Attorney - Involuntary Treatment Act

King County

Seattle, WA

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JOB DETAILS

SALARY

$92,770–$153,722 Per Year

SKILLS

Analysis Skills, Attorney, Behavioral Health, Collective Bargaining, Communication Skills, Community Support, Compensation and Benefits, Customer Relations, Diversity, Employee Assistance Plan, Employee Benefits, Government, Healthcare Providers, Hospital, Leadership, Legal, Legal Research, Litigation, Negotiation Skills, Outpatient Care, Problem Solving Skills, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Retirement Plan, Service Delivery, Team Lead/Manager, Team Player, Training/Teaching, Work From Home

LOCATION

Seattle, WA

POSTED

2 days ago

Salary

$92,770.00 - $153,722.00 Annually

Location

Columbia Center - 701 5th Ave, Seattle, WA

Job Type

Appt/Exempt

Job Number

2026-27612

Department

PAO - Prosecuting Attorneys

Opening Date

07/08/2026

Closing Date

7/22/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

FLSA

Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Z7A : PAO Non-Rep VL

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Summary

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking a highly motivated attorney with a commitment to justice, integrity, compassion, leadership, and professionalism to join our office as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Involuntary Treatment Act Section. This is an excellent opportunity to develop expertise and gain negotiation and courtroom experience, particularly for attorneys passionate about behavioral health. If you seek enriching, meaningful work and a chance to serve your community while working as part of a dynamic team, this opportunity maybe 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 race, 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 .

Job Duties

ITA DPAs represent local behavioral health facilities where patients are civilly committed. The DPA assigned to this position will work closely with behavioral health professionals from the hospitals, out-patient mental health providers, and civilian witnesses. The DPA will handle civil commitment behavioral health trials, hearings, and appeals under RCW 71.05 and RCW 71.34. By working in this area, the assigned DPA will develop a strong understanding of how behavioral health illnesses affect behavior and a thorough knowledge of behavioral health treatment options. The assigned DPA will also have opportunities to train behavioral health professionals and patients' families about the ITA process.

Currently, ITA DPAs work under a hybrid model spending 50% of their time conducting in-person bench trials and 50% of their time working remotely on case preparation, negotiations, court orders, and responding to appeals. ITA cases that proceed to jury trial are commonly conducted virtually. However, ITA DPAs should be prepared to appear in person for jury trials if ordered by the court. ITA Court and PAO ITA offices are located at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. ITA DPAs also have office space located in the Columbia Tower in downtown Seattle.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Previous litigation experience in criminal or civil cases.

Potential for continued growth.
Outstanding client relations and negotiation skills.
Demonstrable enthusiasm, initiative, and an ability to successfully lead a team on complex matters.
Outstanding analytical abilities.
Excellent legal research, writing, and communication skills.
Ability to translate complex legal concepts into easily understandable language.
Must have a strong commitment to RESJ, including ongoing development of personal cultural competency.

Supplemental Information

Salary : $92,770 - $153,722 annually commensurate with 0 - 10 years of experience.

Application Process:

1. Fully complete King County application*
2. Attach Resume & Cover Letter addressed to the Hiring Committee
3. Answer supplemental questions
*Applications or supplemental questionnaires that state "see my resume" or that are blank are considered incomplete and will not be considered competitive.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact :

Selene Poulsen (she/her)

Sr. 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 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.

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:

Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
Generous vacation and paid sick leave
Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
Flexible Spending Account
Wellness programs
Onsite activity centers
Employee Giving Program
Employee assistance programs
Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
Training and career development 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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Attorney - Involuntary Treatment Act

King County

Seattle, WA

Summary

Job Duties

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Supplemental Information

About the Company

King County

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