentiary issues and anticipate legal arguments made by defense.
• Identify missing or additional pieces of evidence which should be requested at the filing stage.
• Timely make filing decisions to avoid excessive backlog and meet constitutional requirements for individuals in custody on the investigation calendar.
• Court Calendar coverage may be required in order to meet court obligations in either Seattle, Kent or Redmond Courthouses.

Term-Limited DPA contracts last 12 months (with the possibility of extension) and enjoy the same robust benefits package as non-contract employees. These positions are represented by the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Association.

These positions are primarily in-person with some ability to telecommute each week as business needs allow, subject to a telecommuting agreement. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to working effectively in a team environment.
• Strong commitment to race, equity, and social justice issues, including working on personal cultural competency.
• Passion and eagerness to learn trial skills.
• Strong ability to accept feedback and coaching, and to implement it into practice.
• Must be Washington State Bar qualified.

Special Requirements

• Member in good standing with the Washington State Bar.
• Able to work at any of our three locations (Seattle, Kent, Redmond).
• Must submit to a criminal history check, which will include fingerprinting.

Salary

$92,770 - $153,722 annually commensurate with experience

For More Information Regarding This Recruitment, Please Contact

Selene Poulsen (she/her)

Senior Human Resources Analyst

[e-mail]

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

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.

Benefits

• 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
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal 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.