Paralegal I/ Family Advocate

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) is in search of a Paralegal I/ Family Advocate to join our team in the Involuntary Treatment Section. Generally, the Civil Division provides comprehensive legal services to King County government, including all County elected and appointed officials, department heads, and with the managers of numerous county agencies and departments. Serving in its role as an in-house law firm for the County, the Civil Division works closely with its clients in solving a wide range of legal problems by providing legal advice and representation of King County. The Civil Division is composed of eight specialized sections: (1) Contracts, (2) County Services, (3) Transportation & Real Property, (4) Labor and Employment, (5) Land Use, (6) Natural Resources, (7) Litigation and (8) Involuntary Treatment. About the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Guided by our core values of Integrity, Compassion, Professionalism, and Leadership, our mission is to do Justice:

• We exercise the power given to us by the people with fairness and humility.
• We serve our diverse community, support victims and families, and hold individuals accountable.
• We develop innovative and collaborative solutions for King County and the State of Washington.

Our office is composed of six divisions that are further organized into specialized units:

We value diversity and strive to hire a workforce that reflects the community that we serve. It is essential to our mission that we create and maintain an office that is diverse and inclusive. All PAO employees are expected to participate in PAO equity work and attend equity trainings and discussions. PAO employees are expected to comply with race, equity, and social justice principles, and to work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.

To learn more about the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO), please visit our website. The Paralegal I/Family Advocate will be responsible for providing administrative support to Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) unit deputies and providing immediate crisis intervention to families and vulnerable witnesses, with the highest priority being safety. Specific duties will include initiating contact with patients’ family members upon receipt of discovery and providing support and information to families and witnesses throughout the ITA proceedings. This includes responding to family members’ questions and concerns, explaining the legal process, and keeping them informed of court hearings and the outcomes. The paralegal/advocate will consult and coordinate with prosecutors daily regarding case issues as a representative of the families’ concerns, needs, and input.

• Support, assist and inform family members throughout the ITA proceedings: Provide earliest contact and crisis intervention, be available to respond to questions or concerns and explain the ITA process

• Assist with addressing emotional and physical needs to reduce the impacts of trauma and victimization

• Deploy advocacy skills: Crisis intervention, case management and de-escalation techniques; development of coordinated safety plans with family members and vulnerable witnesses as needed

• Inform and refer family members and vulnerable witnesses in filing for civil protection orders and/or extreme risk protection orders (ERPO) as needed. Communicate with the hospital a “Duty to Warn” if a family member is in the process or has a protection order against the patient

• Connect family members with community resources and service providers

• Advocate and speak on behalf of the family and prepare family members for court testimony

• Initiate contact with family upon receipt of petition and maintain contact throughout the process with the intent to identify and address any safety concerns, keep the family informed of the status of the case, and gather the families input for the prosecutor and courts

• Consult and coordinate with prosecutors regularly regarding case issues and proceedings as a representative of the family’s concerns, needs and input – includes informing prosecutor of family’s willingness to assist with prosecution and of additional discoverable information or pertinent facts to the case gained through contact with the family

• Communicate case updates to appropriate family members; comply and explain to the family HIPPA requirements and refer family to the hospital for a release of information (ROI) from the patient in order for the family to receive patient psych/medical information

• Foster relationships with teammates and external agency partners: Hospitals, Evaluators, Attorneys, Paralegals. Law Enforcement, and other system entities to empower, support and educate families throughout the ITA system process.

• Assist paralegal team with PBK input and duties, as needed

• Answer phone calls and respond to e-mails in a timely manner

• Assist unit supervisor and staff supervisor as requested

• Perform related work or other projects as requested or required

• Actively participate in PAO equity work, attending equity trainings and discussions

• Knowledge of civil, appellate, and criminal law terminology, court rules and procedures

• Demonstrated ability to work with people in crisis

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; ability to communicate professionally and effectively with individuals and groups

• Considerable knowledge of local related community resources

• Skill in working with diverse populations

• Ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment and also function as a team player

• Ability to problem-solve and identify needed procedural and policy changes

• Demonstrated ability to manage voluminous and sensitive caseloads

• Ability to demonstrate predictable, reliable and timely attendance

• Ability to accept supervision and feedback

• Skill in performing in a fast-paced environment with a high-volume caseload

• Computer skills (WORD, Excel, PBK a plus), office equipment (phone, fax, copier), and organization skills

• Attention to detail and a low error rate in a fast-paced environment and the ability to multi-task and manage frequent interruptions

• Ability to comply with confidentiality requirements

• Active participation in PAO equity work, attending equity trainings and discussions, support for the PAO’s Race, Equity and Social Justice policy and principles, work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement

• Engage race, equity and social justice principles in regular job duties and decision making

• Additional responsibilities and/or tasks may be incorporated, or existing ones modified as business needs evolve

• Other duties as assigned

Desired qualification but not required: This position may be eligible for the bilingual premium pay of $1 per hour for all hours worked. Desired languages include Spanish, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Shanghai, Other), Dari, Russian, and/or Vietnamese. To qualify for the bilingual pay premium, applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency. Salary: Range 49-- $37.97 (step one) - $48.13 (step ten) hourly*

Please note that in 2027, King County employee wages will receive a 3.75% wage increase.

Work Location: In-person /telecommute (hybrid)- Ninth and Jefferson Building, Harborview Medical Center, and Civil Division offices located in Columbia Tower.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, our core business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and/or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. based on business needs.

Telecommuting: Employees in the Civil Division enjoy a hybrid work schedule that allows telecommuting up to three days one week, two days the next, with in-office work required on Wednesdays. If a successful candidate is new to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, they may be required to work in-office three days every week for six months. All employees will be provided with a County issued laptop. Employees approved to telecommute must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection and equipment where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change.Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants.

Union Membership: Positions in this classification are represented by Teamsters Local No. 117.

Application Process:

Interested individuals must complete the three application components:

1. Submit a resume and cover letter
2. Respond to the supplemental questions
3. Fully complete King County application. **

**Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state “see my resume” or are blank, are considered incomplete and will not be considered competitive.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:

Karla Avila Vargas (She/Her) Human Resource Analyst [email protected]

Selection Process:

Materials will be reviewed for qualifications, and the most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in a panel interview process. Current PAO employees who are represented by Teamsters Local No. 117 will receive priority consideration.

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The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.[RM1]

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

• In addition to the benefits listed on the benefits tab, employees with less than 2 years of service will receive .25 per hour less than the hourly salary table due to a mandatory contribution toward the Teamsters Pension Trust that was voted by members of the collective bargaining agreement between our office and Teamsters Local No. 117. This contribution is made by the employee and after two years it is paid by the employer.