Legal Careers
Assistant United States Attorney
Suite 900
Albuquerque, NM 87102 - United States
The United States Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico, is hiring Assistant United States Attorneys for the Civil Division. Civil AUSAs enforce federal civil rights, environmental statutes, combat fraud in the government, and defend agencies and employees of the federal government in civil litigation.
For more information about the District of New Mexico, please visit our website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm.
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 Attorney selected will serve in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Assistant United States Attorneys in the Civil Division are responsible for representing the federal government and its agencies and employees in civil litigation in the District of New Mexico. They are also responsible for providing support to client agencies by providing candid and professional assessments of litigation risks. Civil AUSAs are expected to manage civil cases at all stages of litigation through appeal. Civil AUSAs are expected to work independently and make strategic litigation decisions, take depositions, prepare and answer discovery, negotiate fair and just settlements, engage in motions practice, try cases, draft appellate briefs, and argue cases before appellate court judges.
As public servants, Assistant United States Attorneys must work to earn the trust of, and inspire confidence in, the public we serve. It is our mission to treat everyone with fairness, dignity, and compassion, while providing the highest level of legal service to the American people and to be a responsible steward of the taxpayers' dollars. The Civil Division seeks to be a force for that which is right, uphold the rule of law, and make fairness, equality, and impartiality the hallmarks of its work.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one (1) year post-J.D. legal experience.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must be able to independently plan and manage all aspects of their assigned cases.
The United States Attorney's Office will be looking for the following characteristics and skills:
- A quick analytical ability.
- The facility to identify and articulate critical issues.
- Superior communication skills, both orally and in writing.
- Strong research skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Sound judgment.
- The ability to work with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies, in a supportive and professional manner.
- Ability to work effectively with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding office and courtroom environment.
Civil AUSAs do their own legal research and writing and must be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day to day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also possess computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research, electronic court filing, electronic e-mail and word processing systems.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Please apply via this link:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/706396500
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below:
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on on 03/28/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Required - Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
- Required - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year). (cover letter optional).
- Required, if applicable - To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume.
Assistant United States Attorneys pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $69,107 to $163,721 which includes 17.63% locality pay.