Trial Attorney Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. ENRD-25-013-EXC Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $139,395.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 13 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/20/2024 Close Date 12/4/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Environmental Enforcement Section is responsible for bringing civil judicial actions under federal environmental and pollution control laws, such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and CERCLA, enacted to protect public health and the environment. EES attorneys enjoy a diverse caseload, including cases of national scope. Attorneys handle all aspects of affirmative civil litigation, including case development, discovery, motions practice, complex settlement negotiations, and trials.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens or nationals

Duties

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 affirmative nature of EES cases requires attorneys to advance cases through negotiations and all stages of litigation, beginning with the internal deliberations of the government, especially with other federal agencies, and continuing through extensive discovery and litigation to judgment. EES attorneys frequently negotiate settlements involving complex and technical injunctive relief and payment of civil penalties, while simultaneously preparing a case for trial. These responsibilities require outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to collaborate with DOJ and agency colleagues to achieve the best outcome for the United States.

For more information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Environmental Enforcement Section, visit the Justice Department's web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • You must complete a background investigation to include pre-employment drug testing.
  • Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
  • You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
  • J.D. degree required, must be an active member of the bar, any jurisdiction.

Qualifications

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals, possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing.

Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; excellent written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze a variety of legal issues; initiative; professional judgment; organizational skills; and the ability to manage multiple demands simultaneously and to excel in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications: The Section will consider any of the following qualifications, which are desirable, but not required:

  • Federal or state court litigation and trial experience, including experience with electronic discovery and document management;
  • Experience with multi-party negotiations and mediations;
  • Knowledge of the laws enforced by the Environmental Enforcement Section;
  • Experience supervising the work of, and delegating responsibility to, professional staff; and
  • Skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, including co-counsel and professional staff, the staff of other federal agencies, fact and expert witnesses, opposing counsel, and judicial officials.
While the following are also desirable, no candidate will be excluded from consideration in the absence of these experiences: 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, including co-counsel and professional staff, the staff of other federal agencies, fact and expert witnesses, opposing counsel, and judicial officials.

Applicants should have a strong interest in federal litigation and/or trial work and a strong academic background. The ideal candidates will have between three and ten years' of post-JD experience (including judicial clerkships, if any) and will be able to demonstrate an interest in public service.

Successful applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and must have the following:

  • At least 3 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-13 grade level.
  • At least 4 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level.
  • At least 5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-15 grade level.

Years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level. The possible salary range based on locality is as follows:

  • GS-13 ($117,962 - $153,354)
  • GS-14 ($139,395 - $181,216)
  • GS-15 ($163,964 - $191,900)

YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this 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.

Additional information

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veteran preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order To determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/. To verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.

Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and 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. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at:http://www.benderconsult.com

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. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov

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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

Please Note: Additional candidates may be selected if more positions become available in the Division within 90 days after HR office issues the certificate of eligibles.

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.

Review our benefits

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 month/year dates the experience was obtained
  • Brief statement of interest
  • Writing sample
  • Copy of J.D. degree transcripts
  • 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), PT hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the position(s).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY Online button. Follow the prompts to answer a few questions and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.

Applicants must submit a current resumé, brief statement of interest, writing sample, law school transcript, 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 using the contact information listed below.

Internet Sites: For more information about the Environment & Natural Resources Division, visit the web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd .

This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers

Agency contact information

Nardia Bennett
Address
Environmental Enforcement Sect
150 M Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Learn more about this agency

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.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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