Assistant United States Attorney (Civil)

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland; Greenbelt (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland seeks experienced attorneys to serve as Civil Assistant United States Attorneys in the Civil Division. These positions will involve handling a broad range of civil litigation for the United States and federal agencies, with opportunities to grow as assignments become more complex. Applicants must hold a J.D.

degree and be an active member of the bar in any U.S. jurisdiction, with at least three years of post-J.D. experience.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• At least 3 years post-J.D. legal or related experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist in civil defense and affirmative civil enforcement matters for the United States and federal agencies.
• Engage in motions practice, discovery, settlement negotiations, trials and appeals.
• Conduct legal research and drafting with high-quality written work.

Skills

Bar admission

Legal research

Oral & written communication

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

Motions practice

Discovery

Trials & appeals

Job description

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland serves as the chief representative of the United States in federal court in Maryland. The USAO's Civil Division is charged with pursuing justice and protecting the interests of the United States in federal court. The USAO is seeking experienced attorneys to serve as Civil Assistant United States Attorneys to help discharge this mission.

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

Help An appointment with the U.S. Attorney's Office offers unique and challenging experiences for the highly motivated attorney. These positions are in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD). The Civil Division handles defensive civil litigation involving claims made against the United States and federal agencies. The Civil Division also handles affirmative civil enforcement investigations and suits under the False Claims Act and related statutes. 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.

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 3 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications Preferred applicants will possess substantial experience in handling a variety of complex civil litigation. The preferred applicant will have substantial experience in complex civil litigation, including motions practice, serving and responding to discovery, settlement negotiations, trials, and appeals. Preferred applicants will demonstrate superior oral and written communications skills; and, possess the ability to work as part of a team, with an emphasis on working well with client agencies. Applicants should have strong character and interpersonal skills and demonstrate the capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.

Applicants will conduct their own legal research and writing; and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, electronic e-mail, and word processing systems.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Writing Samples

Applicants are required to submit a writing sample not to exceed fifteen (15) pages. The submission of a writing sample is required and will be considered as part of the overall assessment of an applicant's qualifications.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Salary Information

Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of pay is $99,637 to $197,100 which includes the 33.94% 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.

Travel

Occasional travel may be required.

Political Appointees (Current or 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.

Candidates

Candidates 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.

Benefits Review

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.