Summary The U.S. Attorney's Office represents the Federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of California. This includes all criminal prosecutions for violations of Federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. This position is located in Sacramento, California Responsibilities The United States Attorney's Office is seeking an exceptional applicant to serve as Appellate Chief. The Appellate Chief supervises all - and personally handles some - of the Office's criminal and civil matters before the Ninth Circuit. In the criminal realm, these cases involve some of the most challenging issues in criminal law and procedure, including constitutional challenges to criminal convictions, statutory questions of first impression, application of the Sentencing Guidelines, and post-conviction matters. In the civil realm, these cases recently include litigation of rapidly evolving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues in immigration law. The Appellate Chief works directly with the U.S. Attorney to develop litigation strategy, consider possible arguments, and hone Office writing and oral advocacy. Although line AUSAs have initial responsibility for drafting briefs and often argue their own appeals, the Appellate Chief and his or her lean unit edit all briefs and organize and attend moot courts for all oral arguments. In addition, they counsel prosecutors and civil litigators on difficult legal issues, providing crucial input on trial-level procedure and strategy. The Appellate Chief has charge of preparing appeal recommendations from adverse decisions in the district court to be submitted to the Appellate Sections of various Divisions of Main Justice. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 2 years of post-J.D. experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Ideal qualifications include federal judicial clerkship experience, at least 3 to 5 years of experiencing litigating criminal cases in federal court (preferably as an AUSA), with experience handling both trials and appeals. Applicant must have appellate or other significant legal writing experience and oral advocacy experience, preferably before a federal court of appeals. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Past or present Department of Justice experience preferred. The ideal applicant will be energetic, highly organized, and able to take direction well, as well as have demonstrated the ability to work with minimal guidance in a demanding environment. The applicant must be capable of efficiently drafting high-quality pleadings and briefs under time constraints. The applicant must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and an aptitude for accurately articulating the critical issues in a case. Superior oral argument and writing skills are required, as are strong research and interpersonal skills and good judgment. The ideal applicant should have excellent communication and time-management skills and be able to respond quickly to shifting priorities. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Education Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree or equivalent. Additional Information Salary Information: Appellate Chief's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The recruiting range of pay is as follows: Sacramento: $197,100 which includes 29.76% locality pay. Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. * This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. 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. Political Appointees (Current and Former): Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, 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. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
