Trial Attorney-Environmental and Bankruptcy Law

The United States Department of Justice; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 122,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

The United States Department of Justice, Energy and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section in Washington, D.C., is seeking litigators with environmental and bankruptcy experience for financially challenging, high-impact cases. The position involves case development, negotiations, and trial preparation in bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy matters.

Ideal candidates have 2–7 years post-JD experience across environmental and bankruptcy litigation, strong writing and advocacy

Qualifications

• Minimum 1.5 years of post-J.D. experience in environment and bankruptcy litigation to qualify for GS-13.
• Minimum 2.5 years of post-J.D. experience in environment and bankruptcy litigation to qualify for GS-14.
• Minimum 4 years of post-J.D. experience to qualify for GS-15.

Responsibilities

• Litigate environmental and bankruptcy matters in federal courts.
• Develop case strategy and manage motions practice and pre-trial briefing.
• Negotiate settlements and oversee trial preparation and presentation of evidence.

Skills

Environment law

Bankruptcy litigation

Legal research

Oral advocacy

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

Electronic discovery

Document management

Job description

Trial Attorney-Environmental and Bankruptcy Law

Hiring Organization

Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD)

Hiring Office

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Job ID

ENRD-26-058-EXC

Location: 150 M Street, NE

Location: 150 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002 - United States

Application Deadline:

Friday, September 18, 2026

About the Office

The Environmental Enforcement Section is responsible for nationwide civil enforcement of federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (the Superfund law). Our attorneys pursue enforcement actions that result in significant benefits for public health, from reducing air pollution to cleaning up contaminated lands.

Job Description

The Energy and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking litigators with experience in environmental and bankruptcy law for its Environmental Enforcement Section in Washington, D.C. The Section's bankruptcy cases have involved debtors engaged in a wide variety of industrial activities such as mining, chemical, coal, and oil and gas companies. The Section has brought actions under the statutes it enforces against debtors and also must protect the Government's interests in protecting health and safety in bankruptcy court. Objections are filed to debtors' proposed plans of reorganization and sales of assets that fail to adequately ensure compliance and protect public health and safety as required by law. Bankruptcy litigation may involve legal issues such as the police and regulatory exception to the automatic stay, feasibility of proposed plans of reorganization, the permissible scope of bankruptcy discharge and free and clear bankruptcy sales, abandonment, fraudulent conveyance, the priority of environmental liabilities in bankruptcy, obtaining compliance when a debtor's assets are collateralized, and estimation of environmental claims. The breadth of the Section's practice is extensive and challenging. It includes cases of national scope, such as bankruptcy cases involving debtors with operations throughout the country and cases against multiple members of an identified industry. Characterized as complex litigation, the Section's cases typically involve significant factual and expert discovery and substantial motions practice in the pre-trial stage or pre-hearing briefing in bankruptcy cases. The Section's bankruptcy cases may involve presentation of argument and evidence at bankruptcy confirmation proceedings or other contested matters such as proposed asset sales or abandonments. The position will allow the selected individuals to utilize their superior legal research, writing and oral advocacy skills in all aspects of case development, negotiation, motions practice, and trial. The attorneys selected will be responsible for assuming a diverse case load brought under any of the statutes the Section enforces and will include both bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy cases depending on the ebb and flow of bankruptcy cases and Section needs.

Qualifications

• At least 1.5 years of post J.D. experience that includes both environment and bankruptcy litigation and/or related judicial experience to qualify for the GS-13 grade level.
• At least 2.5 years of post J.D. experience that includes both environment and bankruptcy litigation and/or related judicial experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level.
• At least 4 years of post J.D. experience that includes both environment and bankruptcy litigation and/or related judicial experience to qualify for the GS-15 grade level.

Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; excellent written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze a variety of legal issues; initiative; professional judgment; organizational skills; and the ability to manage multiple demands simultaneously and to excel in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Federal or state court litigation and trial experience, including experience with electronic discovery and document management;
• Experience with multi-party negotiations and mediations;
• Knowledge of the laws enforced by the Environmental Enforcement Section;
• Experience supervising the work of, and delegating responsibility to, professional staff; and
• Skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, including co-counsel and professional staff, the staff of other federal agencies, fact and expert witnesses, opposing counsel, and judicial officials.

While the following are also desirable, no candidate will be excluded from consideration in the absence of these experiences: Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), law review, moot court, and clinical experience.

Applicants should have a strong interest in federal litigation and/or trial work and a strong academic background. The ideal candidates will have between two and seven years' post-JD experience (including judicial clerkships, if any) and will be able to demonstrate an interest in public service.

Number of Positions

At least one position to be filled in either Denver, CO or Washington, DC.

Travel

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

This and othervacancy announcements can be found underAttorney Vacancies andVolunteer 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.

The possible salary range for Denver, CO.:

• GS-13 ($118,675 - $154,280)
• GS-14 ($140,239 - $182,316)
• GS-15 ($164,956 - $197,200)

The possible salary range for Washington D.C.:

• GS-13 ($121,785 - $158,322)
• GS-14 ($143,913 - $187,093)
• GS-15 ($169,279 - $197,200)