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Assistant United States Attorney

Employer Info:

U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa
Job Name
Assistant United States Attorney
Brief Description
Our civil rights work is designed to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the District, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Our civil rights work enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, military service, and citizenship status.

This position would be responsible for enforcing civil federal civil rights statutes, such as the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act; the Equal Educational Opportunity Act, Titles II, VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act; laws that protect voting rights, servicemembers’ rights (USERRA), and religious freedom (RLUIPA); laws that protect institutionalized persons (CRIPA); laws that prohibit patterns or practices of police misconduct; and other federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/civil-rights

The AUSAs with this type of practice conduct community outreach by convening and/or participating in meetings with community groups, non-profits, and other governmental agencies to provide information about federal civil rights requirements and the enforcement activities of our office. AUSAs also evaluate complaints submitted by members of the community. AUSAs make case-selection decisions and then handle the matters from start to finish, including investigation, pre-litigation demands, settlement negotiations, and compliance monitoring. Although a significant amount of the practice is conducted in a pre-litigation posture, it may also involve litigation of federal civil rights suits at the trial and/or appellate level. AUSAs in this position work in partnership with other federal agency partners and with attorneys at the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Applicants should describe in the cover letter their experience in civil rights work and in community outreach and relationship building.

Due to COVID-19, if selected, you may be expected to telework for an undefined period under the Department’s evacuation authority, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Employees in this status may be notified of a requirement to report in person to the component workplace with an advance notice of not less than 30 days. Prior to a requirement to report to the workplace, employees may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the component’s telework policy.
Job Type
Full-Time
Education Level Required
J.D. / Law Degree
Location City
Seattle, WA 98101, United states
Contact Person
Mara Montes
Contact Email
Mara.Montes@usdoj.gov
Contact Phone
2065534200
How to Apply
Application Process:

Interested persons must email the following items in pdf format to the email address listed below:

USAWAW.Hiring@usdoj.gov
Nicholas W. Brown
United States Attorney
Attention: Tessa M. Gorman
First Assistant United States Attorney
700 Stewart Street, Suite 5220
Seattle, Washington 98101

(a) A cover letter referencing Vacancy Announcement 22-WDWA-AUSA-06 (Civil Rights-Seattle) that sets forth the applicant’s civil rights experience, and addresses the job description and qualifications, above;
(b) A detailed resume; and
(c) A writing sample meeting the criteria set forth below:

Writing Sample: Include a sample of your legal writing, such as a portion or all of an appellate brief, motion and memorandum of points and authorities, or opinion letter. The writing sample should be a recent example of your work and demonstrate your ability to analyze legal issues and present that analysis in written form. The sample should be predominantly your own work. If the document was edited by others, include a cover memo that briefly describes the level of editing that occurred.
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Job Details
About the Office: 
The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Western District of Washington (WDWA) is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation in Western Washington that involves the United States. The USAO is divided into two litigating Divisions (Criminal and Civil), as well as an Appellate Division. The Criminal Division’s work involves investigating and pursuing criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law. The Civil Division handles civil lawsuits by or against a Department or agency of the United States (both affirmative and defensive litigation), actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers, and matters to ensure civil rights are protected. The main office is located in Seattle, Washington and a branch office is located in Tacoma, Washington. The office has an authorized strength of approximately 74 Assistant United States Attorneys.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa

Our office places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives and encourages applications from individuals from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and persons with disabilities.

Job Description: 
Our civil rights work is designed to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the District, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Our civil rights work enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, military service, and citizenship status.

This position would be responsible for enforcing civil federal civil rights statutes, such as the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act; the Equal Educational Opportunity Act, Titles II, VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act; laws that protect voting rights, servicemembers’ rights (USERRA), and religious freedom (RLUIPA); laws that protect institutionalized persons (CRIPA); laws that prohibit patterns or practices of police misconduct; and other federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/civil-rights

The AUSAs with this type of practice conduct community outreach by convening and/or participating in meetings with community groups, non-profits, and other governmental agencies to provide information about federal civil rights requirements and the enforcement activities of our office. AUSAs also evaluate complaints submitted by members of the community. AUSAs make case-selection decisions and then handle the matters from start to finish, including investigation, pre-litigation demands, settlement negotiations, and compliance monitoring. Although a significant amount of the practice is conducted in a pre-litigation posture, it may also involve litigation of federal civil rights suits at the trial and/or appellate level. AUSAs in this position work in partnership with other federal agency partners and with attorneys at the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. 

Applicants should describe in the cover letter their experience in civil rights work and in community outreach and relationship building.

Due to COVID-19, if selected, you may be expected to telework for an undefined period under the Department’s evacuation authority, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Employees in this status may be notified of a requirement to report in person to the component workplace with an advance notice of not less than 30 days. Prior to a requirement to report to the workplace, employees may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the component’s telework policy.

Qualifications: 
The applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least five years post-J.D. experience.
Applicants must have substantive knowledge and work experience in at least one area of federal civil rights law enforced by the Division; civil litigation skills; experience drafting and/or interpreting federal laws, rules, and regulations; strong written and oral communication skills; the ability to analyze complex issues; the ability to synthesize a wide range of information and data; the ability to help direct an investigation and accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues; the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds; and the ability to formulate practical and creative solutions to complex problems.

Applicants must have outstanding skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with others, including other attorneys, staff, agencies, non-governmental agencies, and community members; strong organizational skills; excellent professional judgment; demonstrated initiative; the ability to excel in a fast-paced, highly demanding environment; and the ability to independently work with interest groups and community members to generate referrals.

Salary: 
Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based primarily on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of pay, including locality, is $84,386 to $176,200.

Travel: 
Occasional travel within and outside the District will be required.

Application Process: 
Interested persons must email the following items in pdf format to the email address listed below:

USAWAW.Hiring@usdoj.gov
Nicholas W. Brown
United States Attorney
Attention:  Tessa M. Gorman
First Assistant United States Attorney
700 Stewart Street, Suite 5220
Seattle, Washington 98101
 
(a) A cover letter referencing Vacancy Announcement 22-WDWA-AUSA-06 (Civil Rights-Seattle) that sets forth the applicant’s civil rights experience, and addresses the job description and qualifications, above; 
(b) A detailed resume; and
(c) A writing sample meeting the criteria set forth below:

Writing Sample:  Include a sample of your legal writing, such as a portion or all of an appellate brief, motion and memorandum of points and authorities, or opinion letter. The writing sample should be a recent example of your work and demonstrate your ability to analyze legal issues and present that analysis in written form. The sample should be predominantly your own work. If the document was edited by others, include a cover memo that briefly describes the level of editing that occurred.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Application Deadline: 
Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Relocation Expenses: 
Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Number of Positions: 
1 or more