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Job Details for Federal Term Staff Attorney

Court Name/Organization: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Overview of the Position: The Office of Staff Counsel is soliciting applications for staff attorney positions from third-year law students, law clerks, and attorneys. Successful candidates will be appointed to one-year term positions, with a presumptive extension to a second year, contingent on performance and budget availability. Applicants interested in part-time work may be considered. The office reviews an average of 4,000 appeals each year. Approximately half of the cases assigned to staff attorneys are prisoner civil rights and postconviction relief appeals, approximately one-fourth are direct appeals from criminal convictions in federal district courts, and the balance are counseled and pro se appeals from federal civil judgments and final decisions by various federal agencies. We are looking for strong candidates who share our vision of excellence and passion for the administration of justice. Successful candidates will be expected to commence their service in September 2024.
Location: Richmond, VA
Opening and Closing Dates: 03/12/2024 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type: Permanent
Announcement Number: 24-01
Position Description

Overview of Duties:

Qualification

Required Qualifications:

Applicants should possess a genuine interest in subject areas including criminal law and procedure, constitutional law, evidence, employment law, civil rights litigation, federal jurisdiction, black lung benefits, immigration, Social Security, and prisoner postconviction relief law.

Benefits

The Court offers a robust and competitive benefits package and is a qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Salary Ranges:

Applicants hired directly out of law school or with minimal relevant experience will be appointed at CL 27/Step 25.

Miscellaneous

Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be citizens of the United States or meet requirements under current law. Federal judiciary employees serve under “Excepted Appointments,” and are thus “at-will,” and as such, can be terminated with or without cause. Employees are subject to the Judicial Code of Ethics and Conduct, which is available to applicants for review upon request. All applicant information is subject to verification.

Employees are required to use Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposits. Reimbursement for interview-related travel expenses or any relocation costs incurred by successful applicants is not provided. Although some telework is permitted, the office does not permit fully remote work.

Each applicant who accepts an offer of employment is required to provide a certified copy of his or her final law school transcript that confirms the satisfactory completion of law school studies and the award of a degree. Failure to timely comply with this requirement, or the receipt of a certified transcript that materially differs from the transcript provided during the application process, may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment.

The appointment to the position is provisional pending a suitability determination by the Court based on the results of an FBI background check that includes fingerprinting.

Office Environment
In addition to the senior staff attorney, the Office of Staff Counsel currently employs one deputy senior staff attorney, four supervisory staff attorneys, twenty-eight attorneys, and seven administrative support personnel. The office is located in the historic Lewis F. Powell, Jr., United States Courthouse and Annex in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

The standard computer set-up for staff attorneys’ offices permits efficient handling of work assignments. All attorney offices are equipped with a desktop CPU or a docking station, dual monitors, and a printer. In addition, laptop computers are provided to permit secure remote access to all office files and databases.

To facilitate the professional development of new staff attorneys, attorneys are mentored by a peer coach and a supervisor, and work on a team including both term and career staff attorneys. Staff attorneys are encouraged to attend oral arguments and training sessions.

Our culture focuses on a healthy work/life balance; personal wellness; diversity, equity, and inclusion; camaraderie and community; and a shared commitment to excellence in the administration of justice. We strive to make all staff members feel welcome and valued.

Other Pertinent Information
Approximately one-half of the legal staff joined the Office of Staff Counsel directly upon graduation from law school; the remainder have come from other state and federal judicial clerkships, private practice, or public sector employment. Upon the conclusion of their appointments, staff attorneys have obtained other judicial clerkships, sought advanced legal degrees, and assumed positions with law firms, prosecutors’ and public defenders’ offices, academia, the Department of Justice, and other state and federal agencies.

The Office of Staff Counsel provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact Melissa L. Wood, Senior Staff Attorney, at the email address noted above. Requests for an accommodation will be individually considered, and decisions will be promptly made.

The duty station for the staff attorney positions is Richmond, Virginia. Richmond boasts a vibrant and diverse arts and performance scene, world-class theater, music, and museums, eclectic and creative dining destinations, and award-winning outdoor opportunities centering on the James River. Richmond is only a short drive from the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia Beach, the Chesapeake Bay, and Washington, D.C.

The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, if a closing date is shown; any of these actions may occur without any prior notice.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusiveness.

How To Apply

Open until filled – preference given to applications received by April 5, 2024.

Applications must be submitted online through the OSCAR (Online System for Clerkship Application and Review) website. Applications received through other means will not be considered. Application packages must contain the following:

  1. Cover letter
  2. Current resume
  3. Writing sample edited only by the applicant
  4. Copy of law school transcript
  5. Statement of applicant’s current or final law school class ranking or a statement explaining why such information is unavailable
  6. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references with first-hand bases for evaluating the applicant’s aptitude for the work performed by staff attorneys. (Letters of reference are not desired.)

Qualified applicants will be invited for interviews in person or via ZOOM or other similar platforms, depending on availability and circumstances. Inquiries regarding this recruitment may be addressed to:

Melissa L. Wood
Senior Staff Attorney
Office of Staff Counsel
1100 E. Main Street, Suite 325
Richmond, VA 23219
Melissa_Wood@ca4.uscourts.gov

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.