Senior Litigation Counsel

Energy & Natural Resources Division; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Natural Resources Section of the Energy and Natural Resources Division at the U.S. Department of Justice seeks a Senior Litigation Counsel in Washington, D.C. The role emphasizes handling sophisticated litigation, providing trial strategy guidance, and coordinating discovery across complex regulatory and constitutional issues.

The successful candidate will mentor trial attorneys, oversee trial roadmaps, and collaborate with expert witnesses to advance high-profile cases for federal agencies.

Job description

The Natural Resources Section has one of the most dynamic and complex practices in the Energy and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice, representing virtually every federal agency in federal district courts, the Court of Federal Claims, and state courts in novel litigation arising under more than 80 natural resource, environmental, and cultural resource statutes and the Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The Section is soliciting applications from experienced attorneys for the position of Senior Litigation Counsel in Washington D.C. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a powerful aptitude for sophisticated litigation, facility in the legal analysis of novel and complicated issues, and the ability to harness leading-edge technology and litigation support in the preparation of cases. They will be expected to provide advice and guidance on trial strategy and trial advocacy as well as oversee the formulation of trial roadmaps and coordinate discovery. The candidate should have significant experience with complex emergency motion practice and handling some of the Department's most high-profile cases, including fluency with complex regulatory analyses, statutory interpretation and constitutional law.

The role also requires intensive trial work, including working with expert witnesses: identifying factual issues that require expert witness testimony, locating and retaining qualified expert witnesses, and coordinating and synthesizing the opinions of multiple expert witnesses and their reports across different specialties. Further, this position involves both impromptu and formalized mentoring of trial attorneys during case assignments and in environments specifically set aside for training. Training topics include substantive areas of law, as well as procedural best practices. The position also requires direct consultation with the ENRD Front Office and senior management of other DOJ divisions and federal agencies.