Deputy Prosecuting Attorney-Term-Limited-Recruiting 3L law students

Summary

The Mainstream Criminal Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking highly motivated 3L law students with a commitment to justice, integrity, compassion, leadership, and professionalism to join our office as term-limited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys after September 2026 bar passage. This is a new opportunity for 3L law students to secure post-bar employment now contingent on bar passage. Term-Limited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys develop expertise and gain immediate courtroom experience. If you seek enriching, meaningful work and a chance to serve your community while working as part of a dynamic team, this opportunity may be for you.

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 equity and social justice principles, and to work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.

This is an open and continuous recruitment that will be used to fill multiple positions over the next few months. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, and the post will remain up until open positions have been filled.

The initial assignment (rotation) for these positions will be at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys (DPAs) cover work at courthouses in Seattle, Kent and Redmond. All deputies are expected to be able to work at any of those locations.

Attorneys hired into these roles are primarily assigned to work in our District Court Unit handling gross misdemeanor cases. As a new deputy, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills as a trial lawyer, negotiator, and to internalize the mission of our office, which is not just to win cases, but to serve the cause of justice. We are an office that relies on data to enhance and measure performance, allocate resources where they are most needed, and identify opportunities and challenges, while implementing efficiencies. You will have a large and meaningful caseload, exercise your best judgment and discretion, and join a community of Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys and Legal Service Professionals committed to integrity, excellence, and mutual support.

General work hours are 8:00am - 5:00pm, with court hours being 8:30am - 4:30pm. Occasional weekend or holiday calendar coverage is required. Other potential work assignments include:

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to working effectively in a team environment.
• Strong commitment to race, equity, and social justice issues, including working on personal cultural competency.
• Passion and eagerness to learn trial skills.
• Strong ability to accept feedback and coaching, and to implement it into practice.
• Must be Washington State Bar qualified OR planning to take the July 2026 bar exam.

Supplemental Information

Must submit to a Criminal History background check form.