Assistant United States Attorney

About the role

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas is among the largest and busiest in the nation, spanning 43 counties and 44,000 square miles and representing 8.3 million people from the Houston area to the Mexico border. Employment with the U.S. Attorney's Office is a unique, challenging, and rewarding experience for the highly motivated attorney.

Responsibilities

• Help First round consideration will be given to applications submitted by August 14, 2026, at 11:59pm EST.
• Applicant list will be reviewed every 30 days.
• If you are looking for a rewarding and challenging career in public service, consider applying to be an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Southern District of Texas.
• As an AUSA, you will join the more than 100,000 dedicated public servants of the Department of Justice and will further the Department's mission of enforcing federal law, defending the interests of the United States, seeking just punishment for the guilty, and ensuring the impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
• The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas is at the forefront of national efforts to secure the border, stem narcotics trafficking, and deter and punish violent crime, and, as such, practicing in this district offers a fast-paced, challenging, and varied caseload, with frequent courtroom appearances.

Requirements

• Conditions of employment: 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.
• Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by their entry on duty date. Law school graduates and current law students taking a July 2026 bar examination may be considered, subject to the foregoing requirements.
• United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong academic credentials, superior legal research and writing skills, quick analytical ability to accurately and precisely articulate critical case-related issues, high-volume courtroom experience, outstanding organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a supportive and professional team environment with other AUSAs, support staff, and investigative agencies, and a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service.
• Courtroom experience, including first-chair jury trials, is preferred.
• Successful candidates will be computer proficient, capable of doing their own legal research and writing, and self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings.

Benefits

• The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Schedule

1 to 5 nights per month on average.

Other

• Travel: 1 to 5 nights per month on average.
• Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
• EEO Statement/Policy: 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.

Contact

Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.