Trial Attorney - Environmental Defense Section (Open Continuous)

Offices, Boards and Divisions•Denver, CO

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Environmental Defense Section (EDS) seeks attorneys to represent the United States in complex civil litigation under a broad range of environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. EDS represents federal agencies, including EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, other branches of the Department of War, and the Department of Energy, in claims involving pollution-control laws and petitions for judicial review in federal district courts and courts of appeals. Cases include challenges to national EPA rules and site-specific agency decisions. Attorneys handle all aspects of complex litigation, from pretrial work through trial. Matters may be handled by one attorney or by a small litigation team. The work offers opportunities to appear and argue in district and appellate courts and periodically to try cases or handle other evidentiary proceedings. Attorneys also advise client agencies and other DOJ components on litigation, regulations, and environmental and administrative law issues, and coordinate with U.S. Attorney’s offices, the Office of the Solicitor General, and state attorneys general offices. This is an open continuous announcement that will remain open until September 30, 2027. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis, with positions filled as hiring needs or vacancies arise. The announcement may close early once a sufficient applicant pool is established or authorized positions are filled. Duty locations are Washington, DC, or Denver, CO; the position is not remote.

Requirements

J.D. degree or equivalent.
Active membership in good standing of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction.
U.S. citizenship or national status.
At least 1 year of post-J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience for GS-12; at least 1.5 years for GS-13; at least 2.5 years for GS-14; or at least 4 years for GS-15.
Superior research, analytical, and writing abilities.
Strong interest in federal litigation and trial work, and an exceptional academic background.
Complete a background investigation, including pre-employment drug testing.
Maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
Register with Selective Service, if applicable.
If selected, disclose financial information if required under DOJ and federal ethics guidelines.
Academic degrees and coursework must be from an institution accredited or pre-accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be shown to be comparable to U.S. accredited education, with supporting credential evaluation; documentation must be in English or accompanied by an English translation.

Nice To Haves

Judicial clerkship experience.
Familiarity with defensive civil litigation.

Responsibilities

Represent the United States in complex civil litigation arising under environmental statutes.
Represent federal agencies in claims involving pollution-control laws, including claims concerning response costs at Superfund sites, federally owned facilities, and private sites.
Defend petitions for review in courts of appeals and claims for judicial review in district courts under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Handle all aspects of litigation, including preparing and filing dispositive motions, drafting merits briefs, conducting written and document discovery, selecting and working with experts, taking and defending depositions, presenting oral argument, handling witnesses at trial and evidentiary hearings, and negotiating settlements.
Provide counsel to client agencies and other DOJ components on litigation, regulations, and environmental and administrative law issues.
Coordinate with colleagues in U.S. Attorney’s offices, the Office of the Solicitor General, and state attorneys general offices.