Attorney

Offices, Boards and Divisions•Washington, DC

10d

About The Position

The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, is seeking experienced attorneys to address significant and complex issues. The role involves enforcing federal statutes and executive orders that prohibit unlawful discrimination in various areas, including voting, education, employment, housing, police services, public accommodations, and federally funded programs. The division handles a wide range of civil rights matters, with specific sections dedicated to Appellate, Criminal, Disability Rights, Educational Opportunities, Employment Litigation, Housing and Civil Enforcement, Immigrant and Employee Rights, Second Amendment rights, Special Litigation, and Voting rights.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service.
May be required to complete a one- or two-year probationary period.
May be required to complete a pre-employment security screening, including a drug screening.
Must have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Must 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.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including post-J.D. experience requirements, by the date their application is reviewed for referral and consideration.
Resume cannot exceed two (2) pages.
Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
Applicants must possess a J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
Must be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction).
Possess the minimum years of post-professional law degree experience commensurate to the grade level of eligibility (GS-13: 1.5 years, GS-14: 2.5 years, GS-15: 4 years).
Strong, demonstrated qualifications in 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.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to analyze complex issues.
Skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others.
Organizational skills.
Professional judgment.
Initiative.
Ability to excel in a fast-paced, demanding environment.
Outstanding professional references.

Nice To Haves

Substantive knowledge and expertise in Judicial clerkships (especially in federal court).
Law review experience.
Moot court experience.
Clinical experience.
Skill and experience working cooperatively and productively with a range of people, such as charging parties, witnesses, respondents, 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.

Responsibilities

Investigating allegations of civil rights discrimination or potential violations of the law.
Conducting extensive document review to gather, analyze, and evaluate data and evidence.
Interviewing witnesses.
Drafting legal and factual memoranda.
Presenting evidence to federal grand juries (if appropriate).
Developing cases for possible litigation.
Working with expert witnesses and other federal partners.
Presenting the government's case in federal or district court.
Conducting negotiations and mediations on a range of issues.
Enforcing settlement agreements and remedial orders.
Representing the United States in civil rights cases in the federal courts of appeals.
Investigating and prosecuting cases involving the interference with liberties and deprivation of rights defined in the Constitution or federal law.
Prosecuting cases involving law enforcement misconduct, including instances of excessive force and sexual misconduct, and hate crimes.
Implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Enforcing Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Enforcing the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.
Enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and other federal laws prohibiting employment practices that discriminate on the grounds of race, sex (including pregnancy), religion, and national origin against state and local government employers.
Enforcing the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 against state and local government employers and private employers.
Protecting the right to access housing free from discrimination, the right to access credit on an equal basis, the right to patronize places of business that provide public accommodations, and the right to practice one's faith free from discrimination.
Enforcing the anti-discrimination provision (§ 274B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b, prohibiting citizenship status discrimination, national origin discrimination, unfair documentary practices during employment eligibility verification, and retaliation or intimidation.
Investigating alleged patterns or practices of Second Amendment infringement by law enforcement.
Filing statements of interest when cases in litigation affect the interests of the United States.
Protecting civil rights in areas including rights of people in state or local institutions (jails, prisons, juvenile detention facilities, health care facilities for persons with disabilities), rights of individuals with disabilities to receive community services, rights of people interacting with state or local police, rights of youth in the juvenile justice system, rights to safe access to religious worship and reproductive health clinics, and rights to practice religion while confined.
Enforcing the civil provisions of federal statutes designed to safeguard the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Acts.