Attorney (Entry-Level)

Summary

Are you interested in a rewarding and challenging opportunity? Join the U.S. Department of Justice! The Civil Rights Division seeks experienced attorneys to work on a variety of significant and complex issues to enforce federal statutes and executive orders that prohibit unlawful discrimination, including discrimination in voting, education, employment, housing, police services, public accommodations and facilities, and federally funded and conducted programs.

Duties

• As a Trial Attorney, your duties may include: investigating allegations of civil rights discrimination or potential violations of the law; conducting extensive document review to gather, analyze, and evaluate data and evidence; interview witnesses; drafting legal and factual memoranda; presenting evidence to federal grand juries (if appropriate); developing cases for possible litigation; working with expert witnesses and other federal partners; presenting the government's case in federal or district court; conducting negotiations and mediations on a range of issues; and enforcing settlement agreements and remedial orders. Appellate Section: The Appellate Section works cooperatively with the trial sections in each of the Division's substantive enforcement areas in representing the United States in civil rights cases in the federal courts of appeals. Many of the Section's cases are appeals from district court judgments in cases originally handled by the Division's trial sections. Criminal Section: The Criminal Section investigates and prosecutes cases throughout the United States involving the interference with liberties and deprivation of rights defined in the Constitution or federal law. Among its enforcement authorities, section prosecutors prosecute cases involving law enforcement misconduct, including instances of excessive force and sexual misconduct, and hate crimes, that is, acts of violence or threats of violence motivated by bias based on statutorily protected characteristics. Disability Rights: Works to achieve equal opportunity for people with disabilities by implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). DRS has a central role in enforcement, regulation, and technical assistance under the ADA, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Educational Opportunities: Enforces Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Section also enforces the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, which requires states and school districts to provide English Learner students with appropriate services to overcome language barriers. Employment Litigation: Enforces against state and local government employers the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and other federal laws prohibiting employment practices that discriminate on the grounds of race, sex (including pregnancy), religion, and national origin. The Section also enforces against state and local government employers and private employers the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. Housing and Civil Enforcement: Works to protect some of the most fundamental rights of individuals, including the right to access housing free from discrimination, the right to access credit on an equal basis, the right to patronize places of business that provide public accommodations and the right to practice one's faith free from discrimination. Immigrant and Employee Rights: Enforces the anti-discrimination provision (§ 274B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b. This federal law prohibits: 1) citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, 2) national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, 3) unfair documentary practices during the employment eligibility verification process, and 4) retaliation or intimidation. Second Amendment Section: The Second Amendment Section is charged with enforcing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding American citizens. The Second Amendment Section investigates alleged patterns or practices of Second Amendment infringement by law enforcement. The section also files statements of interest when cases in litigation affect the interests of the United States. Special Litigation: 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 places of religious worship and reproductive health clinics; and 6) the rights of people to practice their religion while confined to state and local institutions. Voting: Enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes designed to safeguard the right to vote of all American citizens, including the Voting Rights Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Acts.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law. You may be required to complete a one- or two-year probationary period. You may be required to complete a pre-employment security screening to initiate your background investigation, which includes a drug screening. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your investigation. You must have a JD degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. DOJ uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, by visiting www.e-verify.gov/. Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by their entry on duty date. Resume cannot exceed two (2) pages. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a one- or two-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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants 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. Possessing the minimum post law degree legal experience does not guarantee the applicant will be selected at that grade level. Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by their entry on duty date. Law school graduates and current law students taking a February 2027 bar examination may be considered, provided they meet these requirements prior to entry on duty. Possessing the minimum legal experience or a law degree does not guarantee that an applicant will be selected at that grade level. GS-11 - Up to one year of post-J.D. legal experience, or possess J.D. GS-12 - Minimum of one year of post-J.D. legal experience Preferred Qualifications: The following demonstrated qualifications are preferred but not required: Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), law review, moot court, clinical experience, and skill 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.

Education

You must possess a J.D. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Required documents

The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. For additional information on uploading documents in USAJobs, please refer to this link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/upload/. Cover Letter - Letter should highlight relevant knowledge and experience, including any preferred sections. Resume - Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position. Additionally, your resume must include the following information for each job listed: month and year, start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008), and full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). Law School Transcripts - Submit a copy of your law school transcript(s) (unofficial is acceptable). Applicants must be graduates of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Current DOJ Attorneys are not required to submit a copy of their transcripts. Writing Sample - A brief or comparable analytic legal exposition that is your work product. (No more than 10 pages) Assessment Questionnaire (you will be prompted to complete this when you apply online). Schedule A Documentation (if applicable) - Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). This letter must be separate from any Veterans Preference documentation. If you are selected and your Schedule A letter is more than three years old, you will be asked to provide an updated letter. See "Sample" Letter. Current or Former Political Appointees (if applicable) - please note on your resume and attach an SF-50. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000. Failure to provide the applicable required documents could possibly result in losing consideration for this vacancy. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and all required documents are submitted prior to the closing date. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc. All materials must be received by 03/31/2027 to be considered for this announcement.