Summary
The Appellate Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division is responsible for handling most Division cases in federal and state appellate courts, for preparing appeal and amicus recommendations for the Solicitor General, and for preparing drafts for the Office of the Solicitor General of petitions and briefs in these cases if there is activity in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Appellate Section is hiring an attorney to serve as one of three Assistant Section Chiefs within the Section.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens or Nationals
Duties
The Appellate Section management consists of a Chief, a Deputy Section Chief, and three Assistant Section Chiefs. The Deputy and Assistant Chiefs divide management of the work of the Section by subject matter.
The Section is responsible for civil and criminal appeals in all cases handled by an ENRD trial section in federal or state trial courts. It also handles directly, or coordinates with the United States Attorney offices (USAOs), on civil and criminal appeals in cases involving Division subject matters that were handled by a USAO in the trial court. In addition, the Section has responsibility for certain petitions for review filed directly in the courts of appeals that seek review of decisions of the Energy and Interior Departments and of the FAA, NRC, STB, and in some instances FERC. The Section works closely with the Office of the Solicitor General in determining whether to appeal adverse district court decisions to the courts of appeals, to seek further review of adverse court of appeals decisions, and to participate as amicus in federal and state courts of appeals and the Supreme Court. The Section prepares initial drafts of briefs filed in the Supreme Court in Division cases handled by the Section and works closely with the Solicitor General's Office in Division cases before the Supreme Court.
Assistant Section Chiefs have direct supervisory responsibility for all aspects of this work in their respective subject areas. The supervisory responsibilities involve, among other things, assigning legal casework to attorneys, ensuring appropriate staffing on each matter, providing strategy and other guidance as needed, ensuring compliance with all relevant DOJ guidance and policies, reviewing all written briefs, memoranda, and other written work product for substantive accuracy and for consistency with positions in other litigation, coordinating with counterparts at client agencies and with the Office of the Solicitor General as well as other DOJ and ENRD components, briefing agency and DOJ leadership as necessary, assisting in the determination of settlement positions, and preparing attorneys for oral argument. The Assistant Section Chiefs also are responsible for performance management and serve as the rating official for attorneys. The Assistant Section Chiefs also assist the Section Chief and Deputy Chief on non-litigation and administrative matters, and with overall management of the Section.
We are currently seeking to hire an Assistant Chief to manage the cases in the Section's docket involving ownership of real property and water rights, Indian law, takings, and mineral leasing.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- You must complete a background investigation including pre-employment drug testing.
- Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
- A supervisory probationary period is required, if not already served.
- J.D. and active bar membership required.
Qualifications
Applicants should possess the following qualifications: a minimum of 7 years post-J.D. or post clerkship litigation experience and significant litigation experience, or substantive familiarity with the Administrative Procedure Act or other statutes within the Appellate Section's jurisdiction; a demonstrated record of analysis of complex or novel legal problems; outstanding legal writing and editing skills; excellent judgment; the ability to mentor and manage attorneys and administrative staff to produce high quality work under tight time frames; the ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and to adjust to meet new priorities; initiative and creativity; the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with client agencies and other Division and Department of Justice components; and a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
In addition to the above qualifications, applicants must possess a J.D. degree; be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction); and be a U.S. citizen or national. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of the announcement will be considered.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
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. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience you report relative to this position.
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 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
- Resumé demonstrating relevant experience and dates (mo/year) the experience was obtained
- Cover Letter with Brief Statement of Interest (optional)
- Law School Transcripts (Official or Unofficial)
- DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation, if applicable.
Your resumé 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).
How to Apply
You must apply online through USAJOBS. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions, and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) by the closing date to receive consideration.
Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter with brief statement of interest (optional), law school transcripts, 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/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Office of Human Resources. Please contact Nardia Bennett at nardia.bennett@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 80 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.
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