Discovery Coordinator; Paralegal

Overview

Position Description The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington (FPD) is accepting applications for a full-time discovery coordinator/paralegal. This position will be stationed in the Seattle office but will provide support to both the Seattle and Tacoma offices. The FPD represents people charged with federal crimes who cannot afford to hire an attorney or are entitled to one.

The Court appoints our attorneys to represent accused persons before charges are filed, upon arrest, for the appeals process, and through federal habeas corpus review. Discovery coordinator candidates should demonstrate a background in electronic discovery management and be dedicated to defending those accused of committing crimes even when the evidence against them appears strong. The candidate should be self-motivated, resourceful, creative, and client-centered, and should demonstrate a commitment to social justice, the promotion of equity, and anti-oppressive practices.

This position is supervised by the Chief Paralegal.

• The discovery coordinator receives, processes, and organizes electronic discovery and assists teams in digesting voluminous information for case preparation, trial, sentencing, direct appeal, and habeas proceedings.
• Maintain a general understanding of electronic discovery production formats.
• Collaborate with all case team members, including attorneys, paralegals, investigators, mitigation specialists, and IT, in a demanding and fast-paced environment.
• Adapt to the different needs and preferences of end users.
• Produce discovery to clients and experts for their independent review of the evidence.
• Provide technical advice and troubleshooting for the management of electronic discovery workflow.

• Demonstrated commitment to quality representation with a strong interest in electronic discovery management.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; solution-oriented workstyle with excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills; high personal responsibility and integrity.
• Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, a variety of electronic discovery management tools (e.g., Everlaw, Excel, Ipro Eclipse, Relativity).
• Experience with Adobe Acrobat and the full Microsoft Office Suite.

This position has a starting salary range of $83,935 to $141,367 (Grade 11, Step 1 to Grade 14, Step
1) and a full performance salary range of $109,122 to $183,782 (Grade 11, Step 10 to Grade 14, Step 10) based on the Judicial Salary Plan effective January 12, 2026. Salary will be based on professional experience. Benefits include health and life insurance plus 11 paid federal holidays, 13 days of paid sick leave, and 13 days of paid vacation leave annually.

The position is eligible for the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Thrift Savings Plan, which matches up to 5% of employee contributions. Salary is paid biweekly and only by direct deposit. Partial telework is available for this position. Occasional work outside of regular business hours may be required.

Our office values diversity, is committed to equity and inclusion, and aspires to create a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, openness, and humility that honors the people we represent. We embrace the unique contributions our employees can bring to the FPD because of their backgrounds, social identities, and lived experiences. We believe representation is better when members of the defense team have diverse backgrounds and experiences.

We seek colleagues who share this belief and commitment. We are interested in applicants’ talent, intelligence, dedication, persistence, and desire to see that all people are treated fairly and respectfully—no matter the allegation or circumstance.

The FPD seeks applications from a diverse group of qualified individuals in terms of race, ethnicity, nation of origin, culture, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, education, opinions, age, languages spoken, veteran status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance. We especially encourage applications from people who have been affected by the criminal legal system and people from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups.