Paralegal 2 | Children, Youth, and Families Division | Tumwater

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full-time Paralegal 2 in the Children, Youth, and Families Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). The Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) Division is comprised of 34 attorneys and 33 professional staff who together provide advice and representation to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Staff in each Attorney General’s Office location handle litigation for DCYF, and the CYF Division has the responsibility for doing so locally, as well as coordinating this work for the AGO statewide and advising DCYF leadership. Our division is dedicated to fostering a positive and supportive workplace. We prioritize employee growth through a culture that recognizes hard work and provides active support for career advancement. Like the rest of the Attorney General’s Office, the CYF Division values diversity and enjoys a collegial, inclusive, and respectful working environment in which every person demonstrates commitment to providing exceptional legal services. Our team is expanding, and we are excited to welcome a new Paralegal to join our collaborative Juvenile Litigation (JUV) section, where together we can make a meaningful impact. This position will provide crucial support to our client, DCYF, in fulfilling its mission to help families in need of support with the safety and care of their children. This role presents an excellent opportunity to contribute to this mission while developing valuable paralegal skills in litigation and discovery.

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.
You 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

Demonstrated Knowledge of and Experience in: Knowledge of Paralegal processes and procedures
Experience in all components of trial preparation
Experience in state and federal courts filing procedures
Utilization of court systems, i.e., Odyssey, JIS/JABS
Understand the components of electronic discovery processes
Demonstrated Ability to: Effectively communicate in both written and verbal forms
Ability to problem solve and implement decision-making skills in the daily performance of work assignments
Multi-task and/or shift priorities to conduct necessary business
Work independently
Research and comply with state and agency policies and procedures
Effectively use Microsoft Office Suite applications, case management systems, and data bases

Responsibilities

Developing legal strategy and analyzing, selecting, and summarizing documents to identify information relevant to factual or legal issues.
Preparing for trial, including identifying, locating, organizing, and preparing exhibits and trial notebooks for dependency and termination of parental rights trials.
Review and prepare responses to formal discovery requests.
Manage, organize, and track voluminous discovery, including redacting confidential information and use of electronic discovery databases and supporting tools, i.e., Everlaw.
Serve as liaison with opposing counsel on developing a discovery plan for electronic and paper production.
Independently review matters referred from our client agency and independently contact the client to obtain additional factual information and evidence in support of the case, draft pleadings, memoranda, affidavits, and correspondence necessitated by litigation.
Serve as initial point of contact for client, opposing counsel, pro se litigants and/or courts; provide case information, schedule hearings, obtain information for attorney, if necessary.
Coordinate work with experts, including communications to retain experts, manage contracts, and securely provide records.

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.