Legal Careers
Trial Attorney
The Corporate/Financial Litigation Section handles an array of cases that reach all facets of the United States' economy, with a focus on federal programs that implicate significant financial and property interests of the government. The Section litigates both affirmative and defensive claims based on the Constitution, statutes, and federal regulations in federal courts, and protects the United States' financial and programmatic interests in bankruptcy cases.
The Corporate/Financial Litigation Section seeks experienced attorneys to represent the United States in a broad range of complex litigation matters. Trial Attorneys in the Section have a varied practice that includes both affirmative and defensive litigation in the United States bankruptcy, district and appellate courts. The practice encompasses, but is not limited to, bankruptcy, contract disputes, government loan and grant programs, and a variety of other matters involving the recovery of money for the United States. Trial Attorneys are expected to handle all phases of litigation, including conducting legal research and analysis, authoring motions, briefs and other legal documents, managing written discovery, taking and defending depositions, attending court hearings, arguing motions, and conducting trials. Trial Attorneys communicate regularly with client agencies, Department of Justice leadership, opposing counsel, and others. Trial Attorneys work on both individual and team cases in support of the Branch's and Department's mission of defending the interests of the United States.
This is not a remote location position. You will be required to work in person five days a week.
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), be a U.S. citizen, and possess at least 1 year post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. The minimum years of post-law degree experience commensurate with the grade level of eligibility is shown below.
Possessing the minimum post law degree legal experience does not guarantee the applicant will be selected at that grade level.
- To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have minimum 1.5 years post-JD legal experience.
- To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have minimum 2.5 years post-JD legal experience.
- To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have minimum 4 years post-JD legal experience.
Preferred qualifications: Applicants should have a strong background in litigation and experience handling complex civil litigation matters or Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Applicants should have excellent writing, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, and exhibit good judgment. Applicants should demonstrate capability to manage a large, active docket of cases and produce polished work product in accordance with established deadlines. Judicial clerkship experience is highly desirable.
Trial Period Statement
As a condition of employment for accepting this position in accordance with section 11.5 of Executive Order 14284, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Applicant resumes will be reviewed regularly and issued to hiring officials on a rolling basis. If you are interested in applying, it is recommended that you do so early. Multiple positions will be filled from this announcement. We will accept applications through May 8, 2026. Candidate lists will be generated every two weeks and eligible applications received by the cutoff date will be sent to the selecting official. The cutoff dates to be referred to the selecting official are as follows: 03/02/2026, 03/16/2026, 3/30/2026, 04/13/2026, 4/27/2026, 05/08/2026. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications. Your application will be evaluated by a reviewing panel.
Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.
If you are interested please apply to link below. https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/857726000
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.
$121,785.00 to $197,200.00 Per Year
Department Policies
The Department remains steadfast in its commitment to equal employment opportunity (EEO) and treating employees with fairness, dignity and compassion. We must ensure that no applicant for employment or employee of our Department is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex – including pregnancy – or because of age, physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor and that all have the freedom to compete on a fair and level playing field. To learn more, please view the Department’s full Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 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://help.usajobs.gov/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.
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.