Attorney 3

Note: Current Employees must use the Workday Dashboard career section to apply for this position.

Employee Type:

Regular

Department:

Counsel for Defense

Salary:

$107,978.98 - $151,121.88 Annually / $8,998.25 - $12,593.49 Monthly / $51.91 - $72.65 Hourly

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Overtime Eligibile:

No

Job Posting Date Range:

07/10/2026 - Until Filled

Job Summary:

The position allocated to this class is responsible for performing advanced professional civil or criminal legal work for the Prosecuting Attorney, Public Defender or Counsel for Defense. 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:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

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.
• 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.

As an Attorney on the Juvenile Team:

• Screens and assigns juvenile offense cases to section attorneys.
• Implements and supervises office procedures and staff functions.
• Provides legal advice in juvenile offense cases.
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

As an Attorney on the Felony Team:

• Evaluates the investigative results on alleged crimes and decides whether to charge and if so, with what crime or whether to refer the case back to the investigator for further investigation, or whether to decline criminal prosecution.
• Prepares legal pleading for charging.
• Prepares cases for trial, including interviewing witnesses; sorting evidence; conducting follow-up investigations; preparing issues and instruction; pretrial motions, opening statements, witness questions, trial strategies and final preparation of witnesses.
• Presents the state's case in court on homicide, negligent homicide, fraud, arson, robbery and other felonies.
• Reviews and prepares record on appeal, briefings and arguments in Court of Appeals, Supreme Court and US Supreme Court.
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

As an Attorney on the Family Law Team:

• Plans, assigns, and evaluates the work of the section, provides professional legal advice to and reviews the work of section attorneys.
• Consults with and advises the State Office of Support Enforcement (OSE) in matters concerning cases.
• Discusses legal theories, authorities and strategies of actions handled by department attorneys.
• Discusses and consults with department employees on matters of office policies and assignments; effectively recommends hiring, firing, promotion, and career moves of attorneys and other employees.
• Administers and effectively recommends administration of discipline.
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

As an Attorney in the Public Defender or Counsel for Defense Office:

• Provides advanced and professional defense services to indigent adults and juveniles charged with a crime.
• Supervises and mentors new lawyers with case analysis, covering cases, and assists with issues regarding client care.
• Evaluates and investigates felony case assignments, which includes interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports, and preparing for trial.
• Prepares legal memorandums, motions and notes.
• Maintains contact with clients whether in or out of custody, by meeting with them in the jail, at the office, and by phone.
• Attends all required court hearings, arraignments, pleas, and trials
• Negotiates and communicates with prosecutors and witnesses in order to reach resolution in assigned matters.
• Provides coverage and case assistance when needed.
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 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.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• 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 and prepare a variety of legal documents and instruments.

BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS

All County employees are responsible for contributing to a safe and positive work environment, actively demonstrating the County values in their daily work and interactions:

• Respect: Appreciating and valuing customers, other County employees and County leadership by showing courtesy, friendliness and fairness. Communicating in a productive and professional manner.
• Accountability: Honoring and delivering on commitments by taking responsibility for personal actions and results; being a responsible steward of public resources and the trust County residents have placed in each of us.
• Integrity: Modelling transparent and ethical behavior and demonstrating it with honest and trustworthy behaviors and actions; leading by example and performing work to the highest standards.
• Innovation: Striving for excellence by actively pursuing opportunities for new and improved methods, procedures or technologies; fostering an environment of engagement and empowerment and embracing continuous improvement.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• The work environment is primarily inside, where the noise and temperature levels are moderate.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. As every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may reasonably be considered incidental in the performing of their duties as though they were included in this job description.

Total Compensation:

$138,213 - $193,436 Annually

Total compensation is an estimate based upon base compensation, median retirement fund contributions, and current employer-paid health and related benefit contribution rates (including medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, and leave). The actual total will vary depending upon each employee's enrollment choices.

Please select the link below to view Spokane County Benefits:

• Benefits | Spokane County, WA