Assistant United States Attorney (Civil)

Closing Date: 26th March, 2026

Description:

Summary:
The U.S. Attorney's Office represents the Federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States. This includes all criminal prosecutions for violations of Federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.

For more information about the District of South Carolina, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc

There is one position in Columbia and one position in Columbia or Charleston.

Duties:

• The United States Attorney's Office is seeking experienced and motivated attorneys to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Civil Division.
• AUSAs handle all phases of litigation, including answering complaints, taking and defending depositions, managing discovery, conducting legal research and analysis, selecting and working with experts, writing briefs and other documents, attending court hearings, arguing motions, representing the United States in mediations and settlement negotiations, and conducting trials. AUSAs communicate regularly with attorneys from other federal agencies, Department of Justice attorneys, opposing counsel, and others.
• The positions' primary responsibilities will be the Civil Defense team, including handling medical malpractice and other personal injury torts, employment discrimination, immigration matters, and representing federal employees sued in their individual capacities under Bivens.
• Civil Division AUSAs are expected to exercise sound judgment, manage a high-volume caseload efficiently, and work collaboratively as part of a team dedicated to upholding federal law and protecting the interests of the United States. We contribute to the mission of justice by providing candid and professional assessments of litigation risk and defending against civil litigation to achieve just results.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
• Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment 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: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
• 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. See www.sss.gov.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:

• Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 3 years post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
• United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:
Hiring for AUSA positions is highly competitive. Our ideal candidate will have:

• Incisive analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate critical issues in a wide variety of civil cases;
• An aptitude for independent legal research and writing, and the ability to prepare correspondence and pleadings with accuracy and minimal supervision
• Superior speaking skills and a strong courtroom presence, including first-chair jury trials;
• A demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility and public service;
• Impeccable integrity;
• Outstanding organizational, time management and interpersonal skills;
• The ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies;
• Excellent computer literacy skills and the ability to handle all aspects of electronic discovery and litigation;

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Additional Information:

• Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $82,459 to $197,100 which includes 17.06% locality pay.
• Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.
• Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
• 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.
• Travel: Occasional travel may be expected for this position, both within and outside the district.
• 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.
• Political Appointees (Current and Former): Political Appointees (Current or Former): The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
• Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment 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.
• EEO Statement: 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.
• 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.

• You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
• Evaluation Method: Once the announcement closes, your complete application package will be reviewed to ensure you meet all job requirements. An attorney interview panel will then review all qualified applicants and make recommendations for invitation to interview. You will be notified if selected for an interview.
• The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.
• Veterans' Preference: 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 indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. 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, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which l

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