Assistant United States Attorney (Appellate Division)

The United States Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is seeking an Assistant U.S. Attorney for its Appellate Division. The Appellate Division is responsible for representing the United States and its agencies in criminal and civil appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Although the principal responsibilities of an Appellate Division Assistant U.S. Attorney involve researching, briefing, and arguing federal appeals, the attorney selected for this position will also provide support for district court proceedings, such as legal advice, expertise, and researching and writing of court filings. The Appellate Division also provides training to other members of the Office on emergent trial and appellate issues, assists trial AUSAs with complex issues that may arise, and assists with responding to civil immigration habeas petitions. The District's appellate caseload is heavy; Assistant U.S. Attorneys will be responsible for handling a varied caseload at any given time.


Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprints, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born 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. See www.sss.gov.

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:The Office seeks an attorney who has outstanding legal ability, high moral character, mature judgment and demonstrated excellence in civil trials. The ideal candidate will possess superior oral and written communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal skills, exhibit superior judgment, and be able to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment, while balancing a high case load.

Preferred qualifications include at least three to six years of post-J.D. litigation experience, including experience handling a variety of complex civil matters, first-chair federal trial experience, strong academics, outstanding organizational skills, superior legal writing and research ability, and a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility and public service. Additionally, quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case, is preferred.

Excellent computer literacy skills and presentation skills are preferred.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.