Public Defense Paralegal (CS / TLT / SDA)

Salary

$36.60 - $46.39 Hourly

Location

Seattle, WA

Job Type

Multiple job types-career service and / or temp

Job Number

2025NS25854

Department

DPD - Dept of Public Defense

Opening Date

11 / 07 / 2025

Closing Date

11 / 20 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

A8 : SEIU L925-DPD-Staff

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Hours / Week

40 hours / week

Summary

T his recruitment will be used to establish an eligibility pool for Career Service (CS) and Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) / Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Public Defense Paralegal positions that may become available within the next six months. TLT / SDA assignments typically last between 6 and 24 months and may be extended or concluded earlier depending on business needs. Positions may be assigned to any division and located in either Seattle or Kent.

King County's Department of Public Defense is looking to create an eligibility pool for Public Defense Paralegal positions. Paralegals work in a fast-paced environment as part of a client-centered defense team advocating for the client's objectives. Paralegals work independently under general supervision and provide a variety of investigative and paraprofessional legal support functions under the legal and technical guidance of an attorney. The work involves considerable liaison with other agencies, jurisdictions, clients / victims / witnesses, and the public. The Paralegal is responsible for investigating facts and underlying issues and performing complex legal research.

The successful candidate is dedicated to our collective mission to defend the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our community. We value diversity and aim for our team to reflect the communities that our clients call home .

WHY JOIN DPD?

The King County Department of Public Defense (DPD) provides high quality legal representation to indigent clients in felonies, misdemeanors, juvenile defense, family defense (dependency cases), involuntary commitment (mental illness), sex offender commitment, and inquests.

As an organization we work with the community :

• To dismantle the systems that oppress our client.
• To make the traditional systems that remain as restorative as possible.
• To advocate for pathways that will allow our clients to succeed.

We also advocate to reduce the harm and reach of the criminal legal system and civil legal systems that restrict our clients' liberties and to address systemic racism. We strive to create a flexible workplace culture that is inclusive, respectful, and supportive, premised on a shared anti-oppression framework. To learn more about DPD, visit our website .

Job Duties

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES include but are not limited to the following :

Administrative Support

Perform legal research on statutes and cases; gather facts, analyze data and review cases; conduct preliminary conflict of interest checks in cases assigned.

Support attorney time record-keeping and assist in the submission of hours.

Customer Service and Communication

Demonstrates the ability to be onsite at the work locations at least three days a week in any of DPD's office locations (Seattle and Kent). Location assignments are changeable; work location may include more than one office location over the course of a week and may change over the course of employment.

Other Functions :

The department reserves the right to close this posting and / or make updates to the position description as deemed necessary in support of DPD's mission.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS :

KNOWLEDGE OF :

ABILITY TO :

The following qualifications are a plus :

Supplemental Information

At King County, our work is guided by our True North and values. Our True North is what we aspire to : Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.

King County offers great benefits, to include a pension plan, holidays, transit pass, plus training and education opportunities to promote growth and development. Our focus is to provide our employees with work life balance.

ARE YOU READY TO APPLY?

This opportunity to join DPD is open to all qualified applicants. Please apply at www.kingcounty.gov / careers .

To be considered for this role submit the following items :

This recruitment will be used to establish an eligibility pool for Career Service (CS) and Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) / Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Public Defense Paralegal positions that may become available within the next six months. TLT / SDA assignments typically last between 6 and 24 months and may be extended or concluded earlier depending on business needs. Positions may be assigned to any division and located in either Seattle or Kent.

Note : Special Duty opportunities are only open to current King County career service employees that have completed their initial probation. Special Duty applicants must have approval from their current supervisor to accept an assignment.

Pay Upon Special Duty Placement : Current employees selected for special duty will be compensated based upon the provisions of the King County Code / Personnel Guidelines or applicable CLA for their base position.

The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, references, a personnel file review going back the last three (3) years, and if applicable a background check. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience and attach the required documents to your application.

If you have questions, please contact our Talent Advisors, at dpd-hr@kingcounty.gov .

WORK SCHEDULE AND LOCATION :

The Paralegal team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location for this position may be Seattle or Kent.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

DPD maintains physical offices in the following locations :

Rotations of work location and practice area and / or workflow are an essential function and can occur based on business need.

The typical workweek is 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 8 : 00 a.m. to 5 : 00 p.m. This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for overtime.

DPD Policies

DPD Ethical Walls Policies and Procedures will apply to employees, such that if you work or have worked for one of DPD's divisions, you may be ineligible to work in another division.

Outside Work Policy for Administrative Staff will apply to employees, such that you must receive approval from your supervisor and Managing Attorney before being permitted to engage in outside employment for compensation or volunteer.

Union Membership

Positions in this classification are recognized by Service Employees International Union, Local 925.

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our " True North " , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer.

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

SALARY AND BENEFITS :

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, this salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. King County offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life and disability insurance for employees and dependents; retirement and deferred compensation. For additional information, please review the detailed summary of benefits offered by King County.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs :

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE : Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and / or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

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