About the Office:
The United States Attorney's Office both defends and prosecutes the interests of the United States in civil cases, and prosecutes criminal offenses. The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Wisconsin is located in Madison.
Job Description:
The United States Attorney’s Office is seeking candidates to fill a vacant Assistant Unites States Attorney (AUSA) position in its Civil Division. This position will supervise the Civil Division while carrying an active caseload. The position offers the opportunity to perform public service, and to investigate and litigate a broad range of complex and challenging affirmative and defensive cases. While this is a permanent AUSA position in the Civil Division—subject to successfully passing a background and probationary period if applicable—the supervisory component of this position is temporary and at-will, and may be returned to a non-supervisory AUSA position at the discretion of the United States Attorney.
This AUSA will supervise the work of Civil AUSAs and support staff in both defensive (e.g., employment discrimination, torts, challenges to agency determinations, and more) and affirmative civil litigation (e.g., health care fraud, civil rights, government fraud, and more). In addition, this person will supervise active practices in bankruptcy, collections, medical subrogation, Social Security, Freedom of Information Act requests to the United States, and more.
This AUSA will also carry an active civil caseload. Assignments will include all aspects of civil litigation, including researching legal issues; drafting and responding to discovery requests; conducting document review and organization; taking or defending depositions; preparing dispositive and procedural motions; and handling trials and appeals.
This AUSA will also participate in managing the office with the US Attorney, First Assistant US Attorney, other Division Supervisors, and the Senior Litigation Counsel.
This AUSA may be assigned additional duties at the discretion of the United States Attorney. Such case assignments may include, but are not limited to, habeas corpus cases, actions brought under the Freedom of Information Act, actions seeking federal court review of the administrative actions of federal agencies, actions to defend and/or enforce subpoenas, and the collection of debts owed to the government, including foreclosure, subrogation, and student loan cases.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Qualifications:
Required qualifications:
Applicants must have at least three years of experience as either: an AUSA, a manager of civil attorneys assigned to complex civil litigation, or comparable legal experience. Current AUSAs seeking the position must have at least a “Successful” performance rating for the last evaluation year. All applicants must have a J.D. degree, be U.S. citizens, be active members of the bar (any jurisdiction), and not have received any disciplinary action within the past five years from the date of the application.
Applicants must be devoted to justice, excellence, and public service; have a very strong ability to research and analyze complex legal and factual issues; write clearly and persuasively; communicate effectively; possess a strong work ethic; exhibit good organizational skills; exercise fair and sound judgment; pay careful attention to facts and details; possess computer and electronic discovery knowledge; work well both independently and on a team; be willing to volunteer to help other attorneys; be able to negotiate effectively with opposing counsel; and be capable of trial work and appellate advocacy.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants should be able to demonstrate by experience, knowledge, or training that they have an understanding of basic leadership and managerial skills. Preferred AUSA applicants would have an overall rating of “Outstanding” for the last evaluation year.
Because the AUSA will represent and supervise AUSAs who represent the United States’ interests in state court proceedings, preferred qualifications will include candidates who are members of the Wisconsin Bar or who are eligible for immediate Admission on Proof of Practice into the Wisconsin Bar.
Training: A person selected for a supervisory position for the first time will be required to attend the Justice Leadership Institute, or a Legal Issues for Managers Seminar.
Salary: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. Similarly, the pay for a Supervisory AUSA is based on the same pay scale and on the specific supervisory position.
Travel: Occasional travel, both within and outside the District, may be required.
Application Process: Interested persons should address a cover letter and resume, both in pdf format, to the attention of United States Attorney Scott C. Blader. Applicants should email their application to the contact below:
matthew.mal.lesperance@usdoj.gov
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: Friday, October 2, 2020
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
Number of Positions: 1
DEPARTMENT POLICIES
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected genetic information, pregnancy, status as a parent, or any other nonmerit-based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department 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 of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
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. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is 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. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or 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).
