Legal Careers
Assistant United States Attorney (Bankruptcy/Financial Litigation) NTE 24 Months
The United States Attorney's Office, Middle District of Tennessee, is located in Nashville, Tennessee. The United States Attorneys Office prosecutes federal criminal offenses, litigates affirmative civil fraud and enforcement actions, and defends the U.S. Governments interest in civil cases. The office seeks to maintain the highest standards of excellence in the enforcement of federal laws and the representation of the United States. More information about the United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/districts/tnm.html.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
The Middle District of Tennessee is currently seeking applicants to fill an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) position in the Civil Division. The position will be filled on a term basis, with the term expected to expire September 30, 2016. Term offers are not for permanent employment, as terms will expire at the end of the specified period. This term position may be eligible for conversion to a permanent position without further competition, depending on the federal budget and staffing levels. The selected AUSAs will be assigned to the areas of Bankruptcy and Financial Litigation.
The successful applicant will litigate cases involving significant and complex issues on behalf of the United States in federal court. The AUSA will be a part of a dedicated team representing the United States in its enforcement of criminal restitution on behalf of victims, collection of monetary penalties, and collection of civil debts owed to the United States and its agencies. The AUSA will also handle civil bankruptcy matters and representing the interests of federal agencies, especially the Internal Revenue Service, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
The United States Attorney's Office seeks highly qualified applicants with demonstrated strong advocacy and trial skills and excellent academic and professional credentials to serve as a federal prosecutor. Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least three years of post-J.D. experience as an attorney. Appointment is subject to FBI background investigation, including credit, arrest, reference and drug inquiries.
Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to function as a civil litigator, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Applicants also must demonstrate: (1) the ability to quickly, accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case; (2) superior oral and writing skills; (3) strong research and interpersonal skills; (4) good judgment; (5) excellent communication and courtroom skills; and (6) the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies.
Interested applicants should send a resume to:
Dawn Woodside
Administrative Services Specialist (HR)
110 9th Avenue South, Suite A-961
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
•Required - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year). (cover letter optional).
•Required, if applicable - A recent copy of an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), showing title, series, grade, and current salary; and a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
•Required, if applicable - Veterans' Preference documentation (see Benefits and Other Information section for details).
No telephone calls please. Please do not fax or email your applications. All applications are due by Close of Business (5pm) on the deadline date.
Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay for a non-supervisory AUSA is $45,027 to $132,849 plus locality pay where authorized.
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or 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 their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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