Paralegal 4 | Labor and Industries Division | Multiple Locations Statewide

State of Washington•Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for two permanent full time Paralegal 4s in the Labor and Industries Division. These positions may be located in Tumwater, Tacoma, Seattle, or Spokane, Washington, and are 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 LNI Division is a dynamic, diverse, inclusive, and collegial division. All of the LNI Division's 120+ staff are respected for their individual contributions and attributes, and all share the same commitment to serving the public by providing excellent legal services in support of their client's mission to protect workers, preserve the industrial insurance accident fund, and help injured workers heal and return to work. The LNI Division works with partner divisions across the state to handle all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation and appeals, starting with the foundational work of our team of mediation paralegals. Mediation paralegals appear as representatives of the Division and Department of Labor and Industries (Department) to seek early, effective, ethical, creative, and practical resolutions to workers’ compensation appeals before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, helping the Division and Department serve their mission to keep Washington safe and working. Join an agency whose work impacts the lives of every resident of Washington State. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state. We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor. The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities. This includes: Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations) Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources) Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes) And much more! Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here. Mediation Paralegal 4s will be responsible for supervising a team of Paralegal 3s, both mediation paralegals and supervisors, across the state. They are also responsible for developing and implementing strategic goals, processes, and trainings for mediation for the LNI statewide team. What do mediation paralegals do? LNI’s mediation paralegals are an invaluable resource in finding early resolutions to cases that would otherwise go through the mediation process. When parties appeal Department orders, mediation paralegals may be assigned to preliminarily assess the case, suggest or review resolution options, and represent the Department in both mediation conferences and in direct negotiations, before a case moves on to formal litigation. They are responsible for assessing the legal and factual strengths of cases and understanding the laws, policies, and goals of the client Department in order to craft and assess possible resolutions. Mediation paralegals use knowledge, creativity, and an understanding of the Department’s priorities to identify, craft, and recommend novel solutions and strategies to the Department. If cases do not resolve, they also provide their assessments and any other strategically useful information they have prepared to the later-assigned Assistant Attorneys General, who rely on the mediation paralegals’ reports to prepare for the later phases of strategy and litigation in appeals. What will the mediation P4s do? In addition to supervising mediation paralegals, the mediation P4s are charged with developing overarching statewide strategy for mediation practices, including assignment, training, organization, and interaction with litigation and litigation support. This position is expected to set statewide strategy to balance the highest quality outcomes for the client and customers with maximizing mediation effectiveness and resolution rates.

Requirements

Combination of seven 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 3 in Washington State Service. OR Equivalent experience.
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
Knowledge of and/or ability to build skill in paralegal practices, policies and procedures
Familiarity with and successful application of management principles and practices, including training and supervision
Ability to develop and implement long and short-term strategic planning
Gainful participation in organizational development
Ability to develop and implement internal operating procedures
Effectively supervise and provide appropriate direction to lower-level supervisors
Conduct effective meetings
Organize, prioritize and manage a large number of projects and diverse work groups
Effectively communicate both orally and in writing
Work independently
Proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of form I-9.
Work authorization that would not require the AGO to sign a cooperative education agreement with a school.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in computerized litigation or legal work support systems and familiarity with administrative, state, and federal court rules with a thorough understanding of applicable rules.
Knowledge of and teaching capacity in a variety of litigation or legal work support software systems.

Responsibilities

Supervising a team of Paralegal 3s, both mediation paralegals and supervisors, across the state.
Developing and implementing strategic goals, processes, and trainings for mediation for the LNI statewide team.
Assessing the legal and factual strengths of cases and understanding the laws, policies, and goals of the client Department in order to craft and assess possible resolutions.
Identifying, crafting, and recommending novel solutions and strategies to the Department.
Providing assessments and any other strategically useful information to later-assigned Assistant Attorneys General.
Developing overarching statewide strategy for mediation practices, including assignment, training, organization, and interaction with litigation and litigation support.
Setting statewide strategy to balance the highest quality outcomes for the client and customers with maximizing mediation effectiveness and resolution rates.
Establishing and maintaining standards for mediation across all of the LNI statewide team.
Identifying and developing reporting on mediation outcomes and other substantive aspects of mediation.
Analyzing mediation practices, data, services, and outcomes for the Division and client.
Coordinating with stakeholders involved in LNI mediation practice to assess and improve mediation practice.
Assessing, identifying, and recommending best practices for mediation statewide.
Occasionally handling mediations as the primary paralegal including in cases that can be used for training or learning opportunities, matters that would allow for workload balancing for the team, particularly complex mediation matters, and working with mediation paralegals to discuss and strategize on difficult cases, novel legal issues, and ways to improve processes and outcomes.
Leading and managing a team of mediation paralegals and supervisors as part of the Division’s management teams.
Designing and implementing training for the statewide team of mediation paralegals and supervisors.

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
Infants in the Workplace Program
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.