The Civil Rights Division (Division) of the Department of Justice, created by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division is primarily responsible for enforcing federal statutes and executive orders that prohibit, among other things, unlawful discrimination in education, employment, housing, police service, public accommodations and facilities, voting, and federally funded and conducted programs. The Division also has jurisdiction to enforce constitutional prohibitions on certain conduct by law enforcement agencies and public residential institutions, such as health care and correctional facilities.
The Housing and Civil Enforcement Section (HCE or Section) enforces civil rights laws designed to protect persons from illegal discrimination in housing, lending, zoning and land use, and places of public accommodation. These laws include the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in all types of housing transactions; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits patterns or practices of discrimination by financial institutions in all types of lending; Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation; the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which prohibits state and local government land use and zoning practices that discriminate against or impose substantial burdens on religious institutions; and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides certain legal protections for military service members. In enforcing these laws, the Section conducts investigations, brings lawsuits and monitors compliance with court orders and settlements. The Section’s work involves private and public entities, including landlords, financial institutions, and local jurisdictions.
Division offices are near metro transportation systems or other public transportation, and are conveniently accessible to restaurants, museums and other D.C. area attractions. Most jobs in the Division offer alternative work schedules and other family friendly opportunities are available. Most employees who commute by public transportation are provided transit subsidy benefits.
Additional positions may be filled from this vacancy announcement.
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 responsibilities of attorneys hired under this announcement will include: (1) conducting investigations to assess possible violations of the civil rights statutes mentioned above, including conducting legal and factual research, interviewing witnesses, analyzing data and evidence, and making recommendations as to whether to bring enforcement litigation; (2) handling litigation (both pattern or practice and individual matters referred by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or other agencies), including preparing legal briefs and memoranda, preparing and responding to discovery requests, conducting extensive document review, identifying and working with expert witnesses, preparing witnesses and participating in depositions, and developing and presenting the government’s case in federal court; (3) preparing for and participating in settlement negotiations and mediations, including preparing and negotiating the terms of proposed consent decrees; (4) monitoring and enforcing compliance with judgments and consent decrees; (5) recommending and reviewing private litigation for intervention or amicus participation; (6) conducting outreach to civil rights organizations, state and local governments, industry, and other stakeholders; (7) analyzing and preparing responses to inquiries from the public, testimony, legislative proposals and other written materials; and (8) coordinating as necessary in the execution of the above duties with United States Attorneys’ Offices, HUD and other partner agencies.
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 a minimum of four (4) years of post-professional law degree experience. Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: academic achievement; 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.
· GS-14 ($107,325 to $139,523 per annum)
· GS-15 ($126,245 to $158,700 per annum)
Preferred Qualifications:
The following qualifications are preferred but not required: (1) substantive knowledge and expertise in the laws enforced by HCE or substantially similar laws; (2) substantial federal court litigation and trial experience, including experience with complex electronic discovery and document management; (3) experience handling multi-party negotiations and mediations; (4) experience supervising the work of, and delegating responsibility to, attorneys and staff; and (5) demonstrated ability to manage a significant docket, handle several difficult or complex cases and matters at the same time, and meet applicable deadlines. Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), law review, moot court, clinical experience, and skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, including complainants, witnesses, respondents, disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups, opposing counsel, judicial or administrative officials, and the staff of other agencies are also preferred.
You must submit your application so that it will be received by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on the closing date of the announcement. Please refer to this link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/408244700 and review the "How To Apply" section and vacancy announcement in its entirety to ensure proper application procedures are followed.
Questions about this position may be directed to Harry Vickers at 202-514-3934 or Harry.Vickers@usdoj.gov.
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.