Covering twelve diverse litigation areas, the Federal Programs Branch defends the United States, the Executive Office of the President, and federal agencies in cases challenging the legality of government policies and actions brought in federal district courts. The Branch's work touches on almost all areas of the federal government, including national security, foreign affairs, and high-profile domestic policy initiatives.
Summary
Covering twelve diverse litigation areas, the Federal Programs Branch defends the United States, the Executive Office of the President, and federal agencies in cases challenging the legality of government policies and actions brought in federal district courts. The Branch's work touches on almost all areas of the federal government, including national security, foreign affairs, and high-profile domestic policy initiatives.
2024 applicants to the Attorney General's Honors Program at the U.S. Department of Justice for entry-level attorneys who received an offer that was rescinded in January 2025.
This position covers the work of a Trial Attorney assigned to the Federal Programs Branch, Civil Division, Department of Justice.
Trial Attorneys in the Federal Programs Branch are generalists who participate in significant, often high-profile litigation across a broad range of practice areas. Trial Attorneys are expected to handle all phases of district court litigation, including taking and defending depositions, managing written discovery, conducting legal research and analysis, writing briefs and other documents, attending court conferences, arguing motions, and conducting trials.
As part of their work, Trial Attorneys communicate regularly with client agencies, Department of Justice leadership, opposing counsel, and others. Trial Attorneys work on both individual and team cases in support of the Branch's and Department's mission of defending the interests of the United States.
This is not a remote location position. You will be required to work in person five days a week.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable
May require completion of a 2-year trial period. (Please refer to the trial period statement under Qualifications.)
Must be able to successfully complete a background investigation and may be required to obtain a clearance.
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.
Financial Disclosure: If selected, you will be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
May require completion of a fourteen month temporary appointment, subject to extension, pending the completion and adjudication of your background check.
Qualifications
Selectees must have passed the bar exam and have been admitted to a bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) prior to February 23, 2026, or their appointment to the Civil Division, whichever occurs first.
To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must possess a law degree (J.D. or equivalent).
To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must have one (1) year of post-law school full-time judicial clerkship or qualifying legal fellowship experience; or one (1) year of post-law school full-time graduate law study (LL.M. or equivalent).
Examples of specialized experience include: performing legal analysis; composing pleadings, briefs and other court documents.
Preferred qualifications: Applicants should also have excellent academic credentials and outstanding advocacy and legal writing skills. Experience drafting and arguing motions, handling discovery, taking, and defending depositions, developing expert witness testimony, and trying cases are highly desirable.
The ideal applicant demonstrates capability to manage multiple assignments with short deadlines to reliable, well-supported outcomes in a high-volume and dynamic setting.
Trial Period Statement
As a condition of employment for accepting this position in accordance with section 11.5 of Executive Order 14284, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
your performance and conduct;
the needs and interests of the agency;
whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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.
OR
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://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans' 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/.
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 Veterans' 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.pdffor a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s).
Reasonable Accommodation Statement: 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.
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: 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.
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 behalffrom 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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. A list of eligible candidates will be referred to the hiring managers every week during the open period of the announcement. If you are interested in applying, it is recommended that you do so early.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications. Your application will be evaluated by a reviewing panel.
Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.
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.
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.
To apply for this position, you must submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (not more than 15 pages in length). If you are claiming veterans preference, you must also submit your DD-214, and/or other documentation that you may have.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/24/2025 to receive consideration.
1. Click "Apply Online" to get started.
2. If you're not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you don't have an account, please create one.
3. You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
4. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
5. You'll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before you're able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. You'll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
6. Once you reach DOJ's Application Manager system, you'll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
7. After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS *OR* upload documents directly from your computer or device.
8. If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
9. Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
10. Once you've uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
11. If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.
If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.
Civil Division
1100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
To apply for this position, you must submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (not more than 15 pages in length). If you are claiming veterans preference, you must also submit your DD-214, and/or other documentation that you may have.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/24/2025 to receive consideration.
1. Click "Apply Online" to get started.
2. If you're not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you don't have an account, please create one.
3. You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
4. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
5. You'll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before you're able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. You'll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
6. Once you reach DOJ's Application Manager system, you'll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
7. After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS *OR* upload documents directly from your computer or device.
8. If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
9. Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
10. Once you've uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
11. If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.
If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.
Civil Division
1100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
