Legal Fellows Program
Opportunities for Appointment as
Special Assistant United States Attorney (uncompensated positions)
United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Michigan
Vacancy #FY 2012-EDMI-02-SAUSA
Legal Fellows Program Overview: Participation in the Legal Fellows Program offers a unique opportunity for attorneys looking to develop practical legal skills by working on some of the most significant, complex and visible cases being litigated today. Serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) and assigned to the Criminal Division, Civil Division, Appellate Division, or Branch Office location, you will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and property of citizens. Criminal Division assignments include, but are not limited to, the investigation and prosecution of violent offenses, including drug trafficking, public corruption, white collar, and organized crime. Civil Division cases encompass affirmative litigation where the United States is seeking some type of monetary recovery or injunctive relief (e.g., civil rights, judgement enforcement, bankruptcy, asset forfeiture) and defensive cases involving a variety of lawsuits brought against the Federal government.
Salary Information: Individuals appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys under the Legal Fellows Program serve without compensation.
Location: It is anticipated that most opportunities under this program will be at the Detroit duty station, with occasional vacancies in the Flint and Bay City branch offices.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least one year of post-J.D. legal experience.
Term of Appointment: Appointments are generally made for a period not to exceed one year, subject to renewal. Individuals selected to the program will be asked to make a minimum one year commitment to serve in the office. Work schedules are generally established on a full-time basis.
Additional Conditions of Appointment: Employees of the Department of Justice, including uncompensated Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, may not engage in the compensated practices of law outside of the office. Individuals are not eligible to serve as a SAUSA if they have had an employment offer deferred by a law firm and received a payment for the period of their deferral with the expectation of future employment with the law firm.
Appointment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.
About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office (USAO) has jurisdiction and responsibility in a broad range of areas, all of which involve representing the legal interests of the Federal government in a court of law. The Eastern District of Michigan consists of 34 counties in the eastern half of Michigan's lower peninsula, and employs approximately 115 Assistant U.S. Attorneys.
Travel: Occasional travel may be required.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
Application Process and Deadline Date: Applications are being accepted under this announcement on an open continuous basis.
Interested persons should send a detailed resume with a cover letter (referencing the Legal Fellows Program), writing sample, and completed questionnaire (which can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mie/downloads/LEGAL_FELLOWS_%20questionnaire.pdf) to:
Stephanie Dawkins Davis
Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney
Eastern District of Michigan
211 W. Fort Street, Suite 2001
Detroit, MI 48226
Applicants will be evaluated by the Legal Fellows Program Selection Committee on the basis of such factors as academic performance, legal experience, research and writing ability, oral communication skills, and other legal and community service and experience.
For additional information regarding application procedures for the Legal Fellows Program, please direct e-mail inquiries to: Patti.Turczynski@usdoj.gov .
Internet Sites: The home page for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan, may be accessed at:
http://www.justice.gov/usao/mie/index.html
Announcements for other DOJ attorney vacancies may be viewed at:
http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html
Department Policies: 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 color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. 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. 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.
Although uncompensated SAUSAs are not covered by appointment procedures of 5 C.F.R. Part 302, the Department follows the principle of veterans' preference in its selection procedures for these positions as far as administratively feasible. Preference eligible applicants responding to vacancy announcements for Legal Fellow positions should claim preference in their cover letter or resume. Submission of a DD Form 214 and appropriate supporting documents is required to confirm veterans' preference eligibility.
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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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Issued 11/14/2011