Legal Careers
Supervisory Trial Attorney (Deputy Chief, International Unit)
The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) leads the Department's anti-money laundering enforcement and asset forfeiture efforts. This posting is for the Deputy Chief of the International Unit.
MLARS' mission is to take the profit out of crime and protect the U.S. financial system. MLARS investigates and prosecutes complex international money laundering and asset forfeiture cases, and has responsibility for managing the Department's Asset Forfeiture Program. Prosecutors in MLARS International Unit handle investigations, prosecutions, and civil and criminal forfeiture involving: violations of the money laundering laws involving foreign corruption, sanctions regimes, and related laws; high-level foreign corruption and international money laundering schemes aimed at laundering the proceeds of foreign corruption through the U.S. financial system and the forfeiture of assets related to those schemes; schemes involving professional money launderers and gatekeepers to the financial system; and other complex criminal schemes.
The International Unit (IU) investigates and prosecutes complex, multi-district and international criminal cases involving the proceeds of and promotion of foreign corruption in violation of federal law, including the money laundering statutes, and U.S. sanctions regimes, such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Global Magnitsky Act (GLOMAG). The International Unit also enforces foreign court orders for restraint and forfeiture of assets, oversees the international sharing program and approvals for use of certain asset seizure provisions.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
The Deputy Chief of the International Unit:
- Supervises and manages the work of the Unit's prosecutors on cases involving money laundering, U.S. economic sanctions, and related violations.
- Advises Unit prosecutors on strategic approaches to their investigations, prosecutions, and litigation.
- Ensures that Unit prosecutors are properly prepared and trained to conduct complex investigations and all phases of criminal trials, litigate complex matters, comply with discovery obligations and ethical considerations.
- Oversees investigations, criminal charges, trials, and negotiation of guilty pleas and other resolutions, properly balancing a variety of relevant factors.
- Oversees civil forfeiture litigation, discovery, trials, and negotiation of settlements and other resolutions, properly balancing a variety of relevant factors.
- Oversees litigation to execute foreign mutual legal assistance requests to restrain assets and enforce foreign forfeiture orders.
- Reviews search warrants, indictments, informations, criminal complaints, plea agreements, corporate disposition documents, civil forfeiture complaints, forfeiture settlements, and other pleadings.
- Oversees the approval process for international asset sharing and returns of forfeited asses, and related international negotiations.
- Provides enforcement policy and litigation advice to U.S. Attorney's Offices, federal investigative agencies, and state and local prosecutors and agencies on money laundering, and asset forfeiture issues especially involving assets abroad.
- Develops and maintains working relationships with partners at U.S. Attorneys' Offices, other litigating components and offices, and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and regulators in addition to foreign law enforcement and regulators.
- Represents MLARS in inter-departmental and inter-agency meetings and communicates on matters concerning enforcement policy and litigation.
- Provides capacity building and training for U.S. and foreign law enforcement, prosecutors and judges.
- Provides recommendations and expert advice to the Chief and Principal Deputy Chief of MLARS and Department and Criminal Division leadership as needed.
Required Qualifications: Interested applicants must possess a J.D., or equivalent, degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing. To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have at least four (4) years post-J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: independently performing legal analysis; composing pleadings, briefs and other court documents involving unique and/or difficult legal issues in civil or criminal litigation; conducting highly complex civil or criminal litigation; leading paralegals and support staff; and litigating forfeiture cases. For this position, preference is given to applicants with strong criminal investigation and prosecution and forfeiture skills.
Preferred Qualifications: Your qualifications will be further evaluated based upon the following competencies:
- Demonstrates litigation experience at a high level;
- Demonstrates sound legal judgment; and
- Ability to supervise attorneys and legal support staff.
The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.
Please submit your application through USAJOBS. The list of required documents can be found in the USAJobs announcement.
- If you do not already have an account, please create a USAJobs account before applying Create an Account. You will be able to upload your resume and supporting documents and complete your profile prior to applying.
- Once you have an account, apply to the USAJobs vacancy: USAJOBS - Job Announcement
The salary range for this position is $163,964 – $191,900 per annum, which includes locality pay. See OPM’s Web page at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2024/general-schedule.
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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