Special Assistant United States Attorney

(Serves Without Compensation)
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

Position Description: The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey is seeking applications from attorneys who are willing to accept an unpaid temporary position that offers a valuable opportunity to gain exposure to the office while also obtaining litigation experience. Successful applicants will serve as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) with responsibilities that may include researching legal issues, drafting briefs, conducting hearings and trials, and attending judicial proceedings. This position may continue for up to one year. SAUSAs will not be hired by this office as Assistant U.S. Attorneys at the conclusion of their SAUSA term. However, they may apply for AUSA positions in the office after completing their service as a SAUSA. Only applicants with outstanding academic records and superior legal research and writing skills will be considered. Prior litigation experience is preferred, but the positions are open to lawyers who are finishing judicial clerkships and to highly qualified lawyers who have recently graduated from law school.

Position/Location: Criminal Division, General Crimes Unit, Newark, N.J.
Criminal Division, Camden, N.J.

Qualifications: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, possess a J.D. degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).

Salary: The position is without compensation. Note that employees of the Department of Justice, including uncompensated SAUSAs may not engage in the compensated practice of law outside of the office. Attorneys are not eligible to serve as SAUSAs if they have been deferred by a law firm and received a payment for the period of their deferral, or if they will receive any payment from a law firm during their unpaid employment with the Department of Justice. Attorneys are eligible if they have received severance or other one-time payment before becoming a SAUSA, or if they have an unpaid, future commitment to join a law firm.

Assignments: The SAUSA will be assigned to work with Assistant U.S. Attorneys on a variety of criminal matters. The SAUSA may research legal issues, draft pleadings and briefs, conduct hearing and trials, and attend court proceedings.

Application Materials and Deadline Date: Please submit a cover letter, with “UNPAID SAUSA POSITION” in the re: line, and resume to the following address:

Vikas Khanna
First Assistant U.S. Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
District of New Jersey
970 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102

Cover letters must specify the jurisdiction in which the attorney is an active bar member. Any applicant invited for an interview will be required to submit a writing sample. Recent law school graduates should include a copy of their law school transcript with their application.
Positions are open until filled. No telephone calls please. We will contact you if we believe an interview is appropriate or if further information is required.

Department Policies:

An Assistant United States Attorney generally must reside in the district for which he or she is appointed, or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. § 545.

All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition.