Appellate Chief

The U.S. Attorney's Office represents the Federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of California. This includes all criminal prosecutions for violations of Federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. This position is located in Sacramento, California

Major duties
The United States Attorney's Office is seeking an exceptional applicant to serve as Appellate Chief. The Appellate Chief supervises all – and personally handles some – of the Office's criminal and civil matters before the Ninth Circuit. In the criminal realm, these cases involve some of the most challenging issues in criminal law and procedure, including constitutional challenges to criminal convictions, statutory questions of first impression, application of the Sentencing Guidelines, and post-conviction matters. In the civil realm, these cases recently include litigation of rapidly evolving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues in immigration law. The Appellate Chief works directly with the U.S. Attorney to develop litigation strategy, consider possible arguments, and hone Office writing and oral advocacy. Although line Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) have initial responsibility for drafting briefs and often argue their own appeals, the Appellate Chief and his or her lean unit edit all briefs and organize and attend moot courts for all oral arguments. In addition, they counsel prosecutors and civil litigators on difficult legal issues, providing crucial input on trial-level procedure and strategy. The Appellate Chief has charge of preparing appeal recommendations from adverse decisions in the district court to be submitted to the Appellate Sections of various Divisions of Main Justice. This is a Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney position that is not-to-exceed 4 years. However, all Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney appointments are temporary, at-will positions. This position may be extended, or made permanent as an Assistant United States Attorney, without further advertising. 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 (or equivalent), be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 2 years of post-J.D. experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Ideal qualifications include federal judicial clerkship experience, at least 3 to 5 years of experiencing litigating criminal cases in federal court (preferably as an AUSA), with experience handling both trials and appeals. Applicant must have appellate or other significant legal writing experience and oral advocacy experience, preferably before a federal court of appeals. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Past or present Department of Justice experience preferred. The ideal applicant will be energetic, highly organized, and able to take direction well, as well as have demonstrated the ability to work with minimal guidance in a demanding environment. The applicant must be capable of efficiently drafting high-quality pleadings and briefs under time constraints. The applicant must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and an aptitude for accurately articulating the critical issues in a case. Superior oral argument and writing skills are required, as are strong research and interpersonal skills and good judgment. The ideal applicant should have excellent communication and time-management skills and be able to respond quickly to shifting priorities. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

How to apply
This is an open continuous announcement that will remain open until filled or September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be August 14, 20206. Qualified applicants will be referred to selecting official at 1-week intervals from then. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2026 to receive consideration. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.) 3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact Eastern District of California at (916) 554-2706 or email at Lauren.Horwood@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying. The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is Eastern District of California who can be reached at (916) 554-2706 or Lauren.Horwood@usdoj.gov