Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney

Summary

The United States Attorney's Office prosecutes federal criminal offenses, seeks recovery of government funds fraudulently obtained, litigates affirmative civil fraud and enforcement actions, and defends the U.S. Government's interest in civil cases. The United States Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania has staff in three offices: Harrisburg, Scranton, and Williamsport, and maintains an unstaffed office in Wilkes-Barre.

Duties

The Civil Chief is a Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney who leads the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Civil Chief reports to the United States Attorney and the First Assistant United States Attorney and is responsible for the overall management, supervision, and strategic direction of the Division's affirmative and defensive civil litigation on behalf of the United States. The Civil Division represents the United States, its agencies, officers, and employees in a broad range of civil matters in federal district court, bankruptcy court, and on appeal. Work includes both defensive litigation and affirmative civil enforcement. Primary Duties and Responsibilities Supervise and manage all Civil Division attorneys (AUSAs and Special AUSAs) and support staff. Assign cases and matters, set priorities, monitor case progress and quality, and ensure timely and effective resolution of litigation. Personally handle a caseload of complex or significant civil matters, including trials, motions practice, and appeals. Provide leadership, mentoring, performance evaluation, and professional development for attorneys and staff. Oversee both major practice areas: Defensive litigation: Federal Tort Claims Act (including medical malpractice), employment discrimination (Title VII and related), Bivens actions, Administrative Procedure Act challenges, immigration-related litigation, FOIA/Privacy Act cases, constitutional challenges, prisoner litigation, and other suits against the United States or federal employees. Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE): False Claims Act (including qui tam/whistleblower actions), healthcare fraud, procurement/grant fraud, civil rights enforcement, Controlled Substances Act civil violations, and other affirmative recovery actions. Supervise related functions such as bankruptcy proceedings, financial litigation/debt collection, social security, and (in many districts) asset forfeiture or civil monetary penalties. Coordinate closely with client federal agencies, Department of Justice Civil Division components (Main Justice), Inspectors General, and other U.S. Attorney's Offices. Develop and implement office priorities and policies for civil litigation consistent with Department of Justice guidance. Review settlement recommendations within delegated authority. Represent the Division in internal leadership meetings and external interactions with the court, bar, and agency partners. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. 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.

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 three (3) years post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have superior academic records, strong analytical abilities and judgment, excellent oral advocacy and writing skills. Successful candidates must demonstrate an ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, client agencies, opposing counsel, and court staff. Because most of the civil practice in the U.S. Attorney's Office involves pretrial litigation, applicants must possess superior research and writing abilities and must be able to prepare high-quality and persuasive pleadings. Applicants should have strong interpersonal skills and demonstrate the capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree