The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice is the nation's largest and most experienced environmental law firm and is often ranked among the federal government's best places to work. ENRD is seeking experienced litigators for its Natural Resources Section in Washington, DC.
This vacancy is for 1 or more positions. The duty location is Washington, D.C. This is not a remote position.
Summary
The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice is the nation's largest and most experienced environmental law firm and is often ranked among the federal government's best places to work. ENRD is seeking experienced litigators for its Natural Resources Section in Washington, DC.
This vacancy is for 1 or more positions. The duty location is Washington, D.C. This is not a remote position.
Amended to extend the closing date to July 18, 2025.
The Natural Resources Section represents virtually every major federal agency in federal district court, the Court of Federal Claims, and State courts in novel and complex litigation arising under more than 80 natural resource, environmental, and cultural resource statutes, various treaties and international agreements, interstate compacts, and congressional referrals. Among other statutes, our cases arise under the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act, the National Park Service Organic Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and the National Trails System Act. Large portions of our docket involve challenges under the Administrative Procedure Act and under the Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
On any given day, the Section's attorneys handle a vast portfolio of cases involving:
Defense of energy and mineral development projects;
The stewardship of our national parks, forests, rangelands, wildlife refuges, and offshore resources;
Vital federal programs ranging from nuclear materials management to military preparedness to national energy policy;
Original actions in the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve boundary and water allocation disputes in the western part of the country;
Real property claims arising under the Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which involve issues such as military readiness, transportation infrastructure, and flood control; and
The United States' trust relationship with Native Americans and Tribes.
The Natural Resources Section seeks to hire and cultivate talented trial attorneys and provides its lawyers with frequent and meaningful court experience in a variety of jurisdictions on a broad range of issues. Because of the diverse nature of our docket, the ideal candidate should be comfortable in "first-chair" and supporting roles in multiple complex cases, and have demonstrated and substantial experience in civil litigation, including pre-trial discovery, presentation of oral argument, and examination of fact and expert witnesses.
The cases handled by the Section require attorneys to achieve intellectual command of complicated facts, scientific principles, and legal issues, often rapidly. Successful candidates will be intellectually curious, driven, and will enjoy having primary responsibilities in sophisticated litigation, proficiency in working with a wide range of experts, and the ability to harness technology and litigation support in the preparation of cases. Creative thinking and talent in problem-solving -- whether in a litigation or settlement context -- are critical. Collegiality is fundamental to our Section. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working collaboratively with other attorneys and providing support and mentorship to less experienced attorneys.
On a day-to-day basis, our attorneys address case management issues, negotiate with opposing counsel, write motions and briefs, handle discovery, take and defend depositions, present oral arguments, and conduct trials. Our attorneys work closely with both attorneys and program staff at our client agencies, as well as with expert witnesses retained to offer opinions in our litigation.
In staffing our cases, we strive to create work opportunities for our attorneys that allow them to constantly learn and grow by providing new challenges. We provide new attorneys with robust skills-based and substantive training. Within their first year with the Natural Resources Section, we strive to provide our attorneys the opportunity to author briefs in federal court, argue substantive motions, and take depositions. The opportunity to participate in a trial is typically available within the first two years on the job. Being able to gain this type of experience on cases of this complexity so soon after starting sets the Natural Resources Section apart.
The Natural Resources Section has exceptionally talented attorneys who are generous with their time to mentor. The group of paralegals and legal assistants we have are valuable resources, offering reliable help with a can-do attitude. Overall, the Section cultivates an atmosphere of respect among colleagues who work together to advocate on behalf of the United States.
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.
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 at least 1 year of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience and the years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal experience for the specific grade level requirements listed below. Judicial clerkship experience and familiarity with defensive civil litigation is highly desirable and knowledge of Fifth Amendment takings, natural resource law, or Indian law is a plus. Applicants must demonstrate superior research, analytical, and writing abilities.
Specific grade level requirements:
GS-14: At least 4 years of post-J.D. litigation experience.
GS-15: At least 5 years of post-J.D. litigation experience.
Years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level. The possible salary range is:
GS-14 ($142,488 - $185,234)
GS-15 ($167,603 - $195,200)
YOUR RESUMÉ 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.
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; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and 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. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at:http://www.benderconsult.com
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. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov
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.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veteran preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran preference must include that information in their 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).
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following:
Resumé demonstrating relevant experience and month/year the experience was obtained
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 resumé 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).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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, brief statement of interest, 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 .
Natural Resources Section
150 M Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 80 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes the following:
Resumé demonstrating relevant experience and month/year the experience was obtained
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 resumé 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).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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, brief statement of interest, 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 .
Natural Resources Section
150 M Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 80 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
