Closing Date: 22nd June, 2023
Description:
About the Office:The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York (NDNY) is seeking an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) to work in the Appeals Division in its Syracuse, New York or Albany, New York office.
The United States Attorney's Office for NDNY serves an area comprised of 32 counties in upstate New York. AUSAs are staffed in offices in Albany, Binghamton, Plattsburgh, and Syracuse (headquarters office), and appear before federal judges there and in Utica. Approximately 51 attorneys and 52 support personnel work in NDNY, along with several subject-matter specialist contract personnel.
Syracuse is located in Central New York, a region that contains both urban and rural areas, with a population of just under 1.2 million. Syracuse and its surroundings offer abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, close proximity to the Finger Lakes region and Lake Ontario, the academic and cultural resources of numerous colleges and universities, excellent schools, and a rapidly developing high-tech manufacturing sector.
Albany is the state capital of New York with a metropolitan area that is home to more than one million people. Located within a three-hour drive of New York City and Boston, the Capital Region offers rich history, extensive cultural opportunities, outstanding schools, and the nearby beauty of the Adirondack Mountains, Lake George, and the Catskills.
Find additional information about the Northern District of New York at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Job Description:
This position is in NDNY's Appeals Division, a dedicated appellate unit with a primary focus on criminal appeals. The NDNY prosecutes a broad variety of federal offenses, including drug trafficking and smuggling; child exploitation; gang activity and violence; illegal immigration; national and border security; and fraudulent and/or corrupt conduct in government, health care, banking, securities and corporate activity, federal procurement, bankruptcies, and federal taxation. Appeals stemming from these criminal prosecutions to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit are handled primarily by AUSAs in the Appeals Division.
The selected AUSA will be responsible for researching and drafting briefs and motions for filing in the Second Circuit, representing the United States in oral argument before the Court (typically requiring travel to Manhattan), reviewing and editing briefs and motions for colleagues, participating in moot courts to prepare for oral argument, and providing research support and legal guidance to AUSAs in the Criminal and Civil Divisions. Appellate matters will involve a variety of constitutional, statutory, and other claims arising under substantive and procedural federal criminal law. AUSAs in the Appeals Division respond to defense claims of error in convictions and/or sentences, and handle government challenges to district court decisions or orders.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.
Qualifications:
Required:
- Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (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.
- Applicants must hold United States citizenship.
Preferred:
The ideal candidate will have:
- At least 3 years post-J.D. experience that includes significant legal writing, oral advocacy, legal practice in federal courts, and/or practice in criminal matters.
- Strong legal writing skills.
- Advanced legal research skills, including the use of Westlaw and Lexis.
- Facility with federal criminal practice, including Fourth Amendment issues, the federal rules of evidence and procedure, and application of the Sentencing Guidelines.
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to be self-reliant and motivated in order to: review and accurately distill voluminous records involving complex fact patterns; understand and articulate complex legal doctrines; routinely prepare high-quality and persuasive briefs on strict time deadlines; make persuasive oral arguments; and assist other attorneys in all divisions.
- The highest standard of integrity, and a willingness to confront legal and factual claims made by defendants in a respectful, honest, and thoughtful manner.
NDNY places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives and encourages applications from all qualified individuals from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBT individuals, and persons with disabilities.
All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14-month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Temporary appointments may be extended or made permanent without further competition.
The staffing of this position is subject to the availability of funds.
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.
Residency Requirements:
AUSAs generally must reside in the district to which they are appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Benefits:
The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.
Salary:
Pay for AUSAs is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $59,319 to $155,155, plus a 16.50% (SYR) or 19.45% (ALB) locality pay supplement where authorized.
Travel:
Employment will require occasional travel to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan, or where it is otherwise designated to sit. Other occasional travel within and/or outside the District may be required.
