Trial Attorney - Tribal Resources Section

The Tribal Resource Section litigates to uphold the United States' trust responsibility to Indian tribes, including defending agency decisions in furtherance of tribal interests and bringing affirmative actions to protect tribal lands, rights, resources, and jurisdiction. The litigation promotes tribal sovereignty and protects tribal land bases and other treaty and reserved rights, such as water rights, reservation boundaries, hunting and fishing rights, and federal and tribal jurisdiction.

Duties

One or more positions may be filled in either Washington DC or Denver. The first cut-off date for referral of applicants will be 7/27/2026. The second cut-off date will be on the closing date of 8/17/2026.

The Tribal Resource Section (TRS) litigates to uphold and fulfill the United States' trust responsibility to the nation's 575 federally recognized Indian tribes. This includes defending the decisions of the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies under the Administrative Procedure Act in furtherance of tribal interests, as well as bringing civil affirmative actions to protect tribal lands, rights, resources, and jurisdiction. This litigation furthers the United States' government-to-government relationships with tribal nations and generally promotes tribal sovereignty, protects tribal land bases, and ensures legal rights guaranteed by treaties and other reserved rights, such as water rights, reservation boundaries, hunting and fishing rights, and federal and tribal jurisdiction. The litigation handled by the Section is of vital interest to Indian tribes and often addresses issues of first impression.

Consistent with the Tribal Resources Section's practice, the individual selected will be responsible for handling a range of matters, including some of the most complex and important cases currently arising in this area of the law. This position will allow the individual to utilize his or her superior legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills in all aspects of negotiation, motions practice, and trial.

Salary

• $99,800 - $197,200/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• You must complete a background investigation to include pre-employment drug testing.
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
• You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
• J.D. degree required, must be an active member of the bar, any jurisdiction.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

Qualifications

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and be a U.S. citizen or national. Applicants must have the years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal experience for the specific grade level requirements listed below:

• At least 1 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-12 grade level.
• At least 1.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-13 grade level.
• At least 2.5 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-14 grade level.
• At least 4 years of post J.D. litigation and/or judicial experience to qualify for the GS-15 grade level.

Applicants should have a strong interest in federal litigation, trial work and/or appellate work, and an exceptional academic background. Judicial clerkship experience and familiarity with defensive civil litigation is highly desirable. Applicants must demonstrate superior research, analytical, and writing abilities.

Years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level. The possible salary range is:

Washington DC:

• GS-12 ($102,415 - $133,142)
• GS-13 ($121,785 - $158,322)
• GS-14 ($143,913 - $187,093)
• GS-15 ($169,279 - $197,200)

Denver, CO:

• GS-12 ($ 99,800 - $129,742)
• GS-13 ($118,675 - $154,280)
• GS-14 ($140,239 - $182,316)
• GS-15 ($164,956 -$197,200)

YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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. Other Information 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 that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. 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. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or 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. 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. Required Documents

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
• 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).

How to Apply

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