Assistant Attorney General - Public Lands & Conservation Division, Olympia

All employees and volunteers of the Washington State Attorney General's Office serve a crucial role in the protection of the state, its people and resources, thereby providing an incomparable degree of job satisfaction. The AGO is composed of diverse, collegial and supremely talented legal professionals who are resolute in their commitment to public service and share the common goal of advancing the public interest. For more information about the AGO, we encourage you to review the Office's Annual Report which can be found HERE and view THIS VIDEO.

The Office appreciates the benefits of a healthy life-work balance as well as a respectful, inclusive and diverse workplace. Successful candidates will join an Office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported. The exceptional benefits of joining the AGO include: 

• A competitive benefit package that includes affordable medical plan options, dental benefits and retirement plans
• Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
• Transparent salary schedule - AAG salaries are set between $76,752 and $149,508.  The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA
• The AGO will pay the general bar dues of someone who begins their assignment on or before January 31st per Article 10.8 of the AWAAG CBA
• Flex schedules and telecommuting options
• A formal AAG mentoring program that complements the AGO's inherently collegial and supportive environment
• Health and wellness program
• Training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide 

The Washington State Attorney General's Office’s Public Lands & Conservation Division (PLC) seeks to fill an Assistant Attorney General position in the DNR Proprietary Section.

This DNR Proprietary Section position represents the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in its land management planning, transactions, contracts, and other proprietary decisions. DNR manages 5.6 million acres of forest, range, commercial, agricultural, and aquatic lands. Much of this land (3 million acres) is state trust land that provides revenue to help pay for construction of public schools, universities, and other state institutions and funds services in many counties. These lands also provide other public benefits, including outdoor recreation, habitat for native fish and wildlife, and watersheds for clean water. Attorneys in this section primarily represent the following DNR divisions: Recreation and Conservation Division; Product Sales and Leasing Division; Forest Resources Division; and Aquatic Resources Division. Practice areas include real property, contracts, environmental, natural resource, and constitutional law. Legal work may include advice or litigation involving land use agreements and other contracts, real property transactions, valuable materials sales, including timber sales, boundary and ownership disputes, claims arising from the landlord-tenant relationship, special writs reviewing agency action, or compliance with environmental laws including the National and State Environmental Policy Acts (NEPA/SEPA), state and federal cleanup laws (CERCLA and MTCA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the state Forest Practices Act.

Duties typical of attorneys within the Public Lands and Conservation Division include:

• Providing options-based client advice, both oral and written;
• Appearance in federal and state courts across the state, and in proceedings before administrative tribunals such as the Pollution Control Hearings Board or the Shorelines Hearings Board;
• Motions practice, trials, and participating in post-trial proceedings including any appeals;
• Conducting all aspects of discovery; 
• Representing the AGO in public settings on matters that may be of a sensitive or high-profile nature; and
• Working individually and as part of a team.

In addition to meeting the requirements to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, we seek a candidate who has:

• Three or more years of legal experience are preferred;
• Experience in complex natural resource or environmental advice and litigation is preferred;
• Strong analytical, research, and writing skills;
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle competing, time-sensitive assignments; 
• Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees; and
• Ability to maintain productive working relationships within the division and with clients and stakeholders, helping to identify and resolve problems.

Applicants 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. 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.    

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 $76,752 and $149,508.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.  

Interested applicants must apply by hitting the "apply" button above.  In addition to the on-line application, one must upload, via the system and preferably as PDFs:

• A letter of interest;
• Resume;
• Law school transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable); and
• Writing sample (10 pages or less).

If you have questions about this position and/or want to learn more about it before applying, please contact Division Chief Phil Ferester at Phil.Ferester@atg.wa.gov or 360-586-3202.     

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Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that 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 age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability 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.

Salary : $76,752 - $149,508