Special Attorney

State of Ohio; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Coverage

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

The State of Ohio's Auditor of State is seeking experienced prosecutors for a cross-designated federal prosecutorial role through the DOJ Special Attorneys Program. You will remain a state employee with retirement in OPERS and gain valuable federal prosecutorial experience.

Under supervision of DOJ and U.S. Attorney’s Office, you will investigate and prosecute public-sector offenses, with potential cases involving drug and human trafficking.

Qualifications

• Active admission to a state bar and proof of active bar status.
• Certificate of good standing from the applicable bar authority.
• Relevant legal experience supporting criminal investigations and prosecutions.
• Ability to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
• Willingness to investigate and prosecute assigned cases within the program; federal immigration offenses included.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and prosecute assigned fraud cases and other offenses within the program scope.
• Develop criminal cases through evidence review, legal research, investigative coordination, and case preparation.
• Prepare and litigate criminal matters in coordination with federal prosecutorial authorities.
• Coordinate with state, local, and federal law enforcement to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal activity.
• Support coordinated case identification, referral, and review processes to improve investigations and prosecutions.
• Participate in multijurisdictional enforcement efforts including drug and human trafficking matters.
• Work with federal partners to advance investigations and strengthen prosecutorial capacity.

Skills

Criminal Prosecution

Fraud Investigation

Legal Research

Criminal Litigation

Case Development

Interagency Coordination

Written Communication

Oral Advocacy

Analytical Reasoning

Job description

All job postings will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application deadline.

Organization: Auditor of State

Agency Contact Name and Information: John Morrison; [e-mail]

Work Location: United States

Compensation: Commensurate with Experience

Schedule: Permanent - Full Time

Work Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, M-F

Classified Indicator: Unclassified

Union: Exempt from union

Primary Job Skill: Attorney/Legal

Who We Are

With a statewide staff of more than 800 auditors and other professionals, the Auditor of State's (AOS) office is responsible for auditing all public entities in Ohio, (nearly 6,000 divisions). This includes state agencies, cities, counties, villages, townships and schools. The legal mandate of the AOS also requires investigation of fraud in the public sector of Ohio. This is handled by the AOS Special Investigations Unit (SIU) which brings together the disciplines of forensic accounting, fraud investigation, and attorneys with experience in white-collar criminal prosecution to investigate government fraud. The SIU Division is partnering with the United States Justice Department to expand its prosecutorial footprint.

What You'll Do

The Ohio Auditor of State is seeking experienced prosecutors to serve in a cross-designated federal prosecutorial role through the U.S. Department of Justice's Special Attorneys Program. This position offers the opportunity to gain valuable federal prosecutorial experience while remaining a state employee and continuing participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS).

Working under the direction of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the DOJ Criminal Division, or a U.S. Attorney's Office, selected attorneys will investigate and prosecute criminal activity in the public sector. Assigned case work may include cases involving drug trafficking and human trafficking.

This role provides an opportunity to contribute to federal law enforcement efforts, pursue individuals who exploit public programs and other systems, and strengthen coordination between state and federal authorities.

As a Special Prosecutor, your duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Investigating and prosecuting assigned fraud cases and other criminal offenses within the scope of the program.
• Developing criminal cases through evidence review, legal research, investigative coordination, and case preparation.
• Preparing and litigating criminal matters in coordination with federal prosecutorial authorities.
• Coordinating with state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal activity.
• Supporting coordinated case identification, referral, and review processes to improve the effectiveness of criminal investigations and prosecutions.
• Participating in multijurisdictional enforcement efforts, including matters involving drug trafficking, human trafficking, and transnational criminal organizations, as assigned.
• Working with federal partners to advance investigations, strengthen prosecutorial capacity, and support effective enforcement of applicable criminal laws.

Additional Information

This position is supported through the U.S. Department of Justice's FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program, which provides funding for 100 percent of the salary and fringe benefits of assigned Special Attorneys and Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs), subject to the terms of the award.

The program anticipates a 36-month award period. Continued participation in the position will be subject to applicable state employment requirements, federal appointment requirements, funding availability, and the terms of the cross-designation agreement.

The selected attorneys will remain an employee of the Ohio Auditor of State while serving in the role. Participation in OPERS and other employment benefits will be governed by applicable eligibility requirements and agency policies.

Appointment as a Special Attorney or SAUSA is contingent upon satisfactory pre-appointment review, which may include security clearance procedures, drug testing, fingerprinting, tax compliance review, a credit check, and a background investigation. Attorneys must maintain the required qualifications and satisfy applicable federal appointment requirements.

Why Work for the State of Ohio:

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*.

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Qualifications

Qualifications include:

• Active admission to a state bar and proof of active bar status.
• A certificate of good standing from the applicable bar authority.
• Relevant legal experience and the ability to support criminal investigations and prosecutions.
• The ability to coordinate effectively with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
• Willingness to investigate and prosecute assigned cases within the scope of the program, including applicable federal immigration offenses.
• Ability to satisfy federal pre-appointment screening and background investigation requirements.

Job Skills: Criminal Prosecution, Fraud Investigation, Legal Research, Criminal Litigation, Case Development, Interagency Coordination, Written Communication, Oral Advocacy, and Analytical Reasoning.

ADA Statement

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Drug-Free Workplace

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.