AAG - Children, Youth, and Families Division, Tumwater

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Children, Youth, and Families Division (CYF) of the WA State Attorney General's Office has an immediate opening for an Assistant Attorney General (AAG) in its Juvenile Litigation Section. The CYF Division is made up of two sections, the Juvenile Litigation (JUV) Section and the Program Advice and Litigation (PAL) Section. The JUV Section has an exciting opportunity for an Intake AAG who will primarily review and advise on dependency petitions and related court filings and consult with Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) staff on dependency petitions, motions to have children removed, shelter care hearings, and discovery obligations. This position will have a fast-paced mix of verbal and written client advice and litigation assignments. This position will also consult with AAGs on discovery disputes, including by drafting pleadings, and will litigate foster care and child care licensing and CAPTA hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings and higher courts. This AAG may also conduct trainings for DCYF and section AAGs on dependency petitions and shelter care hearings, among other subjects. If you are knowledgeable about child welfare practice, have strong legal writing and client counseling skills, are looking for a mix of client counseling and litigation assignments, and are an enthusiastic collaborator, this would be an excellent fit for you. While the CYF Division is in Tumwater, this position may be located in any AG’s office statewide. The JUV Section 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. 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. The seventeen-attorney JUV Section represents DCYF in child welfare cases in Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, and Pacific Counties' juvenile and superior courts and in appellate courts, as well as foster care and childcare licensing cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings. Section attorneys spend significant time litigating in superior court, advising clients, identifying and developing legal strategy, and achieving resolution of cases through settlement and trial. This position will primarily advise the client on juvenile litigation issues and consult with other AAGs on the team, including by reviewing and drafting pleadings, and will handle administrative hearings at the Office of Administrative Hearings and higher courts. Section attorneys also provide ongoing training to DCYF social workers and colleagues in the AGO. The AAG will join a division and section with staff who are talented, compassionate, highly collegial, and dedicated to serving in an essential role in the protection of the State’s most vulnerable people. Members of the division and section are uniformly committed to creating a workplace that is cooperative, inclusive, and supportive of personal and professional growth.

Requirements

Graduated from a law school accredited by the ABA or completed the WSBA's Rule 6 Law Clerk Program.
Licensed to practice law in Washington State (Applicants who meet the other stated qualifications and are actively pursuing admission will also be considered).
Committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice.

Nice To Haves

Ability to juggle competing priorities and emergent issues.
Knowledge of the laws, rules and procedures related to juvenile litigation and child welfare legal requirements.
Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing with coworkers and clients.
Ability to effectively collaborate with coworkers and clients.
A passion for child welfare.
Flexibility and empathy are also desirable qualities.

Responsibilities

Review and advise on dependency petitions and related court filings.
Consult with Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) staff on dependency petitions, motions to have children removed, shelter care hearings, and discovery obligations.
Provide verbal and written client advice and handle litigation assignments.
Consult with AAGs on discovery disputes, including by drafting pleadings.
Litigate foster care and child care licensing and CAPTA hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings and higher courts.
Conduct trainings for DCYF and section AAGs on dependency petitions and shelter care hearings.
Provide 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.
Advise the client on juvenile litigation issues.
Consult with other AAGs on the team, including by reviewing and drafting pleadings.
Handle administrative hearings at the Office of Administrative Hearings and higher courts.
Provide ongoing training to DCYF social workers and colleagues in the AGO.