As a general rule, during their first four years of
service with this Office, Assistant United States Attorneys
"rotate" through a series of assignments,
each of which lasts approximately six to twelve months.
However, Assistants who join the Office with particular
expertise may accelerate through the process. Office
needs may also result in an adjustment from the general
schedule. The rotation system provides training in District
of Columbia criminal law and procedure, allows Assistants
to develop and hone their trial and oral advocacy skills,
and offers exposure to the myriad of issues raised by
the wide variety of cases the Office handles.
The first assignments in the Office are typically in
the Appellate Division, the Misdemeanor Section, or
the Domestic Violence Unit in the Superior Court Division.
Thereafter, an AUSA usually moves to the Felony Section
to try felony narcotics cases, the Grand Jury Section,
and then returns to the Felony Section to prosecute
violent crime cases. Then, in order to give AUSAs exposure
to our federal court practice, most Assistants rotate
through one of three sections in our Criminal Division.
Some Assistants then serve as Community Prosecutors
in the Community Prosecution/Intake Section. The order
and length of any Assistant's assignment always depends
upon the staffing needs of the Office.
Experienced Assistants are eligible for assignments
in the more specialized sections of the Office. These
sections include the Organized Crime and Narcotics Trafficking
Section, the Transnational and Major Crimes Section,
and the Fraud and Public Corruption Section in our Criminal
Division, and the Homicide Section, the Major Crimes
Section and the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section
in our Superior Court Division. Vacancies in these sections
are generally filled with seasoned AUSAs who have completed
the office rotation.
Civil Division vacancies may also be filled by Assistants
from the criminal divisions who have completed the rotation;
other Civil Division vacancies may be filled by direct
hires into the Civil Division. |
