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.
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 - AAG salaries are set between $83,856 and $157,080. 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 Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the WA State Attorney General’s Office seeks an attorney to litigate significant environmental lawsuits in an exciting, creative, and fast-paced environment. This position will litigate affirmative environmental cases to hold polluters accountable and defend environmental protections.
This Assistant Attorney General will work with our Environmental Protection Division and lead and co-lead affirmative environmental investigations and litigation to protect Washingtonians and our environment. The EPD has led high-impact, innovative environmental enforcement matters, including the state’s suit against manufacturers of PFAS-laden firefighting foam products; against Monsanto for PCB damages; against a gold mining company for thousands of violations of the Clean Water Act; and against the Hanford nuclear facility for worker exposure to tank vapors. EPD has also led high-profile litigation against the federal government to defend environmental protections against regulatory rollbacks, including unlawful termination of funding for clean energy programs and EV charging infrastructure suits to protect clean energy projects, and stop oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Duties:
EPD attorneys bring cases arising under state or Federal law, and which may relate to a wide range of environmental and environmental justice topics, such as water and air quality, habitat protection, toxic chemicals, climate change, and worker safety. For this position, we will especially value applicants with familiarity and experience in federal administrative law, environmental, and energy law. Experience with citizen suits under federal environmental laws is also a plus.
Duties typical of attorneys within the EPD include:
Litigating affirmative civil environmental cases to address environmental, natural resources, and public health problems;
Directing and assisting in affirmative investigations and case development and developing creative litigation strategies to address complex legal issues;
Drafting pleadings, motions and memoranda from initial filing through post-judgment proceedings;
Developing federal administrative matters, including by drafting comments on federal rulemakings and other actions and filing challenges to federal decisions;
Representing the AGO in public settings on matters that may be of a sensitive or high-profile nature;
Conducting all aspects of discovery; and
Motions practice, trials, and participating in post-trial proceedings including any appeals.
Qualifications:
In addition to meeting the qualifications to serve as an Assistant Attorney General, preferred candidates will have a minimum of two years of civil litigation experience, with additional experience preferred. Other required qualifications include:
Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and collaboration and promote a positive work environment that recognizes and respects all employees;
Ability to maintain productive working relationships across the division and with stakeholders, helping to identify and resolve problems;
Experience in a full range of discovery and motions practice;
Strong analytical, research, and writing skills;
Excellent judgment;
Experience successfully handling multiple time-sensitive assignments; and
Commitment to help create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce and culture that encourages and celebrates difference.
Preference will be given to applicants with environmental or energy law experience, federal administrative law experience, and a dedicated commitment to public service.
This Assistant Attorney General position requires occasional statewide travel, including overnight trips. Out-of-state travel may also be required.
NOTE! The applicants 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.
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.
Supplemental Information
This 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. AAG salaries are set between $83,856 and $157,080. The exact amount is set in accordance with Appendix B of the AWAAG CBA. Positions located in King County are eligible for 5% King County Assignment Pay. 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.
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 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.
