Assistant Attorney General - Regional Services Division's JUV Lit. Team, Port Angeles

State of Washington•Clallam County - Port Angeles, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Regional Services Division of the WA State Attorney General's Office seeks candidates for the Port Angeles Section. The attorney will join a collaborative team and be primarily responsible for representing the Department of Children, Youth and Families in dependency proceedings, and termination of parental rights and guardianship trials. There will also be an opportunity to gain additional experience with the wide variety of clients RSD serves. The Port Angeles office, located on a wharf overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, represents the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Department of Labor and Industries, and Peninsula College, and other state agencies in Clallam and Jefferson Counties. The office includes 5 attorneys and 5 professional staff working in a variety of legal practice areas. The North Olympic Peninsula is a wonderful area to live and work. Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend offer vibrant arts communities, bountiful outdoor recreation including biking, skiing, hiking, and ocean activities, and many opportunities for community engagement!

Requirements

Ability to quickly adapt to a practice that involves assignment of 80 or more cases at a time.
Ability to shift from one type of work to another during a given week or day.
Ability to communicate with a variety of client agency representatives efficiently and effectively, as well as with attorney and non-attorney colleagues within the office.
Demonstrated ability to independently manage time, to identify and prioritize tasks necessary to complete, and to maintain a well-organized practice under significant case load demands.
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 by motion 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

Experience with the Department of Children, Youth and Families in dependency proceedings, and termination of parental rights and guardianship trials.
Experience with the Department of Labor and Industries.
Experience with Peninsula College.
Experience representing state agencies in Clallam and Jefferson Counties.

Responsibilities

Representing the DCYF in child welfare cases to protect abused and neglected children in dependency, guardianship, and termination of parental rights cases.
Representing DCYF in childcare, foster care, and group care licensing cases, including advising the client regarding regulatory enforcement matters, representing the agency in contested matters before the Office of Administrative Hearings, and related Superior Court judicial review proceedings under the Washington Administrative Procedures Act.
Regular regional travel within Washington State.
Litigating difficult and interesting trials.
Appearing before judges and commissioners primarily in superior court, but also in the courts of appeals and administrative courts.
Evaluating evidence to determine legal sufficiency to support court intervention.
Applying the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Washington Indian Child Welfare Act to the juvenile cases.
Reviewing relevant petitions and other documents.
Consulting with social workers and other agency employees.
Submitting and responding to discovery.
Preparing witnesses and evidence for hearing or trial.
Reviewing reports submitted to the court.
Performing research and analysis.
Submitting relevant briefing to the court.
Communicating frequently with other attorneys and guardians ad litem to resolve issues related to underlying cases.
Considering settlement options.
Taking all other actions related to these matters.
May be assigned to a wide variety of clients according to the needs of the client agencies and the office, as well as the skills, experiences, and professional development needs of attorneys.