For attorneys, the Attorney General’s Office offers a salary that is commensurate with one’s experience level. The applicant will be offered a determined salary at the time the candidate is referred for a final interview. For law clerks, the present salary for second year students (meaning those who begin their service the summer following their second-year of law school) is $13.67 per hour. The salary for second year students with a cumulative of one year of experience clerking with the AGO is $14.65 per hour. Law clerks "hired" as volunteers or externs are not compensated, however, the experience gleaned from their time with the AGO can be invaluable.
The Washington State Attorney General's Office is a public sector/governmental law employer. As such, an attorney working for it may be eligible to participate in various Loan Assistance Repayment Programs (LRAPs). Applicants who wish to pursue student loan forgiveness and loan assistance through such programs are strongly encouraged to contact their law school or the Washington State Bar Foundation for eligibility information. This LRAP article (Word document) may also be useful to you.
The AGO also offers its full-time attorney staff an array of benefits including, but not limited to, medical and dental, sick and vacation leave, retirement, payment of general Washington State Bar dues, dependent care assistance, paid holidays, to name but a few. The Office also features a nationally regarded and ambitious training program that can satisfy one’s Continuing Legal Education licensing requirements.
To support our new attorneys, we invite all Assistant Attorneys Generals to participate in the AGO Attorney Mentorship Program. Seasoned attorneys are matched with new hires and meet individually and in a large group, three times a year. Topics range from establishing career direction, understanding office policies, to managing complex litigation calendars. Meetings are informal, confidential and welcoming. The AGO Mentor Program is supported and encouraged office-wide, as an excellent way for new attorneys to establish long term relationships with other attorneys across the state.
Links to state employee benefits include:
Health care options: http://www.basichealth.hca.wa.gov and http://www.hca.wa.gov
Retirement benefits: http://www.drs.wa.gov/maintenance/links/relatedlinks.htm
General link to state employment in Washington: http://access.wa.gov