Summary

The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote competition by enforcing the antitrust laws to protect economic freedom and opportunity on behalf of the American people.

The Antitrust Division has openings for Senior Litigation Counsel to join its dedicated team and gain invaluable experience working in the public interest to protect the competitive process.

Are you ready to contribute to matters of national importance that promote a competitive and productive American economy?

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens

Duties

The United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, is seeking experienced trial lawyers to support and lead significant competition and antitrust litigation matters. The attorneys hired can expect to be given significant responsibility and have immediate involvement with antitrust matters of importance.

As a Trial Attorney (Senior Litigation Counsel) the incumbent will have significant responsibility for litigating the Division's merger and non-merger matters or criminal prosecutions, which may include:

Drafting and advising on complaints in merger challenges and civil non-merger challenges;
Drafting and advising on indictments;
Drafting and advising on other court filings;
Representing the United States in court hearings and at trial in either, or both, civil and criminal cases;
Developing litigation strategy and advising teams on how to adapt to litigation;
Conducting party, third-party, and expert discovery, including through depositions;
Working with industry and economic experts;
Preparing orders of proof and related litigation work product; and
Leading and supporting trial teams.

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.

Please note: Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Also, a writing sample and a combination of three to five business and academic references may be requested of individuals identified as best qualified, to be forwarded to the selecting official along with your application package, upon referral.

Conditions of Employment

You must be a US citizen to be considered for this position.
You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
You may be required to take and successfully clear a drug test.
You must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement.
SELECTIVE SERIVCE: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see http://www.sss.gov/). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing
This is a full time, permanent appointment, not eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit.
This is a non-supervisory appointment, subject to a two-year trial period. Time served in a temporary, term or other not-to-exceed appointment is not counted toward completion of the required trial period.
The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program.

Qualifications

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. To qualify, an applicant must:

Be a citizen of the United States;
Possess a J.D. degree or equivalent, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction) and, have at least four years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-15 level;
Have experience in the investigation of potential federal civil or criminal antitrust and/or white-collar criminal violations, or general federal litigation experience, including criminal and/or civil cases; and
Demonstrate excellent writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

Successful candidates will have:

At least seven years of complex litigation experience, including significant trial experience (more than 15 years preferred);
Trial team leadership experience as first-chair or second-chair;
Significant brief-writing and oral-argument experience;
Excellent communication skills;
The ability to lead and work effectively in teams; and
Strong legal writing, editing, and analytical skills.
Previous antitrust experience is valuable but not required.

Education

You must possess a J.D. or equivalent degree to qualify for consideration as a Trial Attorney (Senior Litigation Counsel) for the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination based on color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department 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 of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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 & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants
DOJ EEO Statement/Policy
OPM Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement
Veterans Information
Legal and Regulatory Guidance

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.

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.

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

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration.

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 are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

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

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:

Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience and a description of significant cases litigated, to include your role in them, and explaining your interest in the position).
Your Resume - should include a description of relevant related experiences (including your role in them). Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume. 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.

RESUME REQUIREMENTS: ALL APPLICANTS: you must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience. The federal government has very specific resume requirements. If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to watch this Resume Writing Tutorialvideo on the USAJOBS YouTube channel, or read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQon the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements.

Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer.
For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end date (include month and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).

Writing Sample/Brief (not to exceed 15 pages and reflecting your own work product with minimal editing by others).
Performance Appraisal (if a current federal employee) - issued within the last 12 months, or if none exists, a statement to that effect.
A copy of your latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if a current federal employee).
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable):
1. If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 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 online or by calling 1-800-827-1000.
Documentation of eligibility for special hiring authorities (if applicable) to prove appointment eligibility. Examples include: Peace Corps volunteer letter, military spouse hiring authority documentation, etc.

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.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EDT) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

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/

Please note: Applications mailed using government postage and/or internal federal government mailing systems are in violation of agency and postal regulations and will not be accepted.

These instructions outline our application process. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, you must contact us by noon Eastern Daylight Time on the announcement's closing date. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Sectionby email at ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov or by phone at 202-514-2469 to obtain an alternative application..

If you require a reasonable accommodation for disability during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Karen Jung by phone at 202-514-8885 or by email at Karen.Jung@usdoj.gov. The Antitrust Division provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. Callers with hearing or speech impairment can access their state's telecommunications relay service (TRS) to make TTY calls by dialing 7-1-1.

Agency contact information

Human Resources Section

Phone

202-514-2469

Email

ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov

Address

Antitrust Division
450 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your completed application has been received, the Antitrust Division will conduct an evaluation of qualifications and rank the applications in comparison to those received. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.

After extending a tentative job offer and receiving acceptance by the selectee, we will conduct an employment suitability/security background investigation to confirm that the selectee meets all requirements to fill the position. We expect to make a final job offer once all such reviews have been completed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS (STANDING REGISTER) ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ESTABLISHED CUTOFF DATES. APPLICATIONS WILL BE REFERRED BASED ON RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND ESTABLISHED CUTOFF DATES AS FOLLOWS:

April 23, 2024
May 23, 2024
June 24, 2024
July 24, 2024
August 26, 2024
September 26, 2024
October 28, 2024
November 29, 2024
December 30, 2024
January 30, 2025
March 3, 2025
April 8, 2025

Trial Attorney (Senior Litigation Counsel) Job