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Trial Attorney-Torts Branch-Constitutional & Specialized Tort Litigation/Bivens

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Mar 20, 2023
Duties

This position offers a unique and challenging experience in public service. It is one of the few positions in which a government attorney's clients include individuals with whom the attorney has a personal attorney­ client relationship. The majority of cases involve claims for damages against individual federal employees who are personally sued for alleged constitutional violations under the authority of Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), but attorneys are responsible for all manner of cases involving individual liability. Constitutional Tort attorneys typically handle cases involving complex legal questions and often litigate cutting-edge questions of constitutional law. Attorneys also play a vital role in the administrative processing of requests for representation from federal employees nationwide; and provide guidance to U.S. Attorneys' Offices on the immunities and individual defenses that are available to federal officials sued personally for job-related acts. The office represents federal employees in the U.S. District Courts nationwide, with a practice which emphasizes complex dispositive motions; however, attorneys are also involved in discovery and taking cases to trial and evaluating appellate issues.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  • May require completion of a fourteen month trial period.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.
  • 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.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you will be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.


Qualifications

Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), have at least one year of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-12 level; have at least two years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-13 level; have at least three years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-14 level; and four years of post J.D. experience to qualify at the GS-15 level. You must also be a U.S. citizen.

Applicants should be outstanding writers, have strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and have an interest in litigation. Experience with federal court motions practice is preferred. The ideal candidate would also be interested in developing expertise in all and have relevant experience in several of the following areas: dealing with individual clients; representing public officials; asserting personal defenses by way of complex dispositive motions; defending a variety of statutory, common law, constitutional or civil rights claims; handling discovery and preparing cases for trial; analyzing appellate issues. Experience handling criminal defense or medical malpractice work is a plus .

Applicants should enjoy working independently and as part of a team, feel comfortable in varied federal courtroom settings, and enjoy occasional travel. Applicants must exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with clients, staff, attorney supervisors, and Department officials.

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.

OR

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

Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans' 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/ .

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 Veterans' 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).

DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/08-eeo-policy.pdf

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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: 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 .

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.

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