Assistant Attorney General - Social & Health Services Division, Juvenile Litigation Section
Agency Name: Washington Attorney General's Office
Position / Job Title : Assistant Attorney General - Social & Health Services Division, Juvenile Litigation Section
Location: Olympia
Category : Attorney
Job Description: The Social and Health Services Division in Olympia has an immediate opening for an Assistant Attorney General in the Juvenile Litigation Section. This is a great opportunity to do truly meaningful and interesting work in a supportive, team-oriented environment.
Duties
The juvenile litigation team provides legal representation to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to protect abused and neglected children in dependency, guardianship, and termination of parental rights cases. This position involves a fast paced litigation workload, with weekly court appearances on the juvenile calendar, and frequent trials. The subject matter can be difficult, but the work is remarkably rewarding. These cases directly influence the lives of children in our state, in a very meaningful way. This team handles cases in Thurston, Lewis, and Mason counties' juvenile and superior courts and in appellate courts. We are currently expanding the team to represent DCYF in Grays Harbor county as well. The team also handles foster care and day care licensing cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings. This team spends significant time appearing and litigating in superior court, and consulting with clients, identifying and developing legal strategy, directing and participating fully in the development and resolution of administrative and appellate cases. The attorneys also provide ongoing training to DCYF social workers, supervisory staff, and to colleagues in the AGO. This full time position is located in Tumwater, WA, and involves travel to other counties.
Qualifications
In addition to meeting the requirements to apply and serve as an Assistant Attorney General, the person selected for this opportunity should have: -Strong oral and written communication skills; -A demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees; -Excellent time management skills; -The ability to juggle competing priorities; -The ability to work well with a variety of people; -A passion for child welfare; and -Due to the challenging subject matter, flexibility and empathy are desirable qualities. To serve as an Assistant Attorney General, one must have graduated from a law school accredited by the ABA or completed the WSBA's Rule 6 Law Clerk Program and be licensed to practice law in Washington state. (Applicants who meet the other stated qualifications and are actively pursuing admission by motion will also be considered.)
The AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. The AGO greatly encourages, celebrates and values diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfill its mission of providing excellent, independent and ethical legal services to the State of Washington and protecting the rights of its people. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Per AGO Policy, employees and volunteers of the AGO must be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. Effective March 14, 2022, the AGO announced pursuant to its policy, that employees and volunteers must also receive a booster shot as a condition of employment. Employees or volunteers who are not eligible to receive the booster before their start date, due to required waiting times after receiving their initial vaccine(s), must provide confirmation of the vaccine type and date received so the AGO can calculate the date by which they must receive the booster. If you are selected to serve within the AGO as an employee or volunteer, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination and booster (if already received) before you are able to begin work. You may request an accommodation if you are unable to meet the requirement due to a medical or religious necessity.
Supplemental Information
This Assistant Attorney General position is represented by the Association of Washington Assistant Attorneys General (AWAAG) / Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) AFSCME Council 28, AFL-CIO. AAG salaries are set between $69,396 and $129,984. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA. A competitive state benefits package is also offered which includes a choice of medical/dental insurance plans, retirement, life and basic long-term disability insurance. In addition, there are non-financial benefits that include working in a collaborative and supportive work environment where professional development and work-life balance are highly valued. The health, safety and professional satisfaction of all AGO staff and volunteers is critical to fulfilling the mission of the AGO to provide exceptional legal services. Complementing and fostering this goal is a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, as evidenced in the AGO's environmental policies.
In addition to the on-line application, one must upload, via the system, preferably as PDFs: -A letter of interest; -Resume; -Law school transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable); and -Writing sample. Important Note: Redact from any document social security numbers and DO NOT include documents that are password protected. If you have questions about this position and/or want to learn more about it before applying, you are welcome and encouraged to contact Section Chief Karen Small at 360-586-6514.