Civil Rights Attorneys In Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Summary
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, the Department of Justice leads the nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens.
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Duties
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This is an open-continuous announcement for an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of our Fairview Heights, Illinois office. First-round consideration will be given to applications submitted by June 30, 2026, 11:59 pm EDT. Thereafter, review of applications received from this announcement will be conducted periodically to fill additional positions as they become available within the district.
The United States Attorney's Office (USAO), Southern District of Illinois is a fast-paced, collegial, and energetic office which seeks to maintain the highest standards of excellence in the enforcement of federal laws and the representation of the United States. Our headquarters is located in Fairview Heights, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Our branch offices are located in Benton, Illinois and East St. Louis, Illinois, in or near the federal courthouse. The office presently employs 29 attorneys and 25 support staff.
The Southern District of Illinois is comprised of the lower 38 counties of the state of Illinois and has a population of approximately 1.2 million. Our most populous counties, Madison and St. Clair, are adjacent to the Mississippi River and are within the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The home page for the USAO-SDIL may be accessed at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil.
Job Description:
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois is currently accepting applications from experienced, highly qualified attorneys who have a strong civil litigation background for the position of Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Civil Division of the Fairview Heights office.
Our Civil Division defends the United States in a variety of subject areas, including medical malpractice, constitutional torts, employment, and general torts. Additionally, the Division investigates and prosecutes affirmative civil cases on behalf of the United States, including matters involving health care fraud, procurement fraud, and civil rights.
AUSAs may be rotated through the various units, to include our Criminal Division, depending upon the district's staffing needs.
As needed additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
• All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Upon completion of the probationary period, written certification is a requirement for continued employment.

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 1 year post-J.D. or other relevant experience
• United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Admission to the Illinois bar is not required but is preferred.
• Three years of post-J.D. litigation experience is preferred.

Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability, good judgment, and superior communication and courtroom skills. Applicants must be team players who exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies. Applicants must have demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment.
Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills, to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, and electronic mail and word processing systems.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
The AD-905-21 is the minimum grade level for which applicants may be selected; applicants may be selected up to the AD-0905-29 level, based upon years of experience and qualifications.
Type of position: Permanent.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Additional information
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 $78,695.00 to $184,647.00 which includes 20.03% locality pay.
Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer 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.
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.
EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.