Legal Careers
Trial Attorney - Office of Foreign Litigation / European Litigation Office
The Civil Division, with more than 1,000 Attorneys and 14 litigating components, represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet and other Federal employees.
The Office of Foreign Litigation, within the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, is seeking an experienced litigation attorney for its European Litigation Office.
DUTY LOCATION: U.S. Embassy, London, United Kingdom
Relocation expenses are authorized, as well as a post allowance.
Locality pay is not authorized for this duty station.
Citizenship and Residency Requirements: This position is open to U.S. citizens who have resided for at least 3 out of the last 5 years, cumulatively, in the United States of America. Military and U.S. federal employees serving overseas, as well as their spouses and dependents, are not subject to the residency requirement.
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 Office of Foreign Litigation is responsible for all legal proceedings in foreign courts brought by and against the United States, or in which the United States has an interest, as well as suits brought against civilian and military personnel stationed abroad who are sued for acts taken in their official capacities. The incumbent retains and supervises foreign counsel in Europe to represent the United States before European tribunals in these cases, which often raise issues of sovereign and diplomatic or consular immunity, as well as international treaties and foreign law. The cases range from labor disputes, contract and tort suits, bankruptcy, criminal prosecutions, admiralty, and administrative law. The incumbent serves under the supervision of the Attorney in Charge of European Litigation, also located in London, and the Director of the Office of Foreign Litigation, located in Washington, DC. The incumbent must be willing to agree to a three-year commitment for this position.
Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), have at least three years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-14 level; and four years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-15 level. You must also be a U.S. citizen who has resided for at least 3 out of the last 5 years, cumulatively, in the United States of America. Military and U.S. federal employees serving overseas, as well as their spouses and dependents, are not subject to the residency requirement.
You must have a strong interest in litigation and international law, and an exceptional academic background. The ideal candidate should enjoy directing fast-paced litigation and frequent travel. Judicial clerkship experience and foreign language capability are highly desirable.
Applicants must submit a resume or current OF-612 (Optional Form for Federal Employment), a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience) and a writing sample (not to exceed 12 pages). If you are claiming veterans preference, you must also submit your DD-214, and/or other documentation that support your claim.
You MUST email your application to: forlit.vacancies@usdoj.gov
Do not send your application to the agency contact.
Please use announcement 'OFL-London-2015-03' as your SUBJECT LINE.
You must submit your application so that it will be RECEIVED by the closing date of the announcement, EST.
$107,325.00 to $158,700.00 / Per Year
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: 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.
Reasonable Accommodations: 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.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: 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.
Suitability and Citizenship: 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.
Veterans: 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).
USAO Residency Requirement: 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.
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