Salary Range: $101,268 – $105,508

The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia is seeking candidates for the position of Assistant Section Chief for the Juvenile Section of the Public Safety Division (PSD). The selected candidate will work under the supervision of the Juvenile Section Chief and Deputy Attorney General of the PSD. The Assistant Section Chief will support the Section Chief with the direct supervision of approximately 22 line attorneys and 5 support staff. The Juvenile Section is responsible for all juvenile prosecutions in the District of Columbia. These cases are brought in the Family Court of the District of Columbia Superior Court. The attorneys manage all aspects from intake and charging, through motions and trial practice, to sentencing and placement. The Section also participates in many interagency law enforcement and juvenile justice initiatives, participates in crime reduction programs, and works closely with the Neighborhood and Victim Services (NVS) Section to ensure fair and just treatment of victims and witnesses in juvenile cases. The Section also has a significant role in the Truancy Collaborative and Truancy Court, and works closely with partner agencies on these initiatives. In addition to delinquency cases, the Section also brings cases against parents who violate the District’s Compulsory School Attendance Act. The Assistant Section Chief has a leadership role in many of these interagency and internal projects. Primary responsibilities of the Assistant Section Chief include assisting with the supervision of staff and all other aspects of management related to a demanding criminal practice. Good judgment and experience working in a fast-paced environment are critical. Experience as a prosecutor and familiarity with the District’s criminal and juvenile systems is helpful, but not required. 

Responsibilities of the Assistant Chief will be set by the Deputy Attorney General for Public Safety and may include, but are not limited to, assisting with: 1) Establishing policies and priorities related to litigation of the cases within the Section’s purview; 2) Reviewing and approving pleadings, motions, memoranda, and correspondence; 3) Reviewing litigation outcomes and make timely recommendation where appellate review is needed; 4) Regularly monitoring progress by staff in assigned cases and other matters/projects; 5) Monitoring compliance of staff with the Attorney General’s Performance Plan requirements, including ensuring full compliance with customer service standards; 6) Working closely with the Chief of the NVS Section to coordinate the victim and witness assistance program and with the Special Counsel for Juvenile Justice Reform on the youth mediation program; 7) Attending community meetings related to concerns about juvenile crime, quality of life and public safety issues; 8) Collecting, maintaining, and disseminating timely, accurate and up-to-date data on the Section’s activities, including collecting and tabulating various statistics such as monthly performance results. The successful candidate for this position must be barred in the District of Columbia or eligible for waiver into the D.C. Bar. The ideal candidate should also have knowledge of District of Columbia criminal law and procedure and/or familiarity with Title 16 of the D.C. Code and rules governing Family Court proceedings. In addition, the candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills; outstanding oral and written communication skills and litigation skills; and the ability to manage in a fast-paced environment. The successful candidate must have a law degree and be an active member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction. If not a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the candidate must be sworn into the District of Columbia Bar within 360 days of his/her initial appointment with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. This position is outside the Collective Bargaining Unit. Candidates for the position will be subject to a background check. 

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a PDF file to OAG.RecruitmentAttorney@dc.gov, by the end of the closing date below, which includes the following: 1) a cover letter referencing the vacancy announcement number and specifically addressing relevant experience; 2) a résumé; 3) a list of at least three references; and 4) a writing sample. 

Closing Date: March 11, 2016