POSITION TITLE: Appellate Attorney

LOCATION:

Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Office of the Solicitor General
400 Sixth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001

REMOTE WORK STATUS: A hybrid remote telework/in-office schedule option is available.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT: The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) is committed to providing the highest quality legal and programmatic services to the District and its residents while ensuring the health and safety of employees, customers, clients, volunteers, contractors, and other visitors.

The District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General values the safety of our employees, our residents, and our visitors. In support of these values, OAG employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates sincerely held religious beliefs. The selected candidate must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative.

JOB REQUISITION NUMBER: 2022-174

NUMBER OF VACANCIES: One (1)

OPENING DATE: November 10, 2022

CLOSING DATE: December 16, 2022

SALARY RANGE: $109,019 - $141,734

This salary is within the Legal Service salary schedule from Grade 13 Step 1 to a Grade 13 Step 10. The salary will be based on a multitude of factors including applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines.

PAY PLAN, SERIES, AND GRADE: LA-905-13

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Legal Service – Regular Appointment

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT: This position is in the collective bargaining unit represented by AFGE Local 1403. If you opt to join the union, and consent, a service fee will be paid through direct payroll deduction.

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to the Public

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES: The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia is seeking an appellate attorney for a position within the Office of the Solicitor General.

The Office of the Solicitor General is responsible for the District’s civil and criminal appellate litigation and handles high-profile matters of both local and national importance. The Office practices most frequently before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Our attorneys handle appeals involving a variety of substantive areas including constitutional law, employment law, contracts, torts, tax, criminal law, and administrative law. The attorney will handle a high volume of briefs and appellate arguments, principally in the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Circuit.

The Attorney is responsible for the following:

• Handle a high volume of briefs and appellate arguments, principally in the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Circuit;
• Advise trial divisions and client agencies on whether to consider appellate mediation or settlement;
• Assist colleagues in preparing for arguments through moot courts;
• Draft recommendations on whether to take an affirmative appeal from an adverse trial decision, seek rehearing en banc, or file a petition for certiorari;
• Provide strategic advice to trial divisions, the Solicitor General, and the Attorney General on matters of significant importance;
• Keep abreast of developments in District and federal law; and
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS: The candidate must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience, equivalent to the LA-12 grade level, or its non-District equivalent gained from either the public or private sector.

The candidate should have the following qualifications:

• J.D. degree and an active bar membership. If the successful candidate is not a member of the D.C. Bar, he/she must be sworn into the D.C. Bar within 360 days of his/her initial appointment;
• Significant appellate litigation experience (5+ years preferred);
• Substantial knowledge of D.C. law or broad experience in areas of law relevant to D.C. government practice;
• Exceptional legal research and writing skills;
• Strong oral advocacy skills; and
• Appellate clerkship experience strongly encouraged.

ELIGIBILITY: The successful candidate must have a law degree and be an active member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction. If not a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the candidate must be sworn into the District of Columbia Bar within 360 days of his/her initial appointment with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A substitution of education for required experience will be allowed as defined in OPM’s Qualification Standards. However, to receive credit, applicants must submit official proof of educational attainment at the time of application.

TIME-IN-GRADE RESTRICTIONS: Time-in-grade restrictions must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates must apply online by 11:59 pm of the closing date. All applications must include the completed questionnaire, along with a cover letter, resume, writing sample and a list of three professional references including supervisors. Please ensure that all required documents are included prior to submitting the application.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS

GENERAL SUITABILITY SCREENING: The selected candidate will be subject to a background investigation including reference checks.

PRIORITY CONSIDERATION: Displaced Employee Priority Placement: Candidates who are eligible for the District of Columbia’s Displaced Employee Program (DEP) and Agency Reemployment Priority Placement Program (ARPP) will be given priority consideration for this position if found qualified.

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: Selectee will be eligible for health and life insurance, annual (vacation), and sick leave and will be covered under the District of Columbia government’s retirement plan. However, if the selectee was previously employed in the District of Columbia’s government under an appointment for which he/she was eligible for Civil Service Retirement (CSR), contributions to CSR will resume upon re-employment.

RESIDENCY PREFERENCE: A person applying for a position in the Career Service, Education Service, Management Supervisory Service, an attorney position in the Legal Service (series 905) other than in the Senior Executive Attorney Service (SEAS), or an attorney in the Excepted Service (series 905) who is a bona fide District resident AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION for the position, may be awarded a 10-point residency preference over non-District residents’ applications, unless the person declines the preference points. If selected, the person shall be required to present proofs of bona fide District residency and maintain such residency for 7 consecutive years from the effective date of the appointment. Failure to maintain bona fide District residency for the 7-year period will result in forfeiture of employment.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE: Applicants claiming veterans’ preference must submit official proof at the time of application.

DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Pursuant to the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998, the individual selected to fill this position will, as a condition of employment, be required to notify his/her immediate supervisor, in writing, not later than five (5) days after the conviction of or a plea of guilty to a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, physical disability, matriculation, genetic information, credit information, or status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code, Section 2-1401.01 et. seq., (Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.

OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE TO BE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL