Team Leader- Children, Youth, and Families Division, Tumwater

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at [email protected]. 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.

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 - MAAG1 salaries are set between $88,056 and $164,940. 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 Children, Youth, and Families Division (CYF) of the WA State Attorney General's Office has an immediate opening for a Team Leader position in the Juvenile Litigation Section.

The CYF Division is made up of two sections, the Juvenile Litigation (JUV) Section and the Program Advice and Litigation (PAL) Section. The JUV Section has an exciting opportunity for a managing AAG to lead a team of three attorneys who represent the Department of Children, Youth, and Families in juvenile litigation cases in Thurston County. The Team Leader will work in the dynamic legal field of child welfare which involves litigating fast-paced dependency, guardianship, and termination of parent rights cases. The work and responsibilities of this division have a significant impact on the families and children of our state. The satisfaction that comes from doing this work and supporting the professional development of other attorneys and staff is profoundly rewarding. About the Section’s Work The JUV Section provides legal representation to Washington State's Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to protect abused and neglected children in dependency, guardianship, and termination of parental rights cases. This position involves a fast-paced litigation workload, with weekly court appearances on the juvenile court calendar, and frequent trials. The subject matter can be difficult, but the work is remarkably rewarding. These cases directly influence the lives of children in our state in a very meaningful way. The JUV Section is a high-energy team of attorneys and staff who represent DCYF in child welfare cases in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Thurston, and Pacific counties' juvenile and superior courts and in appellate courts. The section also handles foster care and child care licensing cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings. This team spends significant time appearing and litigating in superior court, and consulting with clients, identifying and developing legal strategy, and directing and participating fully in the development and resolution of administrative and appellate cases. The attorneys also provide ongoing training to DCYF social workers, supervisory staff, and to colleagues in the AGO. Leading a Team The Team Leader will join the seventeen-attorney JUV section and will serve as a member of the CYF Division Management Team. In addition to maintaining their own caseload, the Team Leader will supervise three attorneys who represent DCYF in Thurston County, who all work together in the challenging and rewarding work of protecting vulnerable children. The Team Leader will report to the JUV Section Chief. The team’s work takes place in a fast-paced atmosphere, and an extremely collaborative and collegial work environment. This full-time position is located in the Tumwater AG’s Office and involves travel to other nearby counties. The ideal candidate will have a passion for training attorneys and staff on child welfare legal requirements and litigation skills, knowledge of these areas, and is a confident communicator and collaborator who also enjoys working independently. In addition to meeting the requirements serve as an Assistant Attorney General, desirable qualifications for legal work and management include:

• Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees,
• Litigation experience in state court,
• The ability to oversee all components of litigation including motion practice,
• Experience providing client advice,
• Relevant experience in the legal work performed by the section,
• Comprehensive knowledge of rules and procedures related to assigned practice areas,
• Experience reviewing client advice for others (not necessarily as a supervisor),
• The ability to juggle competing priorities,
• The ability to work well with a variety of people,
• A passion for child welfare, and
• Due to the challenging subject matter, flexibility and empathy are also desirable qualities.

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. This MAAG1 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 $88,056 and $164,940. 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) with date law degree was conferred; and
• Writing sample (10 pages or less).

If you have questions about this position and/or want to learn more about it before applying, you are welcome and encouraged to contact Section Chief Margaret MacRae at 360-586-6546 or by email at [email protected] or Division Chief Carrie Wayno at 360)-586-6498 or by email at [email protected].

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.

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 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 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 [email protected]. 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 the application process, please contact [email protected]. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at 855-524-5627 or [email protected].