Paralegal 3, Torts Division, WA State Office of the Attorney General

Description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Paralegal 3 in the Torts. This position is located in Tumwater, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Paralegal 3 Salary Range 59, $66,023 - $88,800

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The following stipends may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend.
• Incumbents assigned to a position designated as requiring dual language skills will receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend.

About the Torts:

The Torts Division defends tort claims and lawsuits against all state agencies, officers and employees. The majority of cases are based on actions brought under theories of liability for state actions such as highway design, release of inmates, injuries on state property, medical malpractice, employment, childcare and custody, auto accidents, maritime injuries, false arrests and unreasonable force. Tort attorneys also provide legal and risk management advice to the Office of Financial Management and state agencies on tort matters.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Paralegal 3

This position provides high-level paralegal assistance to Torts Division Assistant Attorneys General in order to provide defense of claims and lawsuits against the State of Washington, its agencies and employees, supervising team paralegals and legal assistant support staff. The paralegal initiates and continues the discovery process to retrieve and analyze the documentation and evidence necessary to support and defend the State's case and continues that assistance to the conclusion of the claim, lawsuit, and/or appeal.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Paralegal duties:

• Independently conduct legal, medical and other technical research utilizing Westlaw, library resources, available databases and the internet on assigned multi-issue tort claims with high dollar exposure. Prepare research reports. Review, organize, and evaluate damage information, calculate damages (medical costs, wage loss, property damage) and prepare, maintain, and update damages.
• Recommend strategic options to Assistant Attorneys General during claim and lawsuit investigation, including analysis of legal issues, based on available agency and claimant/plaintiff evidence.
• Design, develop and implement methods for gathering client records for utilization in support of settlement or legal defense.
• Compile, analyze, and/or present case and claim data for reporting to Division and AGO leadership, client agency representatives, Department of Enterprise Service liaisons, and other stakeholders.

Supervisory duties:

• Supervise assigned paralegal and legal support staff for the Torts Division Special Assistant Attorney General Program and Litigation Support team. Responsible for work assignments and workload distribution. Assist in the development of systems and procedures to assure effective and efficient paralegal case management and work methods in coordination with the Litigation Support Section. Oversee and monitor work methods and systems used by paralegal staff. Formulate and implement policies and procedures for improvement of services to include paralegal and legal support staff training in all available technologies. Responsible for professional development of paralegal and legal support staff. This includes researching, developing and providing trainings.
• Conduct regular meetings to review workloads, legal issues, training needs, equipment needs, and personnel issues. Conduct regular supervisory meetings to discuss team and division needs and determine how to meet those needs.
• Evaluate work performance and timely complete the Professional Development Plan for supervised staff. Approve or deny leave and training requests for assigned staff. Review and approve monthly timesheets for assigned staff.
• Participate in interviewing and selection of assigned staff candidates and handle personnel matters.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Combination of five years of experience through paralegal certification, two-year paralegal degree, and/or paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney.

OR

Three years’ experience as a Paralegal 2 in Washington State Service.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Experience in the following items is desired:

• supervising and training employees;
• legal case management and analysis;
• electronic document management, redaction, and production;
• working with a high volume of sensitive information;
• appellate practice; and
• settlement negotiations and mediation presentation.

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General

Join an agency whose work impacts the lives of every resident of Washington State. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state. We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor. The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities. This includes:

• Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes)
• And much more!

Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here.

Commitment to Diversity

Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO. This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people. Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment. One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019. Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2021 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

Excellent benefits

Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer flexible schedules and telework options for most positions, a Wellness Program, the Employee Assistance Program, and numerous affinity groups to foster community and connection.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment. Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact Jenny Wilding @ (360) 753-6216 or Jenny.Wilding@atg.wa.gov.