Managing Assistant Attorney General 2 - Complex Litigation Division, Seattle or Olympia

Full Job Description

All employees and volunteers of the Washington State Attorney General's Office serve a crucial role in the protection of the state, its people and resources, thereby providing an incomparable degree of job satisfaction.

The AGO is composed of diverse, collegial and supremely talented legal professionals who are resolute in their commitment to public service and share the common goal of advancing the public interest.

For more information about the AGO, we encourage you to review the Office's Annual Report which can be found HERE.

The Office appreciates the benefits of a healthy life-work balance as well as a respectful, inclusive and diverse workplace.

Successful candidates will join an Office in which every person is committed to providing exceptional legal services and where individual professional development is encouraged and supported.

The exceptional benefits of joining the AGO include:

• A competitive benefit package that includes affordable medical plan options, dental benefits and retirement plans
• Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, Military and Civil Leave and Paid Holidays
• Transparent salary schedule - MAAG2 salaries are set between $90,444 and $169,392. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA
• The AGO will pay the general bar dues of someone who begins their assignment on or before January 31st per Article 10.8 of the AWAAG CBA
• Flex schedules and telecommuting options
• A formal AAG mentoring program that complements the AGO's inherently collegial and supportive environment
• Health and wellness program
• Training and career development program that is recognized for its excellence and efficacy by AGOs nationwide

The Complex Litigation Division at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office has an opportunity for an attorney interested in managing teams of experienced Section Chiefs and litigating significant issues that face our State and the nation.

This position will manage a number of Section Chiefs, who in turn supervise a team of Assistant Attorneys General. These positions will be located in Seattle or Olympia.

Requirements

The Complex Litigation Division seeks an attorney with management experience, significant litigation experience, and a demonstrated commitment to public service.

The holder of this position must be adaptable and possess strong lawyering, communication, and management skills.

Most of the Division’s cases are litigated by teams ranging in size from four to ten attorneys and paralegals.

Attorneys in the Complex Litigation Division work on some of the Office’s most challenging and high-profile cases.

The Division has many ongoing cases challenging overreach by the federal government, including recent actions against HUD homelessness grants, public benefits programs, student mental health grants, gender-affirming care, FEMA disaster mitigation funding, the dismantling of HHS, teen reproductive health education, and public health grants.

The Division has a lengthy history of challenging past federal government action including leading multistate litigation to protect and increase access to medication abortion.

The Division will remain at the forefront of the fight to protect Washingtonians’ reproductive rights.

The Division also litigates cases such as Washington’s lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic; challenges to the constitutionality of the State’s law restricting gun magazine capacity size and the law banning the sale of assault weapons; a campaign finance enforcement action; and challenges to the State’s forest management and conservation plans.

Duties of attorneys in the Complex Litigation Division include directing and assisting in investigations; drafting pleadings, motions, and memoranda from initial filing through post-judgment proceedings; depositions and all other aspects of discovery; presenting oral argument; and participating in trial and post-trial proceedings, including appeals, in state and/or federal court.

Our attorneys may be asked to represent the Office in public settings on matters that may be of a sensitive nature or that may carry elevated media interest.

Qualifications

In addition to meeting the requirements to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, the ideal candidate will have:


Applicants must have graduated from a law school accredited by the ABA or completed the WSBA's Rule 6 Law Clerk Program; and be licensed to practice law in Washington state. (Applicants who meet the other stated qualifications and are actively pursuing admission by motion will also be considered.) The AGO seeks applicants who are committed to public service as demonstrated by an applicant's background, talents, attitude, and enthusiasm for public law practice. The AGO greatly encourages, celebrates and values diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfill its mission of providing excellent, independent and ethical legal services to the State of Washington and protecting the rights of its people.

Additional Information

This Assistant Attorney General position is represented by the Association of Washington Assistant Attorneys General (AWAAG) / Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) AFSCME Council 28, AFL-CIO.

MAAG2 salaries are set between $90,444 and $169,392. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA.

A competitive state benefits package is also offered which includes a choice of medical/dental insurance plans, retirement, life and basic long-term disability insurance.

In addition, there are non-financial benefits that include working in a collaborative and supportive work environment where professional development and work-life balance are highly valued.

The health, safety and professional satisfaction of all AGO staff and volunteers is critical to fulfilling the mission of the AGO to provide exceptional legal services.

Complementing and fostering this goal is a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, as evidenced in the AGO's environmental policies.

Interested applicants must apply by hitting the "apply" button above. In addition to the on-line application, one must upload, via the system, preferably as PDFs:

• A letter of interest;
• Resume;
• Law school transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable)showing date law degree conferred; and
• A Writing sample (10 pages or less).

If you have questions about this position and/or wish to learn more about it before applying, we encourage and welcome you to contact Division Chief Jeff Rupert at Jeffrey.Rupert@atg.wa.gov or (206) 389-2116.

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Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that 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 age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability 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.