Paralegal 2 | Agriculture & Health Division | Olympia

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full-time Paralegal 2 in the Agriculture & Health Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities. The Agriculture and Health Division is a team of 16 Assistant Attorneys General and 9 professional staff located at the AGO’s main Capitol Campus location in Olympia, WA. We have a wide range of backgrounds, value diversity, and work in a collegial, collaborative, and flexible environment. Our work touches most aspects of Washingtonians’ lives by helping to protect and promote public health and our state’s economic, cultural, and environmental resources. Our primary client agencies are the Department of Health, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and we advise numerous related boards and commissions. We provide client advice and litigate cases in a wide array of areas with real world impacts, including environmental and public health; licensing and oversight of healthcare providers and facilities; disease prevention and control; affordable housing and housing development; homelessness prevention and response; broadband expansion; renewable energy, climate change, and environmental justice; community and economic development; historic and archaeological resource preservation; and animal, commodity, food, and plant safety. As a member of the AHD Professional Staff team, you will work side-by-side with Assistant Attorneys General litigating cases promoting the rights and health of Washingtonians in cases in administrative tribunals and state and federal courts. You will work with collaborative colleagues who put mentorship into practice by helping you develop your legal skills and knowledge and challenging you to expand your comfort zone. If you are a self-starter and eager to learn more in the paralegal space while making a difference in your community, this is the position for you. This role is a legal support role and is responsible for carrying a caseload and managing the division’s litigation discovery matters.

Requirements

Combination of four years of experience through: Paralegal certification, Two-year paralegal degree, Paralegal plus (or nine-month paralegal, post BA) certification, and/or Paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney OR One year experience as a Paralegal 1 in Washington State Service.
May have gained applicable paraprofessional experience through previous Paralegal or Legal Assistant work.
Examples of paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney: Preparing legal pleadings and legal correspondence, Ensuring and verifying timely and proper service of legal documents, Calculating, verifying, and calendaring critical events and other dates, Managing case documents, files and exhibits, Tracking and organizing discovery documents, Researching legal issues and verifying legal citations and references for accuracy.

Nice To Haves

Litigation experience.

Responsibilities

Independently composes formal discovery requests upon assignment.
Reviews and prepares responses to formal discovery requests, including interrogatories, requests for production, and requests for admission.
Drafts and prepares motions pertaining to discovery and motions for default.
Reviews opposing parties’ answers to discovery requests for completeness, evasiveness, and propriety of objections and follow-up on non-responsive answers and additional sources of information.
Interviews client personnel to obtain facts and information for discovery.
Researches, reviews, and analyzes facts of cases.
Identifies legal issues.
Develops rapport, secures cooperation from and interviews potential witnesses either in-person, by video or by telephone to obtain information relating to the facts of the cases assigned.
Composes comprehensive interview memoranda/reports.
Interviews client personnel to obtain facts and information for responses to formal discovery.
Independently composes affidavits and/or declarations as attachments to motions and briefs.
Identifies possible witnesses and other possible sources of information and evidence.
Recommends and carries out research activities as needed.
Reviews legal documents for proper format and ensures court rules are followed.
Drafts and prepares pleadings, discovery, and case information including case analysis, as needed.
Initiates correspondence and pleadings for attorneys' signatures.
Proofreads, formats, cite checks, and finalizes letters, memos, reports and pleadings at attorney's request.
Compiles exhibits and attachments, maintains service lists, and ensures that legal documents are prepared and processed to meet legal requirements and all filing deadlines.
Maintains a working knowledge of the procedures, rules, and policies, for electronic and hard copy filings in administrative, state, federal, and appellate courts.
Independently takes appropriate action on urgent items in the absence of an attorney, judge, or equivalent.

Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s)
Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave
11 Paid Holidays per year
Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans
Life Insurance
Dependent Care Assistance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Tuition Waiver
Deferred Compensation
Employee Recognition Leave
Flexible schedules
Part-time/hybrid telework options
A Wellness Program
An Infants in the Workplace Program
The Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources
Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more.