Trial Attorney (Special Litigation Counsel)

Closing Date: 18th April, 2024

Description:

Summary:
Are you interested in a rewarding and challenging opportunity? Join the U.S. Department of Justice!

The Employment Litigation Section (ELS) is seeking experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney (Special Litigation Counsel). The attorneys selected for these positions will be dedicated to the Section's work enforcing federal civil rights laws and defending against constitutional challenges to certain federal agency programs for disadvantaged business enterprises.

Duties:
A Special Litigation Counsel (SLC) in the Employment Litigation Section will, under the supervision of the Chief, be assigned to lead complex and significant cases and matters within the Section's jurisdiction. One Special Litigation Counsel position will primarily focus on leading matters on the Section's defensive docket and handling other complex constitutional issues, along with affirmative civil rights enforcement as workload permits. If selected as a Special Litigation Counsel in the Employment Litigation Section, your duties may include:

• Leading the Section's complex and significant cases and matters, to include the overall management of their assigned cases and matters;
• Developing and executing investigation and litigation plans and personally handling investigation and litigation tasks, including preparation of internal memoranda necessary for authorization of matters, preparing all forms of pre-trial and trial documents, conducting settlement negotiations, and representing the United States at hearings, oral arguments and trials;
• Assigning and supervising the work of other assigned team members when applicable;
• Assisting the Section's management team and supporting all aspects of the Section's enforcement;
• Handling or advising on issues involving complex constitutional issues and claims, including as part of the Section's litigation defending federal agencies in lawsuits that challenge the constitutionality of the federal government's disadvantaged business enterprise programs;
• Providing advice and assistance to the Section's managers and attorneys, including, but not limited to, Deputy Chiefs and Trial Attorneys, and working directly, as needed, with attorneys to provide appropriate guidance and review of all facets of their work;
• Reviewing relevant Section work product, including, but not limited to, legal memoranda, complaints, briefs, Statements of Interest, regulatory documents, guidance documents, and other Section materials, to ensure compliance with the relevant legal requirements, Division, and Department standards, and to ensure that the Section takes consistent and well-supported legal positions in all aspects of its work;
• Monitoring developments in the areas of employment law and other relevant federal law and procedural issues related to the work of the Section and keeping the Section Chief informed of significant issues and developments;
• Engaging in outreach to relevant stakeholders (including representing the Section in meetings with other federal agencies and at employment related conferences and convenings.); and
• Handling other special assignments to be made by the Chief to assist in the operation of the Section.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• You may be required to complete a one- or two-year probationary period.
• You may be required to complete a pre-employment security screening to initiate your background investigation, which includes a drug screening. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your investigation.
• You must have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• DOJ uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities
  
• You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and possess a minimum of six (6) years of post-professional law degree experience. Applicants also must have strong, demonstrated qualifications in the following areas: academic achievement; substantive knowledge and expertise in the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the work of the section or substantially similar laws, rules, and regulations; written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze complex issues; skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others; organizational skills; professional judgment; initiative; and the ability to excel in a fast-paced, demanding environment. In addition, applicants must have the ability to motivate and engage employees; the skill to build relationships that create trust, open dialogue, and full transparency; the assertiveness to drive outcomes and overcome adversity; the capacity to create a culture of clear accountability; and the integrity to make decisions based solely on merit applicants must have outstanding professional references; a demonstrated ability to effectively supervise all aspects of difficult cases and materials; the ability to delegate responsibility to staff; a demonstrated ability to handle several difficult or complex cases or matters at the same time; a demonstrated ability to manage a significant docket and ensure that applicable deadlines are met; demonstrated mentoring skills; and outstanding negotiation skills.
Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks; candidates with significant experience in complex litigation, particularly involving the laws enforced by the Section. The following qualifications are preferred but not required: (1) extensive federal civil litigation experience, including discovery, litigation strategy, motions practice, trial preparation, and trials; (2) experience with complex investigations and negotiations, including interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, working with experts, and reviewing and applying appropriate case law to assess the merits of a matter; (3) substantive expertise in the federal laws enforced by the Section; and (4) experience presenting to a variety of audiences and stakeholders. Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court), moot court, clinical experience, and skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, including individuals from disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups, opposing counsel, judicial or administrative officials, advocacy groups, law enforcement personnel, and the staff of other federal or state governmental agencies, are also preferred.

Education:
You must possess a J.D.

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.

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