Legal Assistant 1, Regional Services Division, Bellingham

Full Job Description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary
The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Legal Assistant 1 in the Regional Services Division. This position is located in Bellingham, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Legal Assistant 1 (Range 42) salary range: $45,024 - $60,132 annually
The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

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.

Excellent benefitsWashington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance.

Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more.

With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:

• Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
• A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and 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. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!

About the Regional Services Division, Bellingham

The Bellingham office is located in beautiful Barkley Village surrounded by many trails, restaurants and shopping.

This office provides representation to its clients through both litigation and client advice.

Litigation includes hearings and trials in juvenile court and superior court, administrative hearings under the Administrative Procedures Act, and in federal court.

Client advice is provided to clients on a broad range of subjects, particularly in the representation of education clients.

Attorneys are also responsible for handling cases appealed to the Court of Appeals and Washington Supreme Court.

The Bellingham office represents:

• Department of Children, Youth, and Families in juvenile litigation in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties, as well as licensing of facilities such as for Foster Care providers and childcare licensing matters.

• The Department of Labor and Industries in Workers Compensation matters.

• The Department of Social and Health Services in Child Support, Fair Hearing, Adult Protective Services, Home and Community Services and licensing matters.

• Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Technical College, Skagit Valley College, and Educational Service District 189.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Legal Assistant 1

This position performs general clerical work and basic technical legal assignments under the supervision of the Administrative Operations Manager. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Positively and professionally greets and provides assistance to client agency staff, court personnel, and the public by telephone and in person;
• Handles non-routine, sometimes difficult situations and calls requiring the use of problem-solving skills;
• Pulls court orders weekly from Whatcom; Skagit and San Juan county courts online systems; saves orders in electronic case file folders; and enters all future dates in database as well as entering all trial preparation dates in database.
• Distributes orders to the client agencies via Managed File Transfer;
• Prepares responses to notice of appearance; and other miscellaneous legal pleadings upon request and under direction of supervisor; prepares Indian Child Welfare Act notices; downloads discovery from client agency from Managed File Transfer system.
• Receives service of legal documents and immediately routes to the appropriate party; reviews documents for court mandated due dates, records, or applications for compliance with rules;
• Opens and closes case files in legal database and maintains case files according to office procedures.
• Acts as agency liaison with court clerk's office; identifies, locates, and prints court docket for cases;
• Archives case files in accordance with legal requirements for protecting confidential information;
• Performs delivery/messenger services such as serving and filing legal documents and obtains signatures in order to meet critical deadlines; the delivers shall include, but not limited to the courts in Bellingham and Mount Vernon.
• Provide backup services to paralegals and supervisor with various unit projects to meet deadlines;
• Photocopies and scans documents, ensuring exact duplication of originals, and distributes conformed copies of orders to opposing counsel and other interested parties;
• Numbers and assembles legal documents, evidence, exhibits and other materials as directed by paralegal or attorney.
• Prepares and processes vendor expense vouchers weekly and expert agreements in conformance with agency-established coding system;
• Maintains office supply inventory and prepares order forms as needed.
• Maintains conference rooms organization and bookings.
• May be requested to assist with travel arrangements

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Qualifications:

Option 1: High School diploma or equivalent and two years of clerical experience including a minimum of one year of experience in a legal environment;

Option 2: Two years of legal office experience;

Option 3: A combination of three years of college education and/or relevant experience;

Option 4: A two year degree in Legal Secretary Studies, Paralegal studies or related field of study.

Conditions of Employment

• A valid non-probationary Washington State Driver's License is required for this position.

  • This position has daily runs for the office with taking records to the courts in Bellingham and Mount Vernon. In order to drive the state owned vehicles, the incumbent must have a valid driver’s license.
    
    

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney GeneralThe 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.

Commitment to Diversity Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO.

This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds-- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people.

Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment.

One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019.

Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2024 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

Application Instructions

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

Read the Following Information Completely:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.
• The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations Requests

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment.

Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.