Closing Date: 29th October, 2026
Description:
Summary:The Mainstream Criminal Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking multiple highly motivated attorneys with a commitment to justice, integrity, compassion, leadership, and professionalism to join our office as term-limited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys in the District Court Unit. These are excellent opportunities to develop expertise and gain courtroom experience, particularly for new and less experienced attorneys. If you seek enriching, meaningful work and a chance to serve your community while working as part of a dynamic team, this opportunity may be for you.
About the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Guided by our core values of Integrity, Compassion, Professionalism, and Leadership, our mission is to do Justice:
- We exercise the power given to us by the people with fairness and humility.
- We serve our diverse community, support victims and families, and hold individuals accountable.
- We develop innovative and collaborative solutions for King County and the State of Washington.
- Our office is composed of six divisions that are further organized into specialized units:
We value diversity and strive to hire a workforce that reflects the community that we serve. It is essential to our mission that we create and maintain an office that is diverse and inclusive. All PAO employees are expected to participate in PAO equity work and attend equity trainings and discussions. PAO employees are expected to comply with equity and social justice principles, and to work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.
To learn more about the Prosecuting Attorney's Office (PAO), please visit our website (https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/pao)
Job Duties:
Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys (DPAs) cover work at courthouses in Seattle, Kent and Redmond. All deputies are expected to be able to work at any of those locations. The starting location will be in Seattle.
Attorneys hired into these roles are primarily assigned to work in our District Court Unit handling gross misdemeanor cases. Core business hours are 8:30-4:30, with the occasional weekend or holiday calendar coverage required. The main responsibility for this role is to be part of the District Court Unit Filing team which includes the following responsibilities:
- Review police reports referred for potential charges, applying knowledge of the applicable RCWs, relevant case law and internal filing standards in order to make a well-reasoned determination if a charge can or should be filed.
- Exercise good judgement and discretion while deciding what cases/charges to file.
- Exercise good judgement as it relates to bail or filing cases on warrant.
- Create detailed filing notes that outline facts, spot evidentiary issues and anticipate legal arguments made by defense.
- Identify missing or additional pieces of evidence which should be requested at the filing stage.
- Timely make filing decisions to avoid excessive backlog and meet constitutional requirements for individuals in custody on the investigation calendar.
- Court Calendar coverage may be required in order to meet court obligations in either Seattle, Kent or Redmond Courthouses.
Term-Limited DPA contracts last 12 months (with the possibility of extension) and enjoy the same robust benefits package as non-contract employees. These positions are represented by the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Association.
These positions are primarily in-person with some ability to telecommute each week as business needs allow, subject to a telecommuting agreement. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills:
- Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills.
- Strong work ethic and commitment to working effectively in a team environment.
- Strong commitment to race, equity, and social justice issues, including working on personal cultural competency.
- Passion and eagerness to learn trial skills.
- Strong ability to accept feedback and coaching, and to implement it into practice.
- Must be Washington State Bar qualified.
Supplemental Information:
Special Requirements:
- Member in good standing with the Washington State Bar.
- Able to work at any of our three locations (Seattle, Kent, Redmond).
- Must submit to a criminal history check, which will include fingerprinting.
- Salary: $92,770 - $153,722 annually commensurate with experience
Application Process:
- Fully complete King County application*
- Attach Cover Letter addressed to the Hiring Committee
- Attach Resume
- Answer supplemental questions
For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Selene Poulsen (she/her)
Senior Human Resources Analyst
spoulsen@kingcounty.gov
Forbes 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.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to 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 sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.
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.
Senior Human Resources Analyst
spoulsen@kingcounty.gov
Forbes 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.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to 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 sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.
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.
