Job Details for Discovery Coordinator (Paralegal)
| Court Name/Organization | Washington Western Federal Public Defender |
| Overview of the Position | 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. |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 02/20/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | Grade 11, Step 1 to Grade 14, Step 1 |
| Salary | $83,935 - $141,367 |
| Announcement Number | 26-05 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
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.
Responsibilities: 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. They will have a general understanding of electronic discovery production formats. The discovery coordinator will collaborate with all case team members, including attorneys, paralegals, investigators, mitigation specialists, and IT, in a demanding and fast-paced environment. They will adapt to different needs and preferences of the end users. The discovery coordinator will produce discovery to clients and experts for their independent review of the evidence. They will also provide technical advice and troubleshooting for the general management of electronic discovery workflow.
Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a college degree (or the equivalent of three years of general experience) and a minimum of three years of specialized experience in the primary duties of this position. The duty station is in our Seattle office but regular visits to the Tacoma office will be required.
Applicants must meet the employment eligibility requirements of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. As a condition of employment, candidates must be fingerprinted and complete a background check. A prior criminal conviction is not necessarily disqualifying.
General Experience
The selected candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to quality representation and have a strong interest in electronic discovery management. The discovery coordinator must be able to prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines. The position demands a solution-oriented workstyle; excellent communication plus interpersonal and organizational skills; and a high degree of personal responsibility and integrity. Candidates must have a familiarity with, or willingness to learn, a variety of electronic discovery management tools, such as Everlaw, Excel, Ipro Eclipse, and Relativity. Candidates must have experiencing working with Adobe Acrobat and the full Microsoft Office Suite
Employee Benefits
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 Jan. 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 rate of vacation accrual increases with years of service.) 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.
Miscellaneous
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.
Responsibilities: 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. They will have a general understanding of electronic discovery production formats. The discovery coordinator will collaborate with all case team members, including attorneys, paralegals, investigators, mitigation specialists, and IT, in a demanding and fast-paced environment. They will adapt to different needs and preferences of the end users. The discovery coordinator will produce discovery to clients and experts for their independent review of the evidence. They will also provide technical advice and troubleshooting for the general management of electronic discovery workflow.
Application Info
Qualified persons may apply by emailing a letter of interest, résumé, and two professional references (including names, email addresses, and telephone numbers) as a single PDF document to wawpersonnel@fd.org. Please include the position title “Discovery Coordinator (Paralegal)” in the email subject line.
Preference will be given to applications received by March 11, 2026. Only applicants granted interviews will be contacted. Initial interviews may be conducted in person or via video conference. No telephone inquiries please.
This position is subject to available funds.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.