Program Counsel

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington is seeking a Program Counsel for the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid. The role focuses on administering Family and Safety Programs, ensuring contract performance, data analysis, and policy guidance to support victims and survivors across Washington.

The ideal candidate will hold a JD, have experience in civil legal aid or related services for low-income people, and demonstrate strong communication, equity awareness, and familiarity with Washington family law and

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree required.
• Direct or administrative experience in civil legal aid, public defense, or other provision of legal services to low‑income people.
• Understanding of the impact of race, bias, discrimination, and differential treatment on marginalized communities.
• Knowledge of courts, court systems, administrative and related law and justice systems affecting low‑income people.
• Experience with Washington family law and civil protection order proceedings.

Responsibilities

• Monitor contractor performance and compliance, including site visits and reports.
• Track, organize, analyze, and report on service data and outcomes.
• Translate statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements into practical guidance.
• Help develop and maintain contracts, scopes of work, reporting tools, policies, and training materials.
• Attend meetings and events as OCLA's representative to stay informed on issues across the provider network.
• Support accountability to OCLA’s and contractors’ race equity commitments.

Skills

Communication

Technical Proficiency

Travel Availability

Equity Understanding

Legal Systems Knowledge

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Family Law/Civil Protection Order Practice Experience

Job description

Position:Program Counsel

Agency:Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid

Job Type:Permanent Full-Time

Salary:$115,000 - $120,000

Location:Washington State (location flexible; hybrid work/remote arrangements available)

Open:August 25, 2026

Close:Open until filled. Review of applications will begin on September 14, 2026.

Preferred start date: November 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter

Agency

The Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) is an independent judicial branch agency. Created with an understanding that the provision of legal aid services to indigent persons is an important component of the state’s responsibility to provide for the proper and effective administration of justice, OCLA's mission is to secure, invest and oversee the use of public funding for civil legal aid to low-income people in Washington State and to ensure accountability for public funds dedicated to the purpose.

Since 2005, OCLA has administered and overseen general civil legal aid in Washington. Today the agency also supports legal aid to victims of crime and domestic violence, children in foster care, kinship caregivers, indigent tenants facing eviction, and individuals reentering society following completion of their terms of incarceration.

Consistent with The Washington State Supreme Court’s June 4, 2020, Statement to the Legal Community, OCLA acknowledges that it and its contracted civil legal aid providers operate in a law and justice system historically grounded in racism and that time and again has administered justice differentially depending on the racial identities of those involved. OCLA was an initial subscriber to the Washington Race Equity and Justice Acknowledgments and Commitments. As outlined in its Race Equity and Justice Statement of Purpose, OCLA is committed to being an active partner in carrying out the Washington State judicial branch’s commitment to ensuring equity and justice for people and communities throughout our state.

Find out more about OCLA here

Family and Safety Programs

The Family and Safety Programs portfolio administers three statewide civil legal aid programs through approximately thirteen contracts with legal aid providers. These programs provide civil legal assistance to individuals and families who have experienced crime victimization, or domestic violence, or who are raising children through kinship care. Rather than focusing on a single area of law, the programs fund legal services that address the broad range of civil legal issues arising from these experiences, helping clients achieve safety, stability, and access to justice. OCLA oversees program administration, contract performance, and provider support to ensure high-quality, coordinated service delivery across Washington.

Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime (VOCA). Established in 2016, this program funds civil legal services for victims and survivors of crime to address legal issues arising from their victimization. Services are delivered through a statewide network of legal aid providers and funded through an interagency agreement with the Washington State Department of Commerce's Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA).

Domestic Violence Civil Legal Aid. Established in 2022, this program funds civil legal services for survivors of domestic violence, including protection order, family law, immigration, housing, and related civil legal matters. Services are provided through legal aid organizations across Washington, including dedicated funding for Tribal governments serving Native survivors.

Kinship Legal Services. This program expands access to civil legal aid for grandparents, relatives, and other kinship caregivers raising children. Through legal assistance, training, and statewide coordination, it helps caregivers address legal issues that support stability and well-being for children in kinship care.

Find out more about the Family and Safety Programs here

Reporting to the Program Director, this position will support the administration, oversight, and continuous improvement of OCLA’s Family and Safety Programs. Responsibilities will include:

• Monitoring contractor performance and compliance, including conducting site visits and preparing site visit reports.
• Tracking, organizing, analyzing, and reporting on service data, including qualitative and quantitative outcomes and communicating trends and findings.
• Reviewing practice issues, identifying best practices, and translating complex statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements into practical guidance.
• Helping develop and maintain contracts, scopes of work, reporting tools, policies, and training materials.
• Attending regular meetings, workgroups, and other events as OCLA's representative to stay informed about emerging issues and approaches across the provider network.
• Identifying service delivery challenges and opportunities for improvement and supporting accountability to OCLA’s and contractors’ race equity commitments.

This position will also perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director, the OCLA Director, or the OCLA Director's designee. The position may work in consultation with other OCLA program staff, as needed, to support cross-program operations.

Required

1. Juris Doctor (JD): Possess a Juris Doctor (JD) degree
2. Client Service Experience: Direct or administrative experience in civil legal aid, public defense, or other provision of legal services to low-income people.
3. Equity Understanding: Demonstrate understanding of the impact of race, bias, discrimination, and differential treatment on marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA2S or other sexual minorities, individuals with disabilities, immigrants, limited English-speaking persons, and others historically marginalized.
4. Legal Systems Knowledge: Knowledge and understanding of courts, court systems, administrative, and related law and justice systems that affect low-income people.

1. Family Law/Civil Protection Order Practice Experience: Familiarity with legal issues commonly experienced by survivors of crime (including domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, etc.) and experience representing survivors in civil court, especially Washington family law and civil protection order proceedings.

1. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
2. Technical Proficiency: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications, especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
3. Periodic Travel Availability:Ability and willingness to periodically travel both in-state and out-of-state for work-related events.

Desired

• Experience managing contracts or grants, reporting requirements or monitoring contractor performance.
• Experience reviewing and analyzing qualitative and quantitative information, including summarizing findings and identifying trends or patterns.
• Understanding of Washington’s network of victim/survivor services, including legal aid, advocacy, or other supports.

Candidates selected for interviews will also be asked to provide a self-edited writing sample.