Team Leader - Labor & Industries Division, 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 - AAG salaries are set between $86,328 and $161,700. 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 Labor and Industries (LNI) Division of the WA State Attorney General's Office has an opening for an attorney to serve as a Team Leader, Managing Assistant Attorney General 1 (MAAG1).

Requirements

The LNI Division is a dynamic, diverse, inclusive, and collegial division.

All of the LNI Division's 100+ staff are respected for their individual contributions and attributes, and all the share the same commitment to serving the public by providing excellent legal services in support of the their client's mission to keep Washington safe and working.

This position is located in the Olympia section of the LNI Division and directly supervises 3-5 attorneys who handle a high-paced litigation caseload, including motions, discovery, and proceedings before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals or Office of Administrative Hearings, Superior Courts, and the Washington Courts of Appeal.

Attorneys may also handle significant client advice for a variety of LNI programs.

This position is one of four team leaders in the Olympia section and reports to the Olympia Section Chief.

The team leader is a member of the Olympia Management Team and is responsible for leading and mentoring a group of outstanding team members ranging in years of experience.

Duties include administrative tasks such as reviewing and approving attorney travel, timekeeping, and leave, as well as working collaboratively with team members to create yearly goals and engage in actively giving and receiving feedback, and providing input into performance evaluations of team attorneys.

The team leader regularly checks in with team members; coaches and mentors; listens actively to team members regarding resource needs, workload balance, client needs, and professional development interests; recognizes and encourages appreciation for team members and LNI colleagues; assists with attorney and professional staff recruitment; facilitates meetings; collaborates with other members of the Olympia Management Team on shared responsibilities and goals; and leads and supports process improvement and other projects within the Division.

The team leader will also handle their own caseload in Industrial Insurance and/or other programs; assign cases and balance workloads; review and approve settlements negotiated by team attorneys and paralegals; review proposed decisions to determine if petitions for review should be filed; and back up the Section Chief as needed.

The LNI Division handles litigation and advice for the Department of Labor and Industries in a broad array of areas including: Industrial Insurance, Worker Health and Safety, Employer Services, Employment Standards, Wage Theft, Building Trades, Apprenticeship, and Crime Victim's Compensation.

The Olympia LNI Division strives to make professional growth a priority and allow staff to develop their practice in areas of law that interest them, while still meeting the business needs of the section.

This position will join a group of individuals committed to providing excellent legal services.

The attorney hired for this position will need to be flexible, adaptive, organized, and able to work well with technical staff and professional staff.

The attorney will also need to handle technically challenging subject matter, such as cases involving medical and vocational experts.

The LNI Division offers great mentors, a team atmosphere, and supports flexibility and creativity.

Qualifications

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

• Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees;
• The ability to maintain productive working relationships with attorneys and professional staff across the division, section, and with the client;
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills;
• A demonstrated leadership ability;
• Experience developing practical solutions, exhibiting proactive and creative problem-solving skills and maintaining perspective;
• An ability to handle cases electronically, including utilizing electronic files, participating in all-remote or hybrid hearings and trials, and effectively using other electronic case management tools;
• The ability to contribute positively to a team and interact successfully with interested groups and members of the public;
• The desire to participate in a growth-oriented culture that encourages learning and giving and receiving feedback;
• A commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards;
• A willingness to ask for and offer help in a supportive and collegial environment;
• An ability to manage an active caseload, identify and prioritize tasks, and meet short deadlines; and
• A commitment to working in an inclusive, creative, and collaborative work environment.

While not strictly required, the following qualifications are highly desirable:

• An interest in or experience with civil litigation, including engaging in discovery, drafting motions and briefs, negotiating with other parties and presenting oral arguments before various courts and tribunals;
• Experience providing independent, sound, and ethical options-based legal advice for clients;
• Prior experience in efficiently managing the resources, workload issues and organization of a work group or team; and
• A demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

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 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 Managing 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.

MAAG1 salaries are set between $86,328 and $161,700. 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 and 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 Section Chief Sarah Kortokrax at sarah.kortokrax@atg.wa.gov.

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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.