Assistant United States Attorney

United States Attorneys' Offices; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework

Health benefits

Life insurance

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington is seeking an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture Unit in Seattle. The position requires a J.D. and admission to a U.S.

bar, with a strong emphasis on federal asset forfeiture and related investigations. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years post‑J.D. experience in litigation, superior written and oral communication, and the ability to work independently in a demanding

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active bar membership (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• At least two years of post‑J.D. legal or relevant experience.
• United States citizenship is required.
• Preferred: five or more years of post‑J.D. litigation experience in asset forfeiture or related financial investigations.

Responsibilities

• Participate in investigations identifying assets tied to federal crimes.
• Assist prosecutors with forfeitures and civil actions related to assets.
• Litigate third‑party ownership claims of forfeited assets.
• Develop complex assignments as training progresses.

Skills

Analytical ability

Oral and written communication

Interpersonal skills

Research skills

Courtroom skills

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

Legal research tools

Computer literacy

Job description

Summary

The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington is currently seeking an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture Unit. This position is located in Seattle, Washington. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

The position will be located in the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Western District of Washington. Asset Forfeiture Unit attorneys participate in investigations to identify assets tied to federal crimes, assist prosecutors in the forfeitures associated with criminal cases, and bring appropriate civil actions against assets that constitute the proceeds of, or that were used to facilitate or conceal, those crimes, including handling the litigation of all third-party claims of ownership of assets forfeited from the defendant.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Security Requirements:

Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Residency Requirements:

Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.

Selective Service:

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least two (2) years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Ideal qualifications include at least five (5) years of post-J.D. litigation experience, and experience in the field of asset forfeiture and/or financial investigations involving money laundering.

Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and an ability to synthesize a wide range of data, help direct an investigation and have the ability to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills, strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills, and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment and in the highest ethical manner.

Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing, and will be substantially self‑sufficient in preparing day‑to‑day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants also must demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Additional information

Salary:

Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $86,261 to $197,100, which includes 31.57% locality pay.

Other Benefits:

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.

Relocation Expenses:

Relocation expenses will not be authorized. A relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications.

* * *

This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

Travel:

Occasional travel within and outside the District will be required.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Political Appointees (Current and Former)

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

EEO Statement/Policy

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non‑merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

Applicants should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.