Legal Careers
Trial Attorney - Human Trafficking (MLFU)
The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) leads the Department's anti-money laundering enforcement and asset forfeiture efforts. This posting is for a one-year, reimbursable detail as a Trial Attorney in the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit's Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative.
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 handle investigations, prosecutions, and civil and criminal forfeiture involving: violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, sanctions regimes, and related laws by financial institutions and their employees; 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 Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes complex, multi-district and international criminal cases involving third party money launderers, financial gate keepers, and national security threat actors who violate federal law, including the money laundering statutes and U.S. sanctions regimes. The Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative investigates and prosecutes human trafficking, human smuggling and forced labor organizations by focusing on their finances and utilizes civil and criminal forfeiture tools to deprive the targets of ill-gotten gains.
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.
A Trial Attorney for the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit, Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative:
- Independently directs, conducts, and monitors investigations, prepares and conducts trials and related post-trial litigation, focusing on money laundering prosecutions and forfeiture matters related to human trafficking, including sex trafficking and forced labor, human smuggling, child exploitation, and other crimes involving individual victims.
- Investigates and pursues professional money launderers for criminal prosecution under the money laundering and forfeiture statutes.
- Investigates and prosecutes financial crimes or money laundering related to corporate entities, which facilitate or profit from human trafficking or child exploitation.
- Investigates and litigates civil and criminal forfeiture actions with a particular emphasis on human trafficking.
- Leads and undertakes complex investigations and prosecutions in the federal courts throughout the United States; makes charging decisions and proposes dispositions with regard to assigned cases; handles issues lacking precedent, and other challenges in compliance with Department, Division, and Section policies and practices.
- Provides forfeiture support to other Sections of the Criminal Division, including but not limited to drafting and/or reviewing seizure warrants, restraining orders, criminal forfeiture allegations, indictments, and other pleadings.
- Develops and maintains working relationships with partners at the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, other litigating components and offices, and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
- Represents MLARS in inter-departmental and inter-agency meetings and communicates on matters concerning enforcement policy and litigation.
- Provides recommendations and expert advice to MLARS supervisors 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; and leading paralegals and support staff.
Applicants must have or be able to obtain through their Component/Agency and maintain a Top-Secret Security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications: Your qualifications will be further evaluated based upon the following competencies:
- Demonstrates litigation experience at a high level.
- Demonstrates litigation experience involving human trafficking, human smuggling, forced labor; and
- Demonstrates sound legal judgment.
The Application Package must be received by September 11, 2024, 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement. Applications must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants should send a resume and cover letter to MLARS.Attorney.Hiring@usdoj.gov.
Under a detail assignment, there is no change to selectee’s base pay.
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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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