Trial Attorney - Appellate Section

JobSummary

The Environment and Natural Resources Division is seeking one or more experienced litigators for the Appellate Section in either Washington, DC, or Denver, CO. The Section is responsible for handling most Division cases in federal and state appellate courts. The first cut-off date for referral of applicants will be 5/21/2026. The second cut-off date will be on the closing date of 6/11/2026.

LowGrade

12

HighGrade

15

PromotionPotential

15

SubAgencyName

Environment and Natural Resources Section - Appellate Section

OrganizationCodes

DJ/DJ01

Relocation

False

HiringPath

• public

MCOTags

TotalOpenings

1

AgencyMarketingStatement

The Environment and Natural Resources Division seeks to attract, retain, and promote individuals of exceptional ability and talent from all walks of life to reflect the people it serves by drawing its workforce from all segments of society and from across the United States. We offer varied, challenging, and important work. Our office is located in the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, DOJ Headquarters and is also conveniently located off the Navy Memorial/Archives Metro Station (Yellow Line/Green Line). A wide variety of shopping venues, the Capital One Arena, museums, the National Mall, restaurants, and coffee shops are all within walking distance.

TravelCode

2

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

MajorDuties

• The Appellate Section represents the federal government in federal and state appellate courts in cases arising under the more than 200 statutes for which the Division has litigation responsibility. Our cases routinely concern important and complicated issues of environmental law, public lands and natural resources law, federal Indian law, administrative law, and constitutional law. We handle appeals both in defensive cases brought against the United States and in affirmative civil and criminal cases. The Section is also responsible for certain petitions for review filed directly in the courts of appeals. The primary duties of an Appellate Section Attorney are to draft briefs and to present oral arguments. New attorneys to the Section handle their own appeals, with support and mentoring from experienced attorneys and managers. Section attorneys work closely with the Office of the Solicitor General in determining whether to appeal adverse district court decisions, to seek further review of adverse court of appeals decisions, and to participate as amicus curiae in appellate courts and the Supreme Court. The Section provides the Office of the Solicitor General with initial drafts of briefs filed in the Supreme Court in Division cases handled by the Appellate Section. The work can be fast paced on tight deadlines.

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. 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.

Requirements

Evaluations

Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veteran preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran preference must include that information in their 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 Veteran 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). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

HowToApply

You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY Online button. Follow the prompts to answer a few questions and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. Applicants must submit a current resume (no more than 2 pages), cover letter, writing sample, law school transcript, and DD-214 (if applicable). To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Office of Human Resources using the contact information listed below. Internet Sites: For more information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division, visit the web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd . This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers

WhatToExpectNext

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 80 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.

RequiredDocuments

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following: Resume (not to exceed two pages) demonstrating relevant experience and month/year the experience was obtained Cover letter with brief statement of interest. Writing sample (Preferably, not to exceed 15 Pages) Copy of J.D. degree transcripts DD 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation, if applicable Your resume MUST include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), part time hours worked, and description of duties. If you have Federal employment, you must include the grade of the position(s).

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/New-Prospective-Employees/

OtherInformation

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veteran 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/. To verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. 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:http://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 Suitability and Citizenship: 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. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement. Please Note: Additional candidates may be selected if more positions become available in the Division within 90 days after HR office issues the certificate of eligibles.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

02

AnnouncementClosingType

01

AgencyContactEmail

carmen.browne@usdoj.gov

AgencyContactPhone

(202) 616-3127

SecurityClearance

Other

DrugTestRequired

True

PositionSensitivitiy

High Risk (HR)

AdjudicationType

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness