Job Details for Staff Attorney III
| Court Name/Organization | Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals |
| Overview of the Position | The Eighth Circuit Office of Staff Attorneys is based in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, the seat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Staff attorneys support the Court as a whole rather than individual judges, assisting the Court in its review of decisions appealed from the district courts in the seven states that make up the Eighth Circuit, and from federal government agencies. The staff attorneys’ principal task is the preparation of written legal memoranda to advise the Court in its review of matters that will be decided on written submissions only (without oral argument), including all pro se appeals and certain counseled cases. The types of matters on which staff attorneys work include: direct criminal appeals of convictions and sentences imposed under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines; collateral attacks on criminal convictions, by state and federal prisoners; civil rights actions under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; and cases involving a variety of other areas of law, such as employment discrimination, tax, bankruptcy, immigration, and Social Security benefits. At present, the office is comprised of twenty-seven employees, including line staff attorneys (some of whom are in career positions and some of whom are in two-year term positions), supervisors, administrative support staff, and the Senior Staff Attorney. Staff attorneys play an important role in supporting the U.S. Judiciary’s mission of ensuring equal justice under the law. The Eighth Circuit Office of Staff Attorneys does so by maintaining high standards for the research and written work performed for the Court. While the nature of the work is important and the workload is substantial, the office provides a collegial, collaborative environment, with opportunities for flexible work schedules and teleworking. |
| Location | St. Louis, MO |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 05/22/2026 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 29 to CL30 |
| Salary | Starting: $87,301 |
| Announcement Number | SAO2026-02 |
Position Description
This Staff Attorney III position is a career position. Career staff attorneys provide depth and experience to the office, and are expected to be able to work on complex cases in all areas of the law. The primary focus of the Staff Attorney III position is to provide procedural and substantive legal analysis and advice regarding the disposition of appeals pending before the court. Duties include reviewing district court and agency records and appellate filings, and extracting relevant information; discerning legal issues presented and conducting in-depth legal research; and, in each case, preparing for a three-judge panel a written memorandum that accurately and concisely presents the facts and a legal analysis, and recommends a disposition of the appeal. When appropriate, staff attorneys also prepare proposed opinions and orders for consideration by three-judge panels. In addition, the Staff Attorney III may be involved in training, mentoring, and reviewing the work of less-experienced staff attorneys. Career staff attorneys report to Supervisory Staff Attorneys, who oversee and edit staff attorney work.
Qualifications
Minimum Position Qualifications: Candidates must have a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school that has been accredited by a recognized accrediting authority, and must be admitted to practice before the highest court of a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or Possession of the United States. Candidates also must have a minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience, gained after graduation from law school.
Preferred Skills: We are looking for an individual with excellent academic credentials; superior analytical, research, and writing skills; an ability to work both independently and collaboratively; a willingness to learn and grow as an attorney, including being open to and accepting supervisory direction and editing of written work; an ability to self-manage an assigned workload and to work under pressure to meet deadlines; and a strong commitment to justice and public service. Also desirable are a demonstrated interest in the areas of law that our work routinely involves, and evidence of an ability to become a mentor to term staff attorneys.
Employee Benefits
Available employee benefits include paid vacation days based on federal years of service, paid holidays, sick leave, health and life insurance plans, long-term care insurance, Flexible Benefits Program, Federal Employees Retirement System, and Thrift Savings Plan.
Miscellaneous
Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Interviews of selected candidates will be conducted in St. Louis, Missouri, and applicants must bear their own travel expenses. Video conference interviews will be considered for candidates for whom an in-person interview would be unduly burdensome. The selected candidate will be subject to a background check and subsequent favorable suitability determination as a condition of employment. All employees of the Judiciary are “at will” employees in the excepted service. The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct which is available to applicants for review upon request. Employees are required to use the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
Application Info
- Apply through OSCAR at https://oscar.uscourts.gov, or
- Send a cover letter, resume (indicating law school class rank), law school transcript, self-edited writing sample, and a list of at least three professional references to SAO8employment@ca8.uscourts.gov. The subject line should state "Application for Staff Attorney III Position # SAO2026-02".
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.