Legal Assistant 1 | Social & Health Services Division | Seattle

State of Washington
State of Washington

Legal

Seattle, WA, USA

USD 45,024-60,132 / year

Posted on Jun 12, 2026

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 Assistant 1 in the Social & Health Services Division. This position is located in Seattle, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Legal Assistant 1 (Range 42) salary range: $45,024 - $60,132 annually (Effective 7/1/2025) | $45,924 - $61,332 Annually (Effective 7/1/2026)
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 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 Seattle Social & Health Services Division

The Social & Health Services Division provides legal support to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Our division handles a variety of work including child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights proceedings; vulnerable adult protection and guardianship proceedings; foster care, child-care, and adult family home administrative proceedings; and appeals involving all of these cases.

This is fast-paced, high-volume litigation. It requires excellent communication and time-management skills, as well as the ability to juggle competing priorities, think on your feet, and work effectively with a variety of people. Experience working in a law office environment and a commitment to child advocacy are preferred. This is a great opportunity to handle interesting and meaningful work in a supportive, team-oriented environment in beautiful downtown Seattle.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Legal Assistant 1

Under supervision of the Legal Assistant 3 supervisor, this position performs general clerical work and basic technical legal assignments within the Social & Health Services Division. This position is one part of a cohesive team, and the work performed is vital to keeping the division functioning smoothly. Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Extract and verify case data for accurate and timely processing of legal documents and identification and/or entry of key dates and other data in the agency’s case management database;
  • Mail and e-mail processing;
  • Processing receipt of dependency petitions and screening referrals for termination of parental rights;
  • Organize and send large certified mailings (ICWA) to numerous parties;
  • Draft Expert and/or Lay Witness Contracts;
  • Receive and distribute discovery via Managed File Transfer;
  • Maintain multi-function devices;
  • Determine if division has responsive documents for public record requests and/or Tort lawsuits;
  • Draft notices and send to publishers for publication; tracks issuance and completion of publication and receipt of Affidavit of Publication.
  • Process division invoices;
  • Scan paper documents to electronic form for long-term record retention.
  • Answer and route phone calls;
  • Maintain knowledge of Seattle Office security procedures and act as Floor Warden;
  • Other duties as assigned.

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.

Required Qualifications

Option 1: High School diploma or equivalent and two years of clerical experience including a minimum of one year of experience in a legal environment;

Option 2: Two years of legal office experience;

Option 3: A combination of three 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.

Skill & Abilities

The following are required AGO competencies for all employees:

  • Integrity;
  • Performance leadership;
  • Organizational and political awareness;
  • Results orientation and initiative;
  • Accountability;
  • Judgment;
  • Decisiveness;
  • Recognize and support the important of diversity and inclusion.

The most successful candidate will have:

Familiarity with Juvenile abuse/neglect litigation, family law, or elder abuse/neglect cases is desirable. The successful candidate will have the ability to work effectively on a team or independently; ability to manage a heavy and diverse workload and manage the stress that accompanies that; knowledge of court rules and effective use of related databases and software; effectively organize electronic and hard copy records; and must communicate effectively. The successful candidate must be able to adapt to rapidly changing needs and priorities. There will be exposure to materials that may be highly offensive distressing regarding sexual, physical, and psychological abuse and neglect of children and vulnerable adults.

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.

See more open positions at State of Washington