USAJOBS - Job Announcement Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( LockA locked padlock ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
MENU
Sign in
My jobs
Profile
Resumes & documents
Search preferences
Notifications
Sign out
My jobs
Profile
Resumes & documents
Notifications
Search preferences
Sign out
Events
Help Center
Search
Back to results
Apply
Trial Attorney (Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation)
Department of Justice
Offices, Boards and Divisions
Civil Division
Apply
Share
Save
Summary
The Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch seeks Trial Attorneys to oversee high-impact affirmative litigation that ensures nationwide compliance with federal law. The Branch offers a frontline role in the Departments major civil enforcement initiatives. Well-qualified candidates may be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $25,000 depending on qualifications, education, and other factors. All recipients of a signing bonus are required to fulfill a service obligation.
Learn more about this agency
Summary
The Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch seeks Trial Attorneys to oversee high-impact affirmative litigation that ensures nationwide compliance with federal law. The Branch offers a frontline role in the Departments major civil enforcement initiatives. Well-qualified candidates may be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $25,000 depending on qualifications, education, and other factors. All recipients of a signing bonus are required to fulfill a service obligation.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/04/2026 to 07/10/2026
Salary $85,447 - $197,200 per year
Unless you have prior federal experience, you will likely be appointed at step 1 of the applicable pay scale.
Pay scale & grade GS 11 - 15
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status No Security clearance Secret Drug test Yes Financial disclosure Yes Bargaining unit status No
Announcement number AT-12952690-26-TGM Control number 867851200
This job is open to
Help
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
United States Citizens
Duties
Help
The Branch is structured into two sections: an Enforcement Section that pursues cases under key consumer protection and public-safety statutes, and an Affirmative Litigation Section that files lawsuits to ensure nationwide compliance with federal law against state, local, or private actors. Trial Attorneys in the Branch play a central role on these matters - partnering with client agencies, leading investigations and litigation, and coordinating with Department leadership.
Trial Attorneys in the Enforcement Section enforce consumer protection laws that safeguard consumers health, safety, economic security, data privacy, and identity integrity. The Section tackles some of the most urgent enforcement challenges facing consumers, including harmful opioid products, unsafe food and drugs, deceptive trade practices, and data privacy violations. Trial Attorneys in this Section investigate unlawful conduct and pursue enforcement actions nationwide. They handle all phases of district court litigation, including taking and defending depositions, managing written discovery, conducting legal research and analysis, writing briefs and other documents, attending court conferences, arguing motions, and conducting trials. Recent cases include suits targeting sellers and distributors of unapproved vaping devices and 7-OH products, a suit against a company for failing to report dangerous and defective tools that injured hundreds of consumers, and injunction actions targeting entities that manufacture, sell, or distribute adulterated, unsafe, or deficiently labeled food, medical devices, and drugs. The Section also brings enforcement actions against some of the worlds largest corporations for unfair and defective practices that trap consumers in online subscriptions, collect and retain childrens personal information, and engage in deceptive data privacy practices.
Trial Attorneys in the Affirmative Litigation Section represent the United States by filing lawsuits against states, municipalities, and private entities that interfere with or obstruct federal policies, ensuring nationwide compliance with the U.S. Constitution and federal law. Lawsuits often involve claims that state and local laws are preempted by federal law or unlawfully regulate or discriminate against the federal government. Trial Attorneys engage in all phases of district court litigation, including conducting legal research and analysis, writing briefs and other documents, attending court conferences, and arguing motions. Aside from litigation, Trial Attorneys also prepare statements of interest or amicus briefs in cases in which the United States is not a party but nonetheless has a vested interest. The Sections work touches on a wide range of issues impacting American consumers, including artificial intelligence, affordability, energy independence, public benefits, consumer goods, immigration, and public safety.
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
Qualifications
Interested applicants must possess a J.D., or equivalent, degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing.
Preferred qualifications: Strongly preferred applicants will have excellent academic credentials and outstanding advocacy and legal writing skills. Experience conducting investigations, drafting and arguing motions, handling discovery, taking and defending depositions, and trying cases are highly desirable. Preferred applicants will be highly motivated and exhibit sound judgment and creativity. Judicial clerkship experience and familiarity with constitutional challenges and the enforcement of federal laws is strongly preferred.
Trial Period Statement
As a condition of employment for accepting this position in accordance with section 11.5 of Executive Order 14284, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov.
OR
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
The Division plans to onboard new attorneys by September 6, 2026, with recruitment incentives contingent upon the availability of funding. Because the onboarding process can be lengthy and funding is limited, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their completed application as soon as possible for consideration.
Applicants approved for a signing bonus must sign a service agreement prior to onboarding, committing to a two (2) year service period.
Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/.
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 include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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 Veterans Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdffor a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s).
DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Issued December 31, 2025
Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: www.benderconsult.com.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalffrom inquiring about an applicants criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
Expand Hide 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
Help
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our 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.
The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be on or about May 22, 2026. Additional referral lists will be issued every two weeks thereafter during the open period of this announcement. This announcement may close at any time once all selections have been made. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration. Applications will be evaluated by a reviewing panel.
Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.
Benefits
Help
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our 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.
Required documents
Required Documents
Help
You must submit the following documents:
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Help
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/10/2026 to receive consideration.
Click "Apply Online" to get started.
If youre not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you dont have an account, please create one.
You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
Youll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before youre able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. Youll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
Once you reach DOJs Application Manager system, youll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS OR upload documents directly from your computer or device.
If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
Once youve uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.
If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).
Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.
Agency contact information
Tina Minano
Phone 202-598-3820 Email tina.g.minano@usdoj.gov
Next steps
Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Required Documents
Help
You must submit the following documents:
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Help
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/10/2026 to receive consideration.
Click "Apply Online" to get started.
If youre not logged in to your USAJOBS account, you will need to login. If you dont have an account, please create one.
You will be prompted to select one of your stored (or uploaded) resumes, and any supporting documents you have uploaded to USAJOBS. If you have not uploaded these documents, you can do so later before submitting your application.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, you will be asked to submit your demographic information (if you have provided this in your profile). Submission is optional and anonymous.
Youll be asked to confirm your choices and certify the accuracy of your information before youre able to continue to the Application Manager system. Until you see the blue border and DOJ logo, you are still on USAJOBS. Youll see a folder animation just before you leave USAJOBS.
Once you reach DOJs Application Manager system, youll be asked to verify the information you transmitted from USAJOBS. You will then respond to the application assessment questionnaires and indicate your eligibility options.
After responding to the questionnaires, you will have the opportunity to attach the documents you brought over from USAJOBS OR upload documents directly from your computer or device.
If you opt to upload a document directly, click the "Upload" button and select the document on your device, then wait for the upload to finish. Repeat as needed. Documents must be less than 3 MB each and should be in a compatible file format.
Once all your documents are uploaded, you must assign the uploads to the appropriate document category. You may attach more than one document to each category. Click the drop-down menu for a document category, and select one of the available options in the menu. The document will be listed under this category. You can click the drop-down again to add other documents, as needed. You can have up to 15 document assignments.
Once youve uploaded and assigned all your documents to an appropriate document type, you can proceed to the final verification step, and click Submit.
If you have correctly submitted your application, you will receive an automated e-mail notification within 30-60 minutes. Be sure to review the announcement fully to make sure that your application contains everything that is required.
If you need help with the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help Site (for everything on the USAJOBS-side), or the Application Manager Help Site (for everything on the DOJ-side).
Regrettably, the Department of Justice cannot assist you with USAJOBS account issues. If you contact us for assistance and the problem is related to your USAJOBS account, we will have to direct you to USAJOBS to remedy the issue.
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact information
Tina Minano
Phone 202-598-3820 Email tina.g.minano@usdoj.gov
Next steps
Once the application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. All qualified applications will be sent to the hiring official for review. You will be contacted directly if an interview is desired.
Expand Hide next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Offices, Boards and Divisions
The Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch safeguards Americans health, safety, economic security, and data privacy through proactive enforcement and high-impact affirmative litigation. The Branchs mission is to bring affirmative litigation to enforce federal laws and regulations, enjoin actions that conflict with or violate federal law, obtain declaratory judgments regarding the laws of the United States, and seek monetary penalties where appropriate.
Agency contact information
Tina Minano
Phone 202-598-3820 Email tina.g.minano@usdoj.gov
Visit our careers page
Learn more about what its like to work at Offices, Boards and Divisions, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.
Summary
The Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch seeks Trial Attorneys to oversee high-impact affirmative litigation that ensures nationwide compliance with federal law. The Branch offers a frontline role in the Departments major civil enforcement initiatives. Well-qualified candidates may be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $25,000 depending on qualifications, education, and other factors. All recipients of a signing bonus are required to fulfill a service obligation.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/04/2026 to 07/10/2026
Salary $85,447 - $197,200 per year
Unless you have prior federal experience, you will likely be appointed at step 1 of the applicable pay scale.
Pay scale & grade GS 11 - 15
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status No Security clearance Secret Drug test Yes Financial disclosure Yes Bargaining unit status No
Announcement number AT-12952690-26-TGM Control number 867851200
Previous result
Next result
Your session is about to expire!
Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.
Sign out Stay signed in
Return to top
USAJOBS is a Opens in a new windowUnited States Office of Personnel Management website.
(Opens in a new window) OPM on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window) OPM YouTube channel (Opens in a new window) OPM on X
Opens in a new windowVote.gov