Pro Se Staff Attorney

Duties and responsibilities include:

• taking primary responsibility for the Court's social security docket;
• taking primary responsibility for a portion of the Court's immigration and pro se prisoner docket;
• providing substantive legal analysis of pleadings and making recommendations directly to the judges regarding the disposition of motions;
• drafting appropriate reports and recommendations, orders, and opinions for review by judges;
• efficiently managing the flow of the Court's social security, immigration, and pro se prisoner litigation;
• providing information to judges and Court staff on legal issues unique to social security, immigration, and pro se prisoner litigation;
• evaluating existing procedures and developing and implementing improved processes for the adjudication of the Court's social security, immigration and pro se prisoner litigation;
• preparing periodic reports for judges on trends in the respective dockets;
• conducting legal research and keeping abreast of developments in the law including but not limited to social security appeals, prisoner immigration cases, § 1983 cases, and capital habeas cases in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court;
• reviewing voluminous administrative and state court records and trial transcripts;
• collaborating with other staff attorneys and chambers law clerks; and
• performing other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• Employees must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
• Employees will be hired provisionally pending the results of a background investigation.
• Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
• Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
• Positions with the United States District Court Clerk's Office are Excepted Service appointments.

Qualifications

JSP Grade 11 ($78,009 - $101,417): Law school graduate (top quarter or law review required) with less than 1 year of legal work experience after the JD.

JSP Grade 12 ($93,499 - $121,551): At least 1 year of legal work experience after the JD. Must be a member of the bar of a state, territorial, or federal court of general jurisdiction.

JSP Grade 13 ($111,183 - $144,540): At least 2 years of legal work experience after the JD. Must be a member of the bar of a state, territorial, or federal court of general jurisdiction.

JSP Grade 14 ($131,385- $170,806): At least 3 years of legal work experience after the JD. Must be a member of the bar of a state, territorial, or federal court of general jurisdiction.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All applications will be reviewed to identify the best qualified candidates. Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified. Applicants not selected for an interview will not receive notice concerning the status of their application.

A cover letter; detailed resume including educational background, past employment, and references; a law school transcript; and a writing sample.

See 'How to Apply' for instructions.

Next steps