Closing Date: 31st May, 2026
Description:
Basic Function:This Deputy Attorney General position is a prosecutor position in the Office of Attorney General's (OAG) Criminal Law Division. The Gun Violence Task Force Allegheny County investigates and prosecutes the straw purchase of firearms, firearms trafficking, the movement of illegal guns, and violent gun crimes. The task force, which is comprised of experienced investigators, analysts, attorneys, and administrative staff, is a countywide joint task force that collaborates with the Pittsburgh Police Department, Allegheny County Police, other municipal police agencies within the county, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, federal partners, and the OAG's statewide Gun Violence Section.
This attorney position is responsible for all phases of prosecution including making charging decisions, arraignments, preliminary hearings, pretrial conferences, pretrial motions and hearings, trials (bench and jury), posttrial motions and hearings, and sentencing hearings. An intimate knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure is necessary to perform these duties. Throughout the aforementioned stages of proceedings, and when necessary, the attorney is responsible for maintaining contact with victims. A Deputy Attorney General II (DAG II) appears in Municipal Court and waiver trial rooms and assists more senior attorneys in statewide investigative grand juries, major jury trials, and homicides. A Deputy Attorney General III (DAG III) works independently on most matters except in extraordinary cases. A willingness to travel is an essential part of this position.
Examples of Duties:
- Represents the Commonwealth in preliminary hearings and misdemeanor trials
- Develops investigative plans based upon the nature of the matter to be investigated in conjunction with assigned agents
- Directs investigations, determining what investigative steps to take and investigative tools to use to achieve an appropriate/just investigative outcome
- Monitors investigations, assessing progress and adjusting investigative strategies when needed
- Keeps supervisor informed of the progress and potential outcome of investigations
- Determines, along with agents and in consultation with superiors, whether to pursue a prosecution
- Prepares, reviews, and approves charging documents in conjunction with agents if prosecution is pursued
- Represents the Commonwealth post arrest and throughout all stages of the criminal prosecution including arraignments, preliminary hearings, pretrial conferences, pretrial motions and hearings, trials (bench and jury), posttrial motions and hearings, and sentencing hearings
- Answers routine correspondence
- Performs additional and related work as required
Minimum Experience and Training
Deputy Attorney General II:
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
Deputy Attorney General III:
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and a minimum of six years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
Prior criminal prosecution experience is preferred
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
Deputy Attorney General III:
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and a minimum of six years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
Prior criminal prosecution experience is preferred
