Trial Attorney for Appellate Matters - Environmental Defense Section (Open Continuous)

U.S. Department of Justice; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 102,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Justice, Energy and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Defense Section, seeks Trial Attorneys for appellate matters in Washington, DC or Denver, CO.

Open continuous postings will fill positions as needs arise and may involve complex petition-for-review litigation challenging EPA rules under major environmental statutes. Ideal candidates have a J.D., bar admission, federal appellate experience, strong writing skills, and a track record in handling petitions for

Qualifications

• J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• U.S. citizenship or national status required; litigation experience in federal appellate courts preferred.
• Interest and experience in court of appeals litigation, including Administrative Procedure Act matters.
• Judicial clerkship and law review experience is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Handle all stages of petition-for-review litigation in the courts of appeals, from motions to merits briefing and oral argument.
• Work largely on EPA-related challenges under major environmental statutes and may assist district court matters as workload allows.

Skills

Appellate litigation

Legal writing

Legal editing

Clerkship experience

Education

J.D. degree

Bar admission

Job description

Trial Attorney for Appellate Matters - Environmental Defense Section (Open Continuous)

Hiring Organization

Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD)

Hiring Office

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Location: 150 M Street, NE

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

Application Deadline:

Monday, April 5, 2027

About the Office

The Environmental Defense Section (EDS) is seeking attorneys to specialize in defending against challenges to rules and other final EPA actions under the major pollution control statutes (e.g., the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Toxic Substance Control Act) that are filed as petitions for review in the courts of appeals under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 15. These positions will also provide the opportunity, if desired, to work on select district court matters from the Section's docket.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT that will remain open until April 5, 2027. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and positions will be filled when the need arises or as vacancies occur to meet immediate and future hiring needs.

This announcement may be amended to extend the deadline or close early without prior notice at the discretion of the organization, based on administrative or operational needs. Candidates are encouraged to submit their materials promptly.

The duty location is Washington, DC, or Denver, CO. This is not a remote position.

The Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) is the nation's largest and most experienced environmental law firm and is consistently ranked among the federal government as a good place to work. The Environmental Defense Section (EDS) is one of the only DOJ components whose attorneys routinely handle cases in the federal courts of appeals and district courts. EDS defends the United States in petitions for review brought in the courts of appeals pursuant to special statutory judicial review provisions of the environmental statutes and also handles a wide range of district court litigation, including claims for judicial review pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. The substance of these cases ranges, for example, from high-profile, multi-party challenges to national EPA rules (such as greenhouse-gas regulations and standards for toxic chemicals) to more targeted challenges to site-specific agency decisions.

EDS is soliciting applications for trial attorney positions specializing in our petition for review appellate practice. Selected applicants will handle all stages of petition for review litigation in the courts of appeals, from preliminary motions practice through merits briefing and oral argument. While larger cases often are staffed with a small team of attorneys, most matters are handled by a single attorney. A significant portion of EDS petitions for review are filed in the D.C. Circuit, but the Section typically handles petitions for review in all the federal judicial circuits nationwide. The Section's petition for review appellate litigation will be the priority and focus of the selected applicants' assignments, but as workflow and other demands allow, there will also be opportunities, if desired, to handle select matters arising in the Section's district court docket as well.

Qualifications

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and be a U.S. citizen or national. Applicants must have the years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal experience and a demonstrated interest in court of appeals litigation for the specific grade level requirements listed below:

• At least 1 year of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-12 grade level.
• At least 1.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-13 grade level.
• At least 2.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level.
• At least 4 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-15 grade level.

Ideal candidates will have federal appellate litigation experience including the defense of agency actions under the Administrative Procedure Act; experience managing complex litigation; superior writing and editing skills; familiarity with federal pollution-control statutes and administrative law issues; and familiarity with the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. Judicial clerkship and law review experience is highly desirable.

Years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level.

Application Process

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Resumes will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Candidates may be contacted for interviews based on the organization's interest and vacancy availability.

Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veteran preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran preference must include that information in their resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following:

• Resume

Your resume MUST include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), FT or PT hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the positions(s).

Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume:

• Classified or government sensitive information
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, religious affiliation, etc.
• Encrypted and digitally signed documents

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate content, you may not be considered for this vacancy.

Internet Sites

Internet Sites: For more information about the Energy and Natural Resources Division, visit the web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd .

This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers .

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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

The possible salary range for Denver, CO.:

• GS-12 ($ 99,800 - $129,742)
• 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-12 ($102,415 - $133,142)
• GS-13 ($121,785 - $158,322)
• GS-14 ($143,913 - $187,093)
• GS-15 ($169,279 - $197,200)

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 under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer 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.