Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland; Greenbelt (MD); On-site; USD 88,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Health benefits

Telework

Job summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland seeks experienced attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal Division to prosecute criminal cases in Maryland.

Positions may be filled in Baltimore or Greenbelt offices. The role involves conducting investigations, indicting cases, negotiating plea agreements, and trying cases, with opportunities for advancement as experience grows. Applicants must have a J.D.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• At least 1 year of post‑J.D. legal or relevant experience.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to work in a team.

Responsibilities

• Prosecute criminal matters in federal courts in Maryland.
• Conduct investigations, indict cases, negotiate plea agreements, and conduct trials.
• Prepare day-to-day pleadings and correspondence.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Teamwork

Legal research & writing

Education

J.D. Degree

Active bar admission (any U.S. jurisdiction)

Job description

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland serves as the chief federal law enforcement office in Maryland and is charged with pursuing justice and ensuring public safety on behalf of the United States. The USAO is seeking experienced attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal Division to help discharge this mission by investigating and prosecuting criminal cases in Maryland.

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

Duties

An appointment with the U.S. Attorney's Office offers unique and challenging experiences for the highly motivated attorney. This position can be filled either in our Baltimore, MD or Greenbelt, MD District office. Please be sure to indicate your preferred location in your cover letter.

This position is in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD). The Criminal Division handles criminal prosecutions in the federal courts in Baltimore and Greenbelt, Maryland. Criminal AUSAs prosecute criminal matters by, inter alia, conducting criminal investigations, indicting cases, negotiating plea agreements, and conducting criminal trials.

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.

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 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications: Preferred applicants will possess substantial experience in handling a variety of complex criminal litigation including, but not limited to: major economic crimes, public corruption, drug trafficking, violent crimes, child exploitation cases, and grand jury practices. The preferred applicant will have substantial experience prosecuting these types of cases and handling all phases of prosecution including pre-trial litigation, trials, sentencing, post-sentencing proceedings and appeals. Preferred applicants will also demonstrate superior oral and written communications skills, 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.

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.

Cover letters are not required but are highly encouraged, as they may provide additional context regarding an applicant's experience, interest, and desire to join the District.

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

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 basic pay is $87,815.00 to $197,100.00 annualized, 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 needed

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.

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.

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.