Trial Attorney

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Job location
Washington, DC
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Department of Justice
Job type: 
Legal - Civil
Position Description: 

The incumbent will be responsible for duties such as, but not limited to: (1) personally handling and leading team members on sensitive and/or complex investigations, litigation, and negotiations; (2) working with the Section Chief and management team to develop and establish strategies and priorities for corrections or police misconduct enforcement; (3) working with U.S. Attorney's Offices and other federal agencies to implement strategies for effective and efficient information sharing and case development; and (4) conducting outreach. The incumbent will be responsible for screening and developing new matters; conducting comprehensive investigations involving in-person visits, witness interviews, and work with experts; analyzing data; drafting written recommendations including legal analyses; litigating all aspects of the Section's enforcement duties; and negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing settlement agreements. Litigation associated with these investigations is typically complex, involving extensive discovery, pretrial motions practice, preliminary injunction hearings, trials, and post judgment enforcement and contempt proceedings. 

Our CGP ensures compliance with the Constitution, pursuant to the Department of Justice's authority under 42 U.S.C. § 1997 (the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act). More specifically, most of the incumbent's work will be devoted to investigating, negotiating, litigating, and enforcing matters involving conditions and practices in jails and prisons. Our PPG ensures compliance with the Constitution and federal laws, pursuant to the Department of Justice's authority under 42 U.S.C. § 12601 (the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994). More specifically, most of the incumbent's work will be devoted to investigating, negotiating, litigating, and enforcing matters involving allegations of misconduct by law enforcement agencies, including use of excessive force; unlawful stops, searches, or arrests; and discriminatory policing. Both corrections and police work involves allegations of patterns or practices of unlawful conduct.

Requirements: 

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
  • You will need to successfully complete a pre-employment background security process pending completion and adjudication of the background investigation before you can be appointed into an attorney position.
  • You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Applicants must possess a J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and possess at least three years of post-professional law degree experience commensurate to the grade level of eligibility, as shown below. Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: academic achievement; substantive knowledge and expertise in the laws, rules and regulations applicable to the work of the section or substantially similar laws, rules and regulations; written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze complex issues; skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; organizational skills; professional judgment; initiative; and the ability to excel in a fast-paced, demanding environment. In addition, applicants must have outstanding professional references.

Preferred Qualifications:

Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks candidates with significant litigation and organizational change experience. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: (1) civil or criminal trial experience; (2) federal civil or criminal litigation experience; (3) experience handling complex investigations; (4) demonstrated experience negotiating agreements; (5) demonstrated experience enforcing systemic reform agreements; (6) demonstrated experience working through the process of organizational change; (7) demonstrated sound professional judgment, including the ability to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies and balance competing priorities; (8) substantive knowledge of corrections, law enforcement misconduct, and other applicable law and (9) demonstrated experience identifying, developing, and implementing outreach efforts or public presentations. Judicial clerkships, law review, moot court, clinical experience, and skills and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, such as charging parties, witnesses, respondents, disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups, opposing counsel, judicial or administrative officials, advocacy groups, law enforcement personnel, and the staff of other federal or state governmental agencies are also preferred.

To apply: 

Please apply at USAJOBS.

Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submission deadline: 
Friday, June 14, 2019