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:
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
Washington’s sexually violent predator statutes, Chapter 71.09 RCW, generally provide that persons are sexually violent predators if they have previously been convicted or charged with a crime of sexual violence; and they suffer from a mental abnormality or personality disorder which makes them likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility. The SVP Unit prosecutes the civil commitment of persons identified as sexually violent predators throughout 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. SVP's are housed at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island pending trial and post-commitment, unless court-approved for a less-restrictive alternative (LRA) release to the community. LRA litigation is a burgeoning subcategory of the SVP Unit’s litigation work.
Work in the SVP Unit is demanding but performed by dedicated staff working collegially towards the common goal of protecting the community. We seek a leader for this group. The selected candidate will supervise attorneys who primarily practice in Washington’s superior courts, but who also handle appellate cases in the Washington State Court of Appeals, Washington State Supreme Court, and federal courts on an occasional basis. SVP cases are civil in nature but some aspects of criminal law come into play. The litigation duties of the attorneys this position will supervise include discovery practice under the civil rules, taking and defending depositions, submitting and responding to interrogatories and requests for production, jury and/or bench trials, and extensive motion practice. Because liberty is at stake, certain constitutional protections afforded to criminal defendants also come in to play during the SVP civil commitment process.
In addition to meeting the qualifications to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, we seek an attorney with the demonstrated trial experience necessary to advise and direct the litigation of the SVP Unit. We also seek someone adept at managing a large statewide program and a diverse mix of attorneys and staff of varying degrees of experience. The attorney hired for this position will directly supervise three attorney managers, one appellate attorney, and one senior investigator. Mentoring attorneys during stressful litigation is an important component of this position. The attorney hired for this position will supervise the totality of the unit’s litigation work, which is performed by 16 attorneys, an investigator, and the division’s dedicated paralegal staff. Attorney and paralegal staff are primarily located in the Seattle office of the AGO, but some SVP Unit attorney staff are located in the Spokane office of the AGO. The SVP Section Chief reports directly to the Division Chief of the Criminal Justice Division, and at times works with the AGO Administrative Division, including the Attorney General and his staff and the Public Affairs Unit. The attorney hired to this position also serves as a liaison and meets regularly with numerous agencies involved in the SVP civil commitment process, including the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, the End of Sentence Review Board, and local law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices.* * * * * * * * * * * *
NOTE! The selected applicant will be required to submit to and pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check conducted by the Washington State Patrol. The incumbent will submit to additional background checks as a condition of employment every five (5) years thereafter.
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. Managing AAG salaries are set between $78,240 and $146,556. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA. Note that the position's location is King County and thus the person hired would be eligible for 5% King County Assignment pay per legislative action. 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:
If you have questions about this position and/or wish to learn more about it before applying, we welcome and encourage you to contact Division Chief John Hillman at John.Hillman@atg.wa.gov.
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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.
Hourly Wage Estimation for Section Chief - Criminal Justice Division's Sexually Violent Predator Unit, Seattle in Seattle, WA
$88.73 - $121.58
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