Washington Associate Attorney

The Mortgage Law Firm•Vancouver, WA

3d•$120,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Associate Attorney supports The Mortgage Law Firm's Washington practice, located in Vancouver, Washington, and may work in the office or remotely. The role manages assigned legal matters involving judicial and nonjudicial foreclosure, foreclosure-related litigation, bankruptcy, title and post-sale issues, evictions, loss mitigation, lender defense, and other creditor-rights matters. The attorney prepares and reviews legal work, appears in court and other proceedings, advises internal teams on Washington law and procedure, and provides responsive client service. The position requires sound legal judgment, strong ownership of files, timely communication, and the ability to manage competing deadlines in a high-volume practice. The attorney works with the Senior Managing Attorney, other attorneys, operations leaders, paralegals, clients, courts, trustees, vendors, and other business partners to deliver accurate, compliant, and practical legal solutions. The role manages Washington matters through assigned stages, conducts legal and factual analysis, develops matter strategies, drafts and reviews legal documents, represents clients in proceedings, and coordinates with internal and external stakeholders. It also serves as a Washington legal resource, supports procedures and training, participates in quality and process-improvement efforts, and acts as a primary legal contact for assigned matters. The position may be in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, and requires occasional travel for court appearances, client meetings, training, and other business needs.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
Active Washington State Bar license in good standing.
At least eight years licensed to practice law in Washington State.
Ability to practice, if needed, from the firm's Vancouver, Washington office.
Experience managing legal matters, deadlines, client communications, and written work product with limited supervision.
Strong legal research, analysis, drafting, negotiation, advocacy, and oral communication skills.
Ability to appear in Washington state and federal courts and before other tribunals, as required.
Ability to travel for court appearances, client meetings, training, and other business needs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, Adobe Acrobat, legal research platforms such as Westlaw, electronic filing systems, and time-billing or case-management software.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Washington nonjudicial foreclosure, creditor-rights litigation, bankruptcy, evictions, title, real property, loss mitigation, or mortgage servicing matters.
Experience representing mortgage lenders, servicers, trustees, investors, or other financial-services clients.
Experience reviewing and guiding paralegal or support-staff work product.
Experience handling contested matters, discovery, dispositive motions, hearings, trials, appeals, or settlement negotiations.
Working knowledge of title review, lien priority, post-sale marketability, probate, and related real-property issues.

Responsibilities

Manage multiple Washington matters through assigned stages, including judicial foreclosures, contested and uncontested matters, and mediations, with ownership of deadlines, strategy, documentation, and next steps.
Complete initial file intake, identify legal and procedural issues, and develop a practical strategy for each assigned matter.
Research and analyze Washington statutes, court rules, case law, local requirements, client and investor directives, and matter facts.
Identify title, lien, probate, bankruptcy, documentation, standing, service, sale, and post-sale concerns and recommend appropriate courses of action.
Maintain accurate case notes, calendars, status reports, and supporting documentation in firm and client systems.
Promptly escalate material legal, compliance, client, deadline, or reputational risks to the Senior Managing Attorney.
Prepare timely, accurate, and supported pleadings, motions, briefs, declarations, discovery, correspondence, settlement documents, notices, and other legal work product.
Review, audit, edit, and approve work prepared by paralegals and other support staff before filing, recording, or transmission, as appropriate.
Attend and represent clients at court hearings, mediations, settlement conferences, trials, oral arguments, trustee-sale-related proceedings, and other required appearances.
Coordinate with local counsel, opposing counsel, trustees, courts, title companies, process servers, auction vendors, and other third parties as needed.
Ensure filings, appearances, service, notices, and client reporting meet applicable deadlines and are accurately documented.
Record billable time and other required activity contemporaneously.
Serve as a Washington legal resource for attorneys and operations teams handling foreclosure, bankruptcy, title, eviction, litigation, and post-sale matters.
Provide legal guidance to paralegals and operational staff, distinguishing legal decisions from administrative or business processes.
Monitor changes in Washington law, court requirements, and industry practices; communicate needed updates to leadership and impacted teams.
Assist in developing, reviewing, and maintaining Washington procedures, templates, training materials, and quality controls.
Support training and continued development of attorneys, paralegals, and staff on Washington-specific legal requirements and recurring issues.
Participate in internal file reviews, client audits, quality initiatives, corrective action planning, and process-improvement efforts.
Serve as a primary legal contact for assigned matters and communicate promptly, clearly, and professionally with clients and internal teams.
Explain legal risks, options, and recommendations in practical terms to support informed decision-making.
Respond promptly to client requests, escalations, scorecard concerns, and requests for legal analysis.
Maintain productive working relationships across the firm and contribute to a responsive, accountable, service-focused culture.
Participate in client meetings, internal meetings, training, and continuing legal education as required.
Perform other legal and professional responsibilities assigned by the Senior Managing Attorney or firm leadership.