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 Special Litigation Section (SPL or Section) works to protect civil rights in the following areas: 1) the rights of people in state or local institutions, including: jails, prisons, juvenile detention facilities, and health care facilities for persons with disabilities; 2) the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive services in their communities, rather than in institutions; 3) the rights of people who interact with state or local police or sheriffs' departments; 4) the rights of youth involved in the juvenile justice system; 5) the rights of people to have safe access to reproductive health care clinics; and 6) the rights of people to practice their religion while confined to state and local institutions.
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SPL is seeking experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney. The attorneys selected for these positions will be dedicated to the Section's work in either its Corrections Practice Group (CGP) or its Police Practice Group (PPG). Duties The incumbent will be responsible for duties such as, but not limited to: (1) personally handling and leading team members on sensitive and/or complex investigations, litigation, and negotiations; (2) working with the Section Chief and management team to develop and establish strategies and priorities for corrections or police misconduct enforcement; (3) working with U.S. Attorney's Offices and other federal agencies to implement strategies for effective and efficient information sharing and case development; and (4) conducting outreach. The incumbent will be responsible for screening and developing new matters; conducting comprehensive investigations involving in-person visits, witness interviews, and work with experts; analyzing data; drafting written recommendations including legal analyses; litigating all aspects of the Section's enforcement duties; and negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing settlement agreements. Litigation associated with these investigations is typically complex, involving extensive discovery, pretrial motions practice, preliminary injunction hearings, trials, and post judgment enforcement and contempt proceedings.
Our CGP ensures compliance with the Constitution, pursuant to the Department of Justice's authority under 42 U.S.C. § 1997 (the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act). More specifically, most of the incumbent's work will be devoted to investigating, negotiating, litigating, and enforcing matters involving conditions and practices in jails and prisons. Our PPG ensures compliance with the Constitution and federal laws, pursuant to the Department of Justice's authority under 42 U.S.C. § 12601 (the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994). More specifically, most of the incumbent's work will be devoted to investigating, negotiating, litigating, and enforcing matters involving allegations of misconduct by law enforcement agencies, including use of excessive force; unlawful stops, searches, or arrests; and discriminatory policing. Both corrections and police work involves allegations of patterns or practices of unlawful conduct.
Required Qualifications: 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 at least three years of post-professional law degree experience commensurate to the grade level of eligibility, as shown below. Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: academic achievement; substantive knowledge and expertise in the laws, rules and regulations applicable to the work of the section or substantially similar laws, rules and regulations; 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.
Preferred Qualifications: Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks candidates with significant litigation and organizational change experience. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: (1) civil or criminal trial experience; (2) federal civil or criminal litigation experience; (3) experience handling complex investigations; (4) demonstrated experience negotiating agreements; (5) demonstrated experience enforcing systemic reform agreements; (6) demonstrated experience working through the process of organizational change; (7) demonstrated sound professional judgment, including the ability to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies and balance competing priorities; (8) substantive knowledge of corrections, law enforcement misconduct, and other applicable law and (9) demonstrated experience identifying, developing, and implementing outreach efforts or public presentations. Judicial clerkships, law review, moot court, clinical experience, and skills and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, such as charging parties, witnesses, respondents, disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups, opposing counsel, judicial or administrative officials, advocacy groups, law enforcement personnel, and the staff of other federal or state governmental agencies are also preferred.
Possessing the minimum post law degree legal experience does not guarantee the applicant will be selected at that grade level.
• GS-14 - minimum 3 years post-JD legal experience
• GS-15 - minimum 4 years post-JD legal experience
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone) on Friday, June 14, 2019.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
1. Cover Letter
2. Résumé
3. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
4. Writing sample of no more than ten pages (a brief or comparable analytic legal exposition that is your work product)
5. Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable
6. Law School Transcripts
7. Sch A documentation, if applicable
To apply for this position, see page at: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/533401000
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.