Family Law Specialist

King County; Kent (WA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

King County Superior Court in Kent, WA, seeks a full-time Family Law Specialist to assist pro se litigants, staff the Family Law Information Center, and facilitate court processes. Primary location is Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 Fourth Ave North, Kent; 35-hour week, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday–Friday; overtime eligible.

This role requires an associate degree with 5 years in court procedures or a bachelor’s with 2 years’ experience, plus knowledge of family law and strong communication.

Qualifications

• Experience in court procedures and processes preferred.
• Knowledge of family law and guardianship rules desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication with diverse populations.
• Experience interviewing and de-escalating volatile clients.

Responsibilities

• Interview a high volume of self-represented litigants to determine steps for their family law or guardianship case.
• Review Pro Se court files, proposed documents and provide legal information relevant to the issues.
• Provide procedural information regarding King County Superior Court Family Law and Guardianship matters.
• Perform child support calculations as needed.
• Work with telephonic interpreters to serve litigants who do not speak English.
• Review proposed documents for Guardianship Review Calendar and assist in drafting proposed orders.
• Facilitate communication between judicial officers, court staff, and the public.
• Participate in Superior Court committees and network with legal programs as assigned.

Skills

Legal interview skills

Communication

De-escalation techniques

Court procedures

Microsoft Office

Education

Associate degree with 5 years court experience

Bachelor’s degree with 2 years experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

This posting is open to employees currently on the King County payroll, including temporary employees. Applications from the public are not being considered at this time.

King County Superior Court is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time Family Law Specialist. The Court is Washington state’s largest general jurisdiction trial court, handling civil matters, domestic matters, felony criminal cases, juvenile matters, and appeals from courts of limited jurisdiction. Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, King County Superior Court is nationally recognized for innovation. The court’s mission is to equitably serve the diverse public by administering justice through accessible, inclusive, and unbiased forums for the fair, understandable, and timely resolution of legal matters.

The responsibilities of this position include assisting pro se litigants in a variety of ways. Assigned tasks include staffing the Family Law Information Center (FLIC) as assigned, interviewing self-represented litigants, reviewing draft documents, providing legal information regarding court processes and procedures, presenting final orders for judicial signature, and facilitating appointments in person and via Zoom. The position supports the Family Court Operations Department.

It is the vision of King County Superior Court (KCSC) to be open to all, trusted by all, and to provide justice for all. To fulfill Superior Court's Mission, Values, and Vision, employees at all levels serve the complex needs of a diverse population of Court users. Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation. At KCSC, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging.

Who may apply

This position is open only to regular and temporary employees who are currently on the King County payroll. Candidates may be placed on an eligibility list for future recruitment.

Work location

Primary work location is Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 Fourth Avenue North, Kent, Washington. Incumbent may be required to work at other court facilities.

Work schedule and terms

This position is hourly (overtime-eligible) and subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This is a full-time, benefit-eligible position working a 35-hour workweek. The workweek for this position is normally Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Variations from these hours may occur based on the needs of the court.

• Interview a high volume of self-represented litigants to determine what steps are necessary to establish, pursue and/or complete their family law or guardianship case.


• Review Pro Se court files, proposed documents and provide legal information relevant to the issues.


• Provide procedural information regarding King County Superior Court Family Law and Guardianship matters.


• Perform child support calculations as needed.


• Work with telephonic interpreters to serve litigants who do not speak English.


• Review proposed documents from Pro Se litigants for the Guardianship Review Calendar. Use discretion to assist in drafting proposed court orders in guardianship cases for judicial officer review.


• Review litigants’ documents to check for compliance with state and local court rules.


• Draft, review, and update Pro Se litigant instructions and create and develop alternative methods for the presentation of instructions/information.


• Facilitate communication between judicial officers, court staff, and the public.


• Participate in various Superior Court committees and/or network with various legal programs in the county, state, and nationwide as assigned.


• Perform other duties of a similar nature and level.

An associate degree and five years of experience in court procedures and processes, or bachelor's degree and two years' experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

Court-related experience, specifically in the area of Family Law is preferred. Knowledge of court rules, procedures, and processes in all aspects of domestic relations and guardianship law is desirable. Must have excellent written and oral communication skills and experience working with diverse populations and dealing with volatile clients. Must possess knowledge of interviewing and de-escalation techniques and be able to disseminate complex information to litigants of various educational and social levels.

Must be proficient with various computer software applications including Microsoft Office programs and database management. Must have knowledge of and ability to learn specialized software applications.

If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.

Special requirements

The ability to reliably travel throughout the county is required. Finalists are subject to the Washington State Patrol criminal background check and a reference check. Criminal background records are not automatically disqualifying.

Selection process

Application materials will be screened for qualifications, and the most competitive candidates will be invited for interviews.

Union membership

This position is not represented by a union.

King County Superior Court is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer.

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. 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.

If you have questions regarding this position, please call King County Superior Court Human Resources at 206-477-1529.