Legal Careers
Trial Attorney
The Tax Division is looking for civil trial lawyers to join our team. Our attorneys have a passion for litigation; a deep interest in public service; and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Familiarity with tax law is helpful, but not required.
The mission of the Tax Division is to enforce the country's tax laws fully, fairly, and consistently, through both criminal and civil litigation, in order to promote voluntary compliance with the tax laws, maintain public confidence in the integrity of the tax system, and promote the sound development of the law. The attorneys in the Civil Trial Sections represent the United States in litigation in federal and state courts across the country. These cases involve a wide variety of substantive legal areas, including federal tax law, bankruptcy law, constitutional law, commercial and state property law, as well as unique evidentiary, procedural, and jurisdictional issues.
The Tax Division is consistently ranked as “one of the best places to work” in government by the Partnership for Public Service. We seek to create a work environment and organizational culture that reflect the diversity of American society, and that foster the success of every employee by appreciating and building upon the skills, experiences, and uniqueness that each employee brings to the workplace.
We place a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspective and encourage applications from all interested eligible candidates, including attorneys of all ages from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, all sexual orientations and gender identities, political affiliations, marital or parental status, religious backgrounds, with or without disabilities and with or without military service.
For more information about employment with the Tax Division, please see http://www.justice.gov/tax/attorneys and http://www.justice.gov/tax/DiverseCommittee/Tax_Brochure_SM.pdf. More information about the Civil Trial Sections is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/.
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.
Trial Attorneys in the Civil Trial Sections are the front-line litigators for the United States for tax disputes in federal district and bankruptcy courts and the Court of Federal Claims. The cases arise all over the United States, and our attorneys travel for depositions, hearings, and trials, as their cases require. Most Trial Attorneys have a docket with a mixture of solo cases and cases that are co-assigned. Either way, our attorneys take and defend depositions, write and argue motions, work with fact and expert witnesses, and try cases.
Because federal taxes are ubiquitous, our attorneys handle a diverse docket that spans a wide variety of subject matter. Civil Trial Attorneys defend the United States in tax refund actions and bring affirmative suits to collect tax - cases that can involve complex underlying commercial transactions or require proof that the taxpayer made a fraudulent transfer of property. Our attorneys defend suits testing the constitutional validity of aspects of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. They obtain injunctions against those who try to bilk the Treasury out of money by selling fraudulent tax shelter schemes or by preparing fraudulent tax returns for customers in order to fulfill a promise of a large refund. Our attorneys represent the United States in bankruptcy, receivership, and probate proceedings. And they handle many other miscellaneous matters touching on tax, like defending an IRS employee in a Bivens suit, enforcing an IRS' administrative summons, or protecting the United States' immunity from a local tax.
The work of the Civil Trial Sections requires our attorneys to apply their analytical abilities and their research and writing skills to complex and important issues. Applicants must have:
· a strong interest litigating in federal court;
· a desire to do civil trial work;
· strong writing and oral advocacy skills; and
· an exceptional academic background.
We also place a premium on persuasiveness, judgment, and teamwork. Familiarity with tax law is helpful, but not required.
The Tax Division anticipates hiring civil litigators with varying levels of experience. Applicants must have at least 1 year of full-time post-J.D. legal experience by the date the application is submitted.
We are also seeking to fill a limited number of positions for applicants with significant litigation experience. An ideal candidate will have experience as first or second chair at trial and other direct courtroom experience; comfort and familiarity working with clients and opponents on electronic discovery; and substantial experience taking depositions, drafting and responding to discovery, and working with fact and expert witnesses.
All applicants must possess a J.D. degree and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (of any jurisdiction) is required. United States citizenship is required. Candidates who accept an offer of employment will be required to undergo a background check.
New attorneys commit to working for the Tax Division for 4 years.
Applications must include:
· a cover letter;
· resume;
· law school and any advanced degree transcripts;
· a list of three professional references; and
· a completed assessment questionnaire.
All documents should be provided in either PDF or MS Word format. The cover letter, which should not exceed two single-spaced pages, should describe how your background and qualifications make you well suited for the position as a Trial Attorney. Accordingly, you should specifically provide a description of prior litigation experience, and your interest in public service and the Tax Division in particular. If you don't include all of the documents we require, we may not be able to fully consider your application.
Candidates selected for further consideration will be required to submit a writing sample prior to an interview.
The Tax Division anticipates scheduling interviews for this position in February 2016. Selected applicants will start in the Spring of 2016, subject to successful completion of the pre-employment security process.
Applicants who previously applied to the Tax Division must reapply in order to be considered under this job announcement.
To apply for this position, you must apply online through USAJOBS. Please use the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424205000.
Complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of the USAJOBS Vacancy Announcement.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to include your RESUME and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is submitted, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Friday, January 15, 2016, to receive consideration.
Applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference or consideration under a special hiring authority (such as programs for individuals with disabilities) must submit appropriate documentation demonstrating eligibility. Please see the description of required documentation in the application section at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424205000.
Department of Justice attorneys eligible for priority consideration under the Department's Reemployment Priority List Program must include notice to the Division of their eligibility in their application package.
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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Years and experience will be considered in determining the salary level. Positions may be filled at the GS levels of GS-12 ( $76,378.00 - $99,296.00), GS-13 ( $90,823.00 - $118,069.00), GS-14 ( $107,325.00 - $139,523.00), GS-15 ($126,245.00 - $158,700.00)
Department Policies
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.