Assistant United States Attorney (Appellate)

Hiring Organization
USAO District of Maryland
Hiring Office
Appellate Division
Attorney Appointment Type
Attorney Permanent
Job ID
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/850551000

Location:
36 South Charles Street
4th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201 - United States

Application Deadline:
Thursday, December 11, 2025
About the Office

The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland serves as the chief federal law enforcement office in Maryland and is charged with pursuing justice, ensuring public safety, and protecting the interests of the United States. The USAO is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as an Appellate Assistant United States Attorney to help discharge this mission by litigating appeals in the Fourth Circuit. This position may be located in the USAO's Baltimore or Greenbelt office.

If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. You will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and the property of citizens.

Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Job Description

An appointment with the U.S. Attorney's Office offers unique and challenging experiences for the highly motivated attorney. The Office is seeking a candidate interested in working as an Appellate AUSA.

This position can be filled in our Greenbelt, MD or Baltimore, MD office. Please be sure to state your preferred location in your cover letter.

Responsibilities will include working on direct and post-conviction appeals involving the full range of criminal cases that the District prosecutes. Appellate AUSAs draft briefs and present oral arguments on constitutional, statutory, evidentiary, and procedural issues in appeals arising out of the Criminal Division. Appellate AUSAs also review briefs drafted by their colleagues and participate in moot courts to prepare AUSAs for oral arguments. In addition, Appellate AUSAs assist with complex district court litigation and provide advice to other prosecutors on significant legal issues.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

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 3 years post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience and possess superior oral and written communication skills as well as strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.

Preferred Qualifications:
Significant legal writing and oral advocacy, legal practice in federal court (or a federal court clerkship), or practice in criminal matters. Demonstrated ability and willingness to be self-reliant and motivated in reviewing and distilling voluminous records involving complex fact patterns, understanding and articulating complex legal doctrines; preparing high-quality briefs on strict time deadlines; making persuasive oral arguments; and assisting other attorneys in all divisions.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Application Process

Click the link below to apply.

USAJOBS - Job 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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Salary

Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $90,895.70 to $195,100.00 which includes the 33.94% locality pay.