Summary
Why It's a Great Opportunity:
This is a great entry-level career opportunity as a Legal Assistant 1 within the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Civil Division. Your primary focus will be general clerical support in the field of legal services, assisting the team with discovery management and document production.
As a Prosecuting Attorney’s Office employee, you make a difference in people's lives and make a positive contribution to Pierce County
Why It's a Great Department:
The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is committed to the recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion of a diverse staff. Our commitment to diversity creates a strong and collegial office that promotes respect for the community we serve.
Our division takes great pride in the collegial environment we have created. We are supportive of one another, highly competent, and thrive on the collective teamwork of those who work in our division. We have high standards for our work product and for the support we provide our clients. Hybrid work arrangements are available.
Learn more about the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office here.
How to be Successful in the Role:
We are looking for someone with exceptional customer service and organizational skills, a strong work ethic, who is adaptable, and works well as part of a team. The ability to interact in a positive, engaging manner with internal and external customers, treating every contact as a valued individual, is of high importance, as well as the ability to work independently.
Your Future in this Role:
This position will provide you with the opportunity to build a solid foundation within a civil law environment. You will learn applicable legal guidelines or regulations, court processes and procedures, and office operational procedures. You will develop professional networks and have exposure to attorneys, courts, and agencies, as well as the public. Your work will directly impact your community, and it offers a great foundation for future positions within the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Core Daily Responsibilities:
- Opens, date stamps, sorts and distributes incoming mail and processes outgoing mail. Retrieves documents for assistance to judges, attorneys and the public.
- Opens and prepares new case files; maintains current files and records dates on which subsequent actions must be taken.
- Provides information and responds to complaints from the public and deals with them in a courteous manner. Must be able to travel to assigned work locations.
This announcement is not intended to reflect all duties to be performed by our next team member, but shall present a descriptive list of the range of duties that may be performed. To view the complete classification, click here. Minimum Qualifications
- Additional education or experience may substitute for the recruiting requirements.
- A minimum of six months experience as a legal assistant, legal secretary or related legal staff support function.
- Must be able to utilize word processor or personal computer at an acceptable level of proficiency as required for positions requiring those skills.
- Training by an accredited vocational school, college or university in the field of legal support work or related area is preferred.
- This position requires working in the office in person five days a week.
As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case basis and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration. Supplemental Information
How to Apply:
- Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting “APPLY” above or visiting www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs.
- If you have questions about this opportunity, email the Recruitment Team at PCHRRecruit@piercecountywa.gov and include the job number and title.
- Individuals who need accommodation in the application or interview process may contact Human Resources at (253) 798-7480 at least two days prior to the need.
- Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship.
Our Recruitment Practices:
This is a competitive and meritorious selection process. Pierce County applications are reviewed by human hiring staff in accordance with the qualifications listed for the position. Pierce County understands applicants may use AI tools when preparing application materials. We recognize these tools can make the process easier; however, we ask that everything you submit genuinely reflects your own experience, skills, knowledge, and writing style.
During the interview process, you may be asked to demonstrate your skills, including writing and subject knowledge, and to speak to your experience in your own voice. Applicants should be prepared to respond to interview questions without relying on AI-generated responses or reading prepared answers from a screen. Any misrepresentation may result in disqualification or separation.
Applicants whose qualifications most closely align with the County’s needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status typically occurs within two to three weeks after the closing date. Some applicants may receive short notice to participate in additional selection steps, which may include assessments, phone screens, or interviews.
Upon offer, compensation is based on a range of job-related factors, including the requirements of the role, your skills and experience, and internal pay equity.
Our Welcoming Workplace Commitment:
Pierce County is committed to fostering a Welcoming Workplace where employees are supported, respected, and able to thrive. We believe a strong public workforce is representative of the community it serves and that fair and just access to opportunity strengthens public service.
Guided by the County Executive’s Forward Together mission, Pierce County works to build communities that are safe, welcoming, and connected. This same commitment shapes how we recruit, develop, and retain our employees. County employees make a direct and visible impact in the lives of residents every day, and we invite you to join us in helping keep Pierce County a place people are proud to call home.
Benefits
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Pierce County offers a competitive benefits package that offers flexibility and peace of mind. We are proud to offer Employee Resource Groups, a focus on professional development in our Leadership Training Program, and a County Book Club.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career and that your priority is making sure that you and your family maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
Our benefits:
Vacation (Annual Leave) After approximately six months, employees receive six days of vacation leave. Since we value your experience, the amount of vacation you can accrue increases the longer you work with us. Vacation accrues on a bi-weekly basis for full-time employees as follows:
Vacation Accruals:
During years 1-3, 12 Days During years 4-7, 16 Days During years 8-13, 20 Days During years 14-18, 23 Days During years 19, 24 Days During years 20, 25 Days During years 21, 26 Days During years 22, 27 Days During years 23, 28 Days During years 24, 29 Days During years 25 & thereafter, 30 Days
A maximum of 45 days may be carried from one year into the next. Pro-Rated for Part-Time based on % of 1.0 FTE.
Military Leave:
Pierce County has a proud history of supporting the armed forces and provides members of the armed forces with up to 21 days paid military leave per state fiscal year.
Holidays:
Some full-time employees are entitled to eleven paid holidays as follows:
New Year's Day - January 1 Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday - Third Monday in January President's Day - Third Monday in February Memorial Day - Last Monday in May Juneteenth - June 19 Independence Day - July 4 Labor Day - First Monday in September Veteran's Day - November 11 Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday in November & Friday after Christmas Day - December 25
Personal Holidays:
Regular full-time and regular part-time employees, and employees occupying limited duration positions, shall also receive two additional paid personal holidays. Paid personal holidays shall only accrue for those employees on County payroll as of January 1 of each year or the first work day following January 1 and must be taken during the calendar year in which it was accrued.
Furlough:
Some Pierce County employees may be designated to receive 10 "furlough" days per year in lieu of holidays. Furlough days are available for use on January 1 and must be scheduled and taken within the calendar year. Employees who leave employment with Pierce County must reimburse the employer for used furlough days based upon the number of remaining holidays.
Sick Leave:
Sick leave accrues on a bi-weekly basis, at the rate of one day per month.
Insurance Benefits:
Employees and families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with very affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout Pierce County. Employees are eligible to enroll each year in a flexible spending plan, which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care and dependent care expenses. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in supplemental life and long term disability insurance plans. To view premium rates, summary of benefit coverage, and other information, please visit the Pierce County Health Benefits website.
Retirement and Deferred Compensation:
Pierce County employees are members of the State of Washington's Department of Retirement System (DRS) and depending on the position or previous DRS enrollment will be able to enroll in one of many programs DRS offers. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the Nationwide Deferred Compensation Plan. This is a supplemental retirement savings program that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
Social Security:
All Pierce County employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The county and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
ORCA Passport Program Pierce County employees may participate in the County's ORCA (One Regional Card for All) Passport program.Your Pierce County issued ORCA card is loaded with an annual Passport pass. The pass automatically renews every year. The pass will provide you with free transportation on regularly scheduled service on several public transit systems.
Miscellaneous Benefits:
Please visit Pierce County's Benefits website for more information.
Telework/Remote Options:
Some departments allow for telework or work-from-home options dependent on the body of work. Learn more about our telework policy here. **All employees are required to be WA State residents after 30 days of employment.
We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.