Supervisory Trial Attorney (Assistant Director)

Hiring OrganizationHiring OfficeJob IDAT-12413179-24-SVLocation: 1100 L Street, NWLocation: 1100 L Street, NWWashington, DC 20530 - United StatesApplication Deadline:Friday, May 31, 2024About the OfficeThe Torts Branch is seeking a Supervisory Trial Attorney (Assistant Director) for its Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Section. The FTCA Section handles a wide variety of complex, and often controversial, suits filed against the United States under the FTCA. These suits arise from, among other conduct, the provision of medical care at federal facilities or community health centers, federal regulatory activities, law enforcement and immigration enforcement, and management of federal lands.Examples of law enforcement matters handled by the FTCA Section include cases arising from mass shootings, suits involving alleged FBI misconduct, suits brought by individuals detained in immigration custody, and responses to protests and riots. The Section also defends the United States in complex litigation stemming from catastrophic natural disasters. Further, the FTCA Section handles complex medical malpractice suits with medical causation issues in which high damages awards are sought. The Section provides guidance to U.S. Attorney s Offices (USAOs) and federal agencies on a variety of legal issues and advises in the development of strategy.As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.Job DescriptionThe FTCA Section provides appeal recommendations on adverse FTCA judgments, including cases handled by USAOs. The Section also reviews draft legislation that may have an impact on the public fisc. It is responsible for the adjustment and settlement of administrative claims arising out of the conduct of employees of the Department of Justice (DOJ), and for approving administrative settlements of claims arising out of the activities of all other federal agencies that are in excess of the settlement authority delegated to those agencies. Finally, the FTCA Section provides recommendations to the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Civil Division concerning requests for authority to consummate all settlements of tort claims that require the approval of the Assistant Attorney General or Associate General. The Assistant Director oversees attorneys assigned to these tasks.

This is a supervisory position. The Assistant Director is responsible for handling difficult and complex lawsuits and for supervising FTCA Section attorneys. Counsel reviews written work products, approves of discovery plans, and oversees the development of litigation and trial strategy. The Assistant Director also works in conjunction with USAOs and federal agency counsel, analyzes factual and legal issues, and assists in negotiating settlements of assigned cases being handled by the FTCA Section. Because the Section has expertise in the evaluation and settlement of catastrophic injury cases, the Assistant Director may participate in settlement negotiations of claims handled by other federal agencies or in cases handled by USAOs. The Assistant Director provides advice and instructions to Assistant U.S. Attorneys on questions of law and Departmental policy.QualificationsApplicants must possess a J.D. 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 a bar in good standing. Applicants should also have at least four years of post-JD litigation experience in federal courts and experience handling complex litigation.

Ideal candidates will have:At least four years of post-JD litigation experience in federal courts and experience handling complex litigationDemonstrated experience leading litigation teams or otherwise supervising litigationSubstantial trial experienceDemonstrated ability to handle all phases of discoveryExcellent analytical ability and the capacity to articulate issues in a wide variety of cases.A demonstrated record of being able to balance a diverse and constantly changing workload and the ability to set priorities appropriatelyA strong background in the defense of federal tortsApplicants should have excellent writing, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and have an interest in litigation.Application ProcessTo apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, including the required documents. The Application Package must be received by 11:59 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, on the listed closing date of this announcement.

A complete application package must include:Cover Letter (highlighting relevant experience) - Address the cover letter to James G. Touhey, Jr., Director.Resume

- Listing the month and year(s) of relevant experience, applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.Writing Sample

(not more than 15 pages in length).If you are claiming veteran's preference, you must also submit your

DD-214 (Member-4 copy),

and/or other documentation that you may have.Applicants are highly encouraged to submit their applications via email to ...@usdoj.gov .On the subject line, please put " FTCA Section Assistant Director Application ."While email is the preferred method of submission, applications may also be submitted via USPS to:U.S. Department of Justice,Civil Division, Torts Branch (FTCA Section)P. O. Box 888 Benjamin Franklin StationWashington, D.C. 20044Attn: James G. Touhey, Jr., Director

Applications submitted by email must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight time on the closing date listed in this announcement. Applications submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than the closing date listed on this announcement.

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.The salary for the position is at the GS-15 level ($163,964 to $191,900 per year).Number of Positions1TravelOccasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this positionRelocation ExpensesNo* * *Equal Employment Opportunity : The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department 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 of Justice.For more information, please review our fullEEO Statement .Reasonable Accommodations : This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities : The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list ofDPOCs .Suitability and Citizenship : It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation.Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, ). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.Veterans :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 Veteran 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.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).USAO Residency Requirement : Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.* * *This and othervacancy announcements can be found underAttorney Vacancies andVolunteer Legal Internships . The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

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