Civil Division (CIV)

Office of Immigration Litigation - District Court Section

Attorney

Washington, DC 20530

United States

2016-OILDCS-TA-INA

 

About the Office: The Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section (OIL-DCS) handles both affirmative and defensive litigation in federal district courts, as well as the appeals which arise from those cases.  The Section is responsible for litigation in all 94 districts as well as 12 federal circuit courts of appeals, and works closely with United States Attorneys' offices on immigration-related cases.  Further, OIL-DCS provides support and counsel to all federal agencies involved in the admission, regulation, and removal of aliens under our immigration and nationality statutes, as well as related areas of border enforcement, labor and employment, and national security.  The Office currently has approximately 70 attorneys and 20 support staff, led by a Director, a Deputy Director, and six Assistant Directors. 

The Civil Division, with more than 1,000 attorneys and 14 litigating components, represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet officers and other Federal employees.

 Job Description:  OIL-DCS seeks several talented and highly-motivated litigators to join the Section.  OIL-DCS attorneys work on cutting-edge and complex litigation matters focusing on the defense of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  Trial attorneys in the Section personally handle all phases of civil litigation, including case assessment and strategy determination, coordinating legal positions of federal agencies, conducting all aspects of discovery, writing and filing dispositive motions, conducting oral arguments and trials, handling appeals to the circuit courts, and conducting settlement negotiations.  Trial Attorneys also provide counsel to other federal agencies concerning litigation risk stemming from immigration policies and practices.  OIL-DCS attorneys are regularly asked to review proposed legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to federal immigration law and provide comments. 

Qualifications: 

Required 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 possess superior oral and written communication skills, as well as strong character, judgment, and interpersonal skills; and have demonstrated the capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. 

Preferred Qualifications:  Experience with civil litigation in federal court, including a federal clerkship, is strongly encouraged. An ideal candidate will be familiar with the Federal Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure and the Administrative Procedure Act. Experience with the Immigration and Nationality Act, while helpful, is not required. Candidates should enjoy learning complex regulatory schemes, be comfortable with taking on assignments in new areas of constitutional and federal administrative law, be able to skillfully brief issues of first impression, and eager to argue those issues on behalf of the United States in federal district and appellate courts in various jurisdictions around the United States.

Salary: The possible salary range is: GS-12 ($77,490 - $100,736), GS-13 ($92,145 - $119,794), GS-14 ($108,887 - $141,555) and GS-15 ($128,082 - $160,300).

Travel: This position requires frequent travel.

Application Process: E-mail all materials to:  CIV-DCS-Careers@usdoj.gov

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Please specify that the application is for the Trial Attorney – District Court Section position in the subject line.

No telephone calls.  You must submit your application so that it will be RECEIVED by midnight Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of the announcement. 

Please include only the following documents with your application and in the following order as ONE FILE in searchable PDF format: 

Cover Letter

Resume

Writing Sample (no more than 15 pages)

Veterans Preference document (if applicable)

Application Deadline: Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Relocation Expenses: Not authorized

Number of Positions: FEW