Assistant United States Attorney - Civil

About the role

The Civil Division of the Office of the United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois seeks an attorney to assist primarily with civil defensive litigation. This position is open until filled, but first round consideration will be given to applications submitted by April 6, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Help AUSAs in the Civil Division work on a diverse range of defensive matters, including personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and other tort actions; employment discrimination actions; immigration matters; prisoner litigation; and actions challenging governmental policies, activities, and decisions.
• Civil AUSAs also handle affirmative investigations and cases involving fraud, immigration, forfeiture, and other areas.
• Day to day responsibilities include working with client agencies and investigators to gather information, conducting legal research, engaging in motion practice, preparing and answering discovery requests, defending and taking depositions, retaining and working with experts, negotiating settlements, trying cases, and briefing and arguing appeals.
• The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for representing the United States of America, Federal agencies, and Federal employees in a wide variety of civil defensive litigation.
• The caseload may include defending immigration cases; employment discrimination cases; medical malpractice, premises liability, and other tort litigation; statutory and constitutional challenges to government programs; Administrative Procedure Act cases; FOIA and Privacy Act cases; and Bivens civil rights suits.
• Although this position is primarily focused on civil defensive litigation, the successful candidate may also be assigned affirmative civil cases, including False Claims Act actions involving healthcare fraud and fraud on pandemic-era programs.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Requirements

• Conditions of employment: Must be a United States Citizen or National. Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) and have a minimum of one year of post-J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. Superior oral and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, good judgment, and the ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment are required.

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.

Pay and Schedule

Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of pay for Springfield, Peoria, and Urbana is $80,000 to $150,000, which includes 17.06% locality, plus benefits. The range of pay for Moline is $80,000 to $150,000 which includes 18.93% locality, plus benefits.

Skills

Strong advocacy skills, academic credentials, superior legal research and writing skills, quick analytical ability to accurately and precisely articulate critical case related issues, good interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a supportive and professional team environment with client agencies, support staff, and other attorneys, and sound legal and ethical judgment are preferred qualifications.

Qualifications

• 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.

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.

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.