Law Clerk
What you'd do
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (DC) is unique and serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. Clerks assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute DC Code offenses ranging from misdemeanors to homicides; Criminal Division prosecute a broad range of U.S. Code violations; and Appellate Division are responsible for handling all appeals from criminal convictions in the DC Court of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
Major duties
If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia that is responsible for investigating and prosecuting an assortment of criminal cases. Types of cases include, but are not limited to, homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, and narcotics and weapons possession. Typical work assignments will include: Legal Research & Writing: Perform extensive research using Westlaw/Lexis, and draft legal documents including motions, orders, and memoranda. Case Preparation: Assist attorneys with trial preparation, hearings, and witness interviews. Case Management: Review complaints, petitions, and pleadings, and monitor changes in federal law and court precedent. Administrative Support: Manage case files, handle exhibit preparation, and maintain legal libraries. Communication: Act as a liaison between chambers/offices and attorneys. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
What you need to qualify
Specialized/Legal Experience: Specialized/legal experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Below are the qualification requirements (degree and/or experience) required prior to being appointed to a law clerk position. Required Qualifications: Applicants must have completed their law degree from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) within the previous year. Law school graduates who received their JD prior to June 1, 2025 are not eligible. Applicants must have a class rank required within top 1/3 of law school class or grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of possible 4.0. Bar membership is not required.United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications:Hiring preferences include strong academics, legal writing, analytical skills, and knowledge of Federal regulations and case law.Law Clerk appointments may be made for periods not to exceed 14 months pending admission to the bar. No person may be given more than one law clerk appointment; however, an appointment made for less than 14 months may be extended for not to exceed 14 months in total duration. A law clerk appointment will terminate on its not to exceed date or the law clerk may resign prior to the not to exceed date or expiration date of appointment. Law clerks may convert to an entry-level attorney position after demonstration of satisfactory employment as a law clerk and admittance to a bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Before you apply
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