Legal Careers
Trial Attorney
Washington, DC 20002 - United States
The Environmental Enforcement Section is responsible for nationwide civil enforcement of federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (the Superfund law). Our attorneys pursue enforcement actions that result in significant benefits for public health, from reducing air pollution to cleaning up contaminated lands.
EES is responsible for nationwide civil enforcement of federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (the Superfund law). EES attorneys pursue enforcement actions that result in significant benefits for public health, from reducing air pollution to cleaning up contaminated lands.
The affirmative nature of EES cases requires attorneys to advance cases through negotiations and all stages of federal court litigation, beginning with the internal deliberations of the government, especially with other federal agencies, and continuing through extensive discovery, including fact and expert depositions, and litigation to judgment. EES attorneys frequently negotiate settlements involving complex and technical injunctive relief and payment of civil penalties, while simultaneously preparing a case for trial. These responsibilities require outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to collaborate with DOJ and agency colleagues to achieve the best outcome for the United States.
For more information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Environmental Enforcement Section, visit the Justice Department's web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and be a U.S. citizen or national. Applicants must have the years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal experience for the specific grade level requirements listed below:
- At least 1 year of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-12 grade level.
- At least 1.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-13 grade level.
- At least 2.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level.
- At least 4 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-15 grade level.
Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; excellent written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze a variety of legal issues; initiative; professional judgment; organizational skills; and the ability to manage multiple demands simultaneously and to excel in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
The Section will consider any of the following qualifications, which are desirable, but not required:
- Federal or state court litigation and trial experience, including experience with electronic discovery and document management;
- Experience with multi-party negotiations and mediations;
- Knowledge of the laws enforced by the Environmental Enforcement Section;
- Experience supervising the work of, and delegating responsibility to, professional staff; and
- Skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, including co-counsel and professional staff, the staff of other federal agencies, fact and expert witnesses, opposing counsel, and judicial officials.
While the following are also desirable, no candidate will be excluded from consideration in the absence of these experiences: Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), law review, moot court, and clinical experience.
Applicants should have a strong interest in federal litigation and/or trial work and a strong academic background. The ideal candidates will have between two and seven years' post-JD experience (including judicial clerkships, if any) and will be able to demonstrate an interest in public service.
How to Apply
You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY Online button. Follow the prompts to answer a few questions and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter with brief statement of interest, writing sample, law school transcript, and DD-214 (if applicable).
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/
Internet Sites: For more information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division, visit the web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd .
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veteran preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran preference must include that information in their 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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following:
- Resume (not to exceed two pages) demonstrating relevant experience and month/year the experience was obtained
- Cover letter with brief statement of interest
- Writing sample
- Copy of J.D. degree transcripts
- DD 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation, if applicable
Your resume MUST include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), part time hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the position(s).
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 of experience will determine the appropriate salary level. The possible salary range is:
Washington DC:
- GS-12 ($102,415 - $133,142)
- GS-13 ($121,785 - $158,322)
- GS-14 ($143,913 - $187,093)
- GS-15 ($169,279 - $197,200)
Denver, CO:
- GS-12 ($99,800 - $129,742)
- GS-13 ($118,675 - $154,280)
- GS-14 ($140,239 - $182,316)
- GS-15 ($164,956 -$197,200)
YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
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.