Legal Careers
Assistant United States Attorney
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, Justice leads the Nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens. The Western District of Arkansas has 34 counties and includes the cities of, Texarkana, El Dorado, Hot Springs, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith. This Office is proud to represent the federal law enforcement interests of the people of the Western District of Arkansas and the country. The office is responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal statutes for all of The Western District of Arkansas, from acts of terrorism to public corruption, white-collar crime, organized crime, gang activities, internet-related crimes, drug importation through Western Arkansas, and many other criminal acts. The Office also is charged, through its Civil Division, with defending agencies of the United States, enforcing regulatory agencies' authority, and recovering funds from violators of U.S. criminal, regulatory, and civil laws. 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.
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 U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas is seeking to hire an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) who will be responsible for representing the United States in the investigation and prosecution of Federal civil rights matters, including hate crimes, color of law prosecutions, and human trafficking. The Civil Rights AUSA will investigate and prosecute cases involving the criminal interference with liberties and rights defined in the Constitution or federal law. Civil rights enforcement is central to the mission of the Office.
The AUSA will review and analyze allegations of criminal civil rights violations; develop strategies for investigations; coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies to ensure that cases are investigated thoroughly and effectively; develop testimonial and documentary evidence relevant to cases; present evidence to federal grand juries; identify relevant legal issues in cases and investigations; recommend for or against federal prosecution; meet and confer with officials from the Department of Justice, other federal, state, and local government agencies, and interested non-governmental organizations; and establish good working relationships with partners and federal investigative agencies nationwide.
In addition, the AUSA will prepare and present cases for prosecution, to include preparing indictments, motions, pleadings, and briefs; conducting pretrial discovery and motions practice; developing testimonial and documentary evidence for trial; and conducting every aspect of trial preparation and trial presentation in federal criminal cases.
The AUSA will also handle non-litigation matters that arise in relation to the Division's mission of investigating and prosecuting criminal civil rights and cases. These non-litigation duties will include education and outreach to the public, law enforcement partners, and stakeholder communities such as participating in strategy and coordination meetings; conducting legal trainings and public presentations; and meeting with interested persons regarding prosecutorial decisions.
For some matters, AUSAs will also have the opportunity to work closely with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Applicants must demonstrate quick analytical ability as the facility to accurately and precisely articulate critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must be proficient in research and writing, with an emphasis on Criminal Law experience. Applicants must also be proficient in oral advocacy, with an emphasis on jury trial experience. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the abilities to work in a supportive and professional manner with other Attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Applicants should have excellent academic credentials and some litigation experience, preferably at least three years. Applicants also should be computer literate, possess superior oral and written communication skills, have strong character and excellent interpersonal skills, have the capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment, and have a strong commitment to public service. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar, and have at least 3
years of post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
Interested applicants should send a complete application package which should include a resume, cover letter, and 3 to 5 writing samples comprised primarily of the applicant’s unedited work via email to USAARW.Vacancy_Applications@usdoj.gov. The cover letter should be addressed to: United States Attorney’s Office, ATTN: David Clay Fowlkes, U.S. Attorney, 414 Parker Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Resumes should include a detailed description of employment history, to include dates of employment (month/year). This announcement is open until filled but no later than Friday, August 25, 2023. Applications must be received by email (USAARW.Vacancy_Applications@usdoj.gov) no later than 11:59pm Central Time on the closing date to be considered. Please include the vacancy announcement number listed at the top of this announcement (23-WDAR-05A) on your resume and cover letter. Applications must be received via the email address indicated above and applications received by mail will not be accepted. 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 conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $68,929 to $180,290, which includes 16.20% locality pay.
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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.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
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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