Description:
Attorney 2:The position allocated to this class is the second and journey working level in this series and is responsible for performing civil and/or criminal legal work County Prosecutor, Public Defender or Counsel for Defense. Positions functioning at this level, whether civil or criminal, require prior case preparation and/or trial experience at a level equivalent to Attorney 1. A higher level attorney is available for professional guidance and counseling on a case by case basis on unusual or difficult problems. A position may be responsible for one or more legal programs of the department where the complexity of the law and legal procedures, legal knowledge, proficiency, depth and complexity of case preparation is less than at the Attorney 3 level. Professional guidance and counseling may be provided to legal interns by the positions of this class.
Attorney 3:
This position performs advanced professional civil/criminal legal work for the County Prosecutor, Public Defender or Council for Defense. The position allocated to this class is responsible for performing advanced civil or criminal legal work with considerable professional independence and expertise. Positions in this class differ from positions at the Attorney 2 level by the expertise required, variety of legal matters encountered, number of cases assigned and supervisory responsibilities. Positions function with considerable professional independence, at times, assigning specific cases to lower level attorneys after making decisions to prosecute or provide defense services within established policy. Work is usually reviewed only at completion. Professional advice and consultation is provided by these positions to lower level attorney positions. A position at this level may head the legal activities of a section and provide performance analysis of lower-level employees.
Job Description:
Preferred Experience:
Labor & Employment Law
- Experience in labor and employment matters, including collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and compliance with state and federal employment laws.
- Representing an employer before the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) and/or the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in unfair labor practice cases, representation proceedings, and related hearings.
- Advising Human Resources and Labor Relations teams on workplace investigations, labor relations strategies, and policy development.
- Reviewing employment policies, collective bargaining agreements, and memoranda of understanding to ensure compliance with applicable laws and best practices.
- Familiarity with ADA, FMLA, FLSA, Title VII, and Washington-specific employment statutes.
- Ability to assist HR and management on compliance and best practices.
Tort Litigation
- Minimum of 3 years of civil litigation experience, with a demonstrated focus on defensive tort litigation on behalf of government entities in state and federal courts.
- Strong knowledge of Washington tort law, civil procedure, and federal civil rights statutes.
- Ability to advise government entities and elected officials on litigation risks, compliance issues, and strategies to minimize liability exposure.
- Experience handling pre-litigation claims, risk assessment, and managing discovery (including electronic discovery and public records compliance).
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with paralegals, investigators, outside counsel, insurance carriers, and the County Risk Management team.
Attorney 2:
Examples of Duties:
- Assists or independently represents the County or a client in court, at trials, hearings arraignments, depositions; files legal documents and papers; and interviews witnesses, plaintiffs, victims, and/or clients/suspects.
- Evaluates the facts and examines evidence of specific cases or assignments.
- Conducts legal research, provides legal opinions or memorandums and drafts deeds, leases, contracts and correspondence.
- Addresses issues, questions and concerns from clients and/or their representatives regarding statutory procedures and requirements.
- Responds to written motions.
- Provides oral argument in court during guilty pleas, motion hearings, or other matters of law.
- Oversees the direct and cross examination of witnesses.
- Works with investigators, paralegals, and secretaries to manage court dates, filings, and case investigations.
- Assists former clients when they are asked to "return to court" on the basis of having violated probation.
- Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
As an Attorney in the Civil Division:
- Provides written and oral legal opinions to County departments; drafts deeds, leases and contracts; is involved in discovery for trial preparation including depositions, document research and interrogations.
- Answers inquiries from private citizens or their attorneys.
- Prepares pleading, motions, orders and other court papers.
- Argues cases and motions in court or before an administrative body; and reviews/settles municipal claims.
- Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited college or university school of law.
- Two (2) years' experience at the level of Attorney 1.
- Member of the Washington State Bar Association.
- Public Defender and Counsel for Defense Departments only: if not licensed to practice law in WA State, must meet the requirements under APR 8- Exception for Indigent Representation.
- Candidate must be a member in good standing of the bar in another state and have applied and be pending approval by the WSBA under WA Supreme Court APR 3.
Selection Factors:
- Knowledge of principles and practices of civil law as required by the position.
- Knowledge of judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
- Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.
- Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the general public and parties affected by the court and administration.
- Ability to analyze, evaluate and organize facts, evidence and legal procedures and to present information orally and in writing in a clear and logical form.
- Ability to analyze and prepare a variety of legal documents and instruments.
Attorney 3:
Examples of Duties:
- As an Attorney on the Civil Team:
- Serves as legal counsel for the County elected officials, appointed department heads and boards or commissions, including writing legal opinions.
- Provides oral interpretations of the County ordinances and, State and Federal laws, entering notices of appearance, providing discovery and trying all cases not handled by insurance carriers.
- Defends labor-management grievances.
- Prepares and negotiates land sales and acquisitions and prepares ordinances and resolutions.
- Advises and represents school districts regarding student and personnel matters.
- Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
As an Attorney on the Civil Team:
- Serves as legal counsel for the Spokane County Safety/Loss Control Department, and is responsible for trying certain cases. In this position the attorney must have experience in employment law, environmental law, workers' compensation law, constitutional (State and federal) law, tort law, (including personal injury), land use law, construction law, contract law, and municipal law. The attorney in this position must have demonstrated experience in the development and implementation of safety/loss control policies and procedures.
- Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited college or university school of law.
- Four (4) years of experience at a level equivalent to Attorney 2 or substituting advanced professional legal training in civil or criminal law and procedure as required by the position for up to one year of the experience.
- Member of the Washington State Bar Association.
- Public Defender and Counsel for Defense Departments only: if not licensed to practice law in WA State, must meet the requirements under APR 8- Exception for Indigent Representation.
- Candidate must be a member in good standing of the bar in another state and have applied and be pending approval by the WSBA under WA Supreme Court APR 3.
Selection Factors:
- Knowledge of principles and practices of criminal or civil law as required by the position.
- Knowledge of judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
- Knowledge of effective techniques and the presentation of cases in court.
- Knowledge to include litigation experience in the examples of duties in which the attorney was the lead attorney.
- Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.
- Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the general public and parties affected by the court and administration.
- Ability to analyze, evaluate and organize facts, evidence and legal procedures and to present information orally and in writing in a clear and logical form.
- Ability to analyze
