Clarification from the agency

This is a public notice flyer. Applications will not be accepted through USA Jobs. If you are interested in applying, please see the official announcement on the DOJs Legal Careers page.

About the Office

The United States Trustee Program (USTP or Program) is a litigating component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders, including debtors, creditors, and the public. The Program operates nationwide through 21 regions comprised of 82 field office locations and exercises broad administrative, regulatory, and enforcement authority in bankruptcy cases. Its responsibilities extend across chapter 7 and 13 consumer matters, chapter 12 family farmer cases, small business reorganizations, and complex chapter 11 corporate restructurings.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC), within the Executive Office for United States Trustees (EOUST), oversees the Program's legal activities. OGC formulates and oversees the Program's national legal policies and litigation strategies before the bankruptcy courts and through the appellate process, implements the Program's legal priorities, resolves significant legal issues, and provides advice to staff on administrative legal issues.

For more information about the United States Trustee Program, visit the Program's web site at https://www.justice.gov/ust.

The OGC is seeking an experienced trial attorney to provide expert legal advice and guidance on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and related legal matters.

Responsibilities and Opportunities Offered: The duties of the FOIA counsel will include the following:

• Handle the USTP's FOIA obligations by responding to and/or supervising responses to requests for records located in the EOUST and in the Program's ?eld of?ces;
• Ensure that the Program's FOIA responses are timely, legally sufficient, concise and clearly written, and appropriately disclose the requested information in accordance with DOJ and Government-wide FOIA guidelines and relevant case law;
• Provide legal expertise and support to the U.S. Attorney's Office in connection with FOIA litigation matters in District Court, including case strategy and the preparation of pleadings and other related filings;
• Serve as the legal and technical expert on FOIA policy, processes, legislation and regulations;
• Prepare periodic reports as required by the DOJ or the Program, including the USTP's Chief FOIA Of?cer Report and Annual FOIA Report and prepare and post the USTP's Annual FOIA Log of frequently requested records;
• Provide advice and counseling to Program employees, supervisors, and senior leadership on all FOIA related inquiries, tracking such inquiries, and maintaining both an internal SharePoint portal and external FOIA library, with relevant, up-to-date resources and proactive disclosures;
• Ensure that all FOIA request and appeals related data is entered and maintained in the USTP's FOIA case management database;
• Analyze and evaluate the development of a system of information collections, storage, dissemination and retrieval to meet FOIA needs, and to support the centralized processing of FOIA requests and FOIA appeals nationwide;
• Develop policies and procedures concerning the implementation of the FOIA within the USTP, including continually evaluating the effectiveness of the FOIA program;
• Provide training and guidance to Program employees, supervisors and senior leadership on the policies, procedures and requirements of the FOIA;
• Act as the Program's representative on the government information working group, and as liaison with the DOJ's Of?ce of Information Policy (OIP) and other federal agencies when necessary; and,
• Manage all of the above matters with minimal supervision.

Additional Responsibilities: As a member of the OGC's General and Administrative Law Practice Group, you may also be called upon from time to time to handle other assignments that vary based on short- and long-term legal objectives, but typically involve critical policy, program or operational matters that are especially complex, controversial, or precedent-setting. These assignments may include:

• Providing legal and policy research;
• Preparing analyses and recommendations for EOUST and Program staff on certain areas of federal administrative law, such as the Administrative Procedure Act, Ethics in Government Act, or Privacy Act, and a variety of DOJ regulations, policies or procedures, as well as the regulatory and rulemaking process;
• Initiating and maintaining effective communications with EOUST management, U.S. Trustees and their staff, DOJ officials, and other federal agencies;
• Representing and presenting the position of the Program in a variety of settings including meetings, working groups, and task forces;
• Monitoring DOJ issues affecting the EOUST and the Program and providing authoritative analyses and recommendations regarding matters that impact ongoing or proposed EOUST or USTP operations, initiatives, goals and objectives; and,
• Working on other projects and priorities as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. See “Additional Information” section for further details.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate excellent academic and professional credentials, superior oral and written communication skills, outstanding legal research, analytical, and legal reasoning skills, outstanding judgment, and the ability to function with minimal guidance in a demanding legal environment. Further, an applicant must have a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) in good standing, and have at least 4 years post-J.D. professional legal or other relevant experience advocating on behalf of clients.

Preferred Qualifications: In addition to the required qualifications listed above, the ideal candidate will have:

• A demonstrated record of analyzing complex legal problems, interpreting statutory, rule, and regulatory provisions;
• Have outstanding organizational skills and the ability to address a broad array of issues arising in a large volume of cases;
• The ability to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a wide variety of cases and projects;
• The ability to set, manage, and balance diverse, evolving, and challenging projects and priorities;
• Demonstrated initiative and creativity;
• Strong information technology skills including using databases and IT systems to manage and track work;
• Experience working with or for federal agencies; and,
• A commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Evaluation Process:

A panel of subject matter experts will review applications to assess how well each candidate meets the minimum qualifications. Qualified candidates will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview. Interviews will be scored by a selecting committee, and candidates in the best qualified category will receive further consideration.

Trial Period Statement:

As a condition of employment for the position of Trial Attorney with the USTP, you may be required to serve a two-year trial period during which the Program will assess your fitness for continued employment and whether your service advances the public interest. In making this determination, the Program may consider:

• Your performance and conduct.

• The needs and interests of the agency.

• Whether your continued employment advances the organizational goals of the agency or the Government.

• Whether your continued employment promotes the efficiency of the service.

Your employment will conclude at the end of the trial period unless you receive written certification that your continued employment advances the public interest. If certification is not granted, you will receive written notice prior to the end of the trial period advising you of the termination and its effective date.

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.