Closing Date: 17th July, 2026
Description:
Summary:The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote competition by enforcing the antitrust laws to protect economic freedom and opportunity on behalf of the American people.
The Antitrust Division has openings for Trial Attorneys to join its dedicated team and gain invaluable experience working in the public interest to protect the competitive process.
Are you ready to contribute to matters of national importance that promote a competitive and productive American economy?
Duties:
The United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, is seeking highly qualified attorneys to serve as Trial Attorneys in its Competition Policy and Advocacy (CPA) Section, for its office based in Washington, DC. The CPA Section provides expert internal guidance and external advocacy to further the Division's mission to promote competition. It engages with Division leadership and staff, consumers, business, and lawmakers in the state and federal governments. It plays a key role in developing the Division's guidance documents, such as the Merger Guidelines, and in promoting a whole-of-government competition policy in connection with other federal partners. The section's work on evolving issues of competition policy is typically fast paced and high profile.
The CPA Section serves a valuable range of functions for the Division: analyzing complex antitrust matters; advising on a wide range of civil and criminal antitrust policy issues, including agriculture, technology, healthcare, financial services, technology - including digital platforms and artificial intelligence - labor, intellectual property and standards; developing and supporting the Division's legislative work; analyzing the competitive effects of proposed state and federal laws and regulations; and developing and implementing short- and long-range policy projects and programs of interest to the Assistant Attorney General.
As an attorney in the CPA Section, responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Providing authoritative advice on all policy and legal issues to the Division Front Office;
- Working with and providing policy advice to the Division's litigating sections on investigations and litigations;
- Analyzing the competitive impact of draft federal and state laws and regulations; and
- Working on congressional, interagency, and international matters involving competition.
Please note: Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position.
- You may be required to complete a pre-employment security screening to initiate your background investigation, which includes a drug screening. Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion and adjudication of your investigation.
- You must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement.
- Selective Service: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see SSS.gov). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
- Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
- This is a full-time, non-supervisory appointment in the excepted service, subject to a one-or-two-year trial period in accordance with 5 CFR Part 11.
- The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program.
Qualifications:
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. To qualify, an applicant must:
- Be a citizen of the United States;
- Possess a J.D. or equivalent degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one and one-half years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-13 level; two and one-half years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-14 level, and/or at least four years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-15 level;
- Have superior writing, editing, oral communication, interpersonal and organizational skills; and
- Possess substantial familiarity with competition law and policy.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
You must possess a J.D. or equivalent degree to qualify for consideration as a Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
Additional Information:
Additional information about the Antitrust Division can be found at http://www.justice.gov/atr/. Additional information about the Policy and Advocacy Programs can be found at https://www.justice.gov/atr/about-division/other-offices
DOJ EEO Statement/Policy (https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline=)
OPM Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/reasonable-accommodations/)
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement (https://www.justice.gov/jmd/doj-reasonable-accommodation-policy-and-instruction)
Veterans' Information (https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/)
Legal and Regulatory Guidance (https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/)
Additional Information:
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.
Benefits:
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. Learn more about federal benefits. (https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits?_gl=1*9nxbfq*_ga*NjQ0MjQ5MzQ5LjE3MjU1OTI5OTA.*_ga_CLZB1LJ1VZ*czE3ODMzOTc3NTMkbzIkZzEkdDE3ODMzOTgzMDMkajYwJGwwJGgw)
Review our benefits (http://www.justice.gov/careers/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.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration.
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 are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.
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.
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found at https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers.
Required Documents:
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:
A copy of your resume or equivalent - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure wo
Review our benefits (http://www.justice.gov/careers/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.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration.
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 are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.
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.
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found at https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers.
Required Documents:
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:
A copy of your resume or equivalent - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure wo
