Legal Careers
Assistant United States Attorney (Civil Division)
Madison, WI 53703 - United States
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 in Madison, Wisconsin.
The United States Attorney’s Office is seeking a highly-qualified and experienced candidate to fill a vacant Assistant United 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 affirmative civil litigation (e.g., health care fraud, government fraud). Additionally, this person will supervise active practices in bankruptcy, collections, 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 United States Attorney, First Assistant United States 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, 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.
Required qualifications: Applicants must have at least three (3) years of experience as 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 understand 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.
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.
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.
Interested persons should address a cover letter, writing sample (10 pages or less), and resume (not to exceed two pages), all in pdf format, to the attention of Acting United States Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma. Applicants should apply for the position at: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/852071800
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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of total pay is $73,939 to $193,394 which includes 17.06% locality pay.
Department Policies
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. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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.
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.
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.
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, https://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.
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 their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.