Legal Office Assistant, Criminal Justice Division, Seattle

Description

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.

Position and Salary:

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Legal Office Assistant in the Criminal Justice Division. This position is located in Seattle, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Legal Office Assistant Salary Range 40: $42,972 - $57,252 (Effective 7/1/2025)

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The following stipend may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend.

The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities.

Excellent benefits:

Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:

• Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
• A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources;
• Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!

About the Criminal Justice Division:

The mission of the Criminal Justice Division (CRJ) is to work with and support its partners in the criminal justice community to protect Washington citizens and state agencies from criminal activity and fraud. CRJ is comprised of five units: the Major Economic Crimes Unit (MECU), the Criminal Litigation Unit (CLU), the Sexually Violent Predator Unit (SVP), the Signature Projects Unit (SPU) and the Washington State Patrol/Criminal Justice Training Commission Unit (WSP/CJTC). While tasked with distinct responsibilities, these units draw on each other’s expertise and collaborate to combat criminal activity, return stolen funds to state agencies, and create safe communities.

The MECU and CLU investigate and prosecute criminal cases when requested by the Governor or any of the 39 county prosecuting attorneys, including multi-jurisdictional crimes, violent crimes, financial crimes, and crimes involving specialized expertise such complex fraud, criminal conspiracies, corporate corruption, public corruption, organized retail crime and schemes that target state agencies.

The SVP Unit identifies Washington’s most prolific and dangerous sexually violent predators, and works to civilly commit those who continue to pose a serious risk to re-offend.

The SP Unit has three subunits: HITS, SAIST, and the Missing & Murdered Indigenous People Cold Case Unit. The HITS Unit assists law enforcement by providing investigative expertise and maintaining a statewide database to analyze data regarding crimes and perpetrators and identify and apprehend serial offenders. The Sexual Assault Investigations Support Team (SAIST) implements measures to ensure that lawfully-owed DNA is collected and tested so that cold cases, including serial offenders, can be brought to justice. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Cold Case Unit assists federal, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in investigating unsolved cases involving Indigenous people, who are disproportionately subjected to violent crime.

The WSP/CJTC Unit represents and advises the Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Additionally, the CRJ participates in numerous working groups and task forces, including Organized Retail Theft Task Force, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force, Seattle University Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Commercial & Sexually Exploited Children Task Force, Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations (SAFE) Advisory Group, Hate Crimes Working Group, Identify Theft Task Force, and the Catalytic Converter Theft Task Force.

For more information about CRJ and the cases we handle, please visit our website at https://www.atg.wa.gov/criminal-justice

Duties and Essential Functions of a Legal Office Assistant:

Under close supervision of a Paralegal 2, this position supports the mission and values of the Attorney General's Office and the Criminal Justice Division by performing general duties and basic technical legal assignments, which include, but are not limited to:

• Monitor electronic mailboxes per agency and division protocols and policies;
• Extract and verify case data for accurate and timely docketing of legal documents;
• Open and process incoming mail;
• Answer multi-line phone and direct calls to appropriate division staff;
• Prepare and process invoices for payment;
• Maintain record of billings in case management database;
• Prepare travel expense vouchers;
• Make travel arrangements and vehicle reservations;
• Photocopy and organize legal documents, exhibits, and other material;
• Manage and maintain the archival process for the division;
• Type transmittals and prepare boxes for shipment to the Records Center;
• Review files scheduled for destruction to pull transactional documents;
• Forward constituent correspondence to appropriate division staff and ensure we meet corresponding deadlines;
• Process related outgoing response correspondence;
• Serve and file legal documents in-person at the courthouse or via mail facility;
• Inventory, maintain, and track supplies for the division;
• Keep file room, equipment, and mail area clean and orderly;
• Submit for approval routine supply orders;
• Research and order specialty supplies as requested; and
• Maintain division multi-function devices.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Qualifications:

Option 1: High School diploma or equivalent and two years of clerical experience including a minimum of six months of experience in a legal office environment.

Option 2: One year of legal office experience.

Option 3: A combination of two years of college education and/or relevant experience.

Option 4: A two-year degree in Legal Secretary Studies, Paralegal studies or related field of study.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

A background check consisting of employment history, professional references and educational verification (e.g., degree, license, or official transcript) may be conducted. Prior to any offer, the applicant selected will be required to submit to and pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check conducted by the Washington State Patrol, Criminal Records Division. The incumbent will submit to additional background checks as a condition of employment every five (5) years thereafter.

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state. We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor. The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities. This includes:

• Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes)
• And much more!

Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here.

Commitment to Diversity

Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO. This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people. Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment.

One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019. Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2024 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.
• 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations Requests

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 race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation 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.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.