Job Opportunity – DOJ

This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
District of Arizona
Opening: April 28, 2014
Closing date: May 19, 2014
Vacancy Announcement Number14-AZ-03

About the Office: The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Arizona, is seeking applications from attorneys for multiple Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) positions in one of the largest USAOs in the nation. The USAO handles cases on behalf of the federal government in both its Criminal and Civil Divisions. The Criminal Division prosecutes a wide range of federal cases involving organized crime, terrorism, complex securities and fraud cases, immigration offenses, alien smuggling, narcotics, health care fraud, public corruption and violent crimes originating on public lands and in Arizona’s federally recognized Indian tribes. The work of the AUSAs in this district mirrors the varied activities of the federal government and offers perhaps the most challenging and diverse caseload of any law office, public or private, in the country.

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: AUSAs have the opportunity to represent the interests of the United States of America in the United States District Court of Arizona and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in performing this important public service, to exercise responsibility that is unparalleled in any other job that a litigator might undertake. AUSAs immediately undertake numerous cases, many high profile, in any of several units within each division.

Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. In addition, be able to work well with client agencies, possess superior oral and written communication skills, have strong character and interpersonal skills; have demonstrated the capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment.

Preferred qualifications: United States citizenship is required.

Travel: Travel throughout Arizona and nation-wide may be necessary.

Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys’ pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $45,027 to $119,174 plus locality pay where authorized.

Location: Vacancies will be filled in Tucson, AZ

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

Application Process and Deadline Date: Application Process and Deadline Date: Your application must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on Monday May 19, 2014 and documents must include: 1) your resume; 2) the attached questionnaire 3) one writing sample consisting of 15 pages or less; and 4) references. The application documents should be contained within one file (with one filename), preferable in PDF format. Should you need assistance with converting your document(s) into a PDF format, please consider contacting a commercial document copying / handling service of your choice.

All applicants will need to submit their completed application to USAAZ.AttorneyApplications@usdoj.gov. Please specify in the subject line Tucson, Arizona, 14-AZ-03. Also, include contact information such as a return email address and phone number in the message.

Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html.

Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information.

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 color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit 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. 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.

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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.

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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

* * *

The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

Congrats to ILP student Jeremiah Chin, (Class of 2014) Recipient of the Ross-Blakley Law Library Award for Exemplary Student Research

First Place: Jeremiah Chin, Red Law, White Supremacy: Cherokee Freedmen, Tribal Sovereignty and the Colonial Feedback Loop

Second Place: Jennifer Walston, Arizona’s Domestic Violence Victims Need a More Safety-Centered Approach in Their Pursuit of Family Court Orders

The Ross-Blakley Law Library at the Sandra O’Connor College of Law is pleased to announce the 2014 recipients of The Ross-Blakley Law Library Award for Exemplary Student Research.  Jeremiah Chin is the first place award recipient for his paper, Red Law, White Supremacy: Cherokee Freedmen, Tribal Sovereignty and the Colonial Feedback Loop and Jennifer Walston earned second-place honors for, Arizona’s Domestic Violence Victims Need a More Safety-Centered Approach in Their Pursuit of Family Court Orders. Jeremiah Chin and Jennifer Walston’s papers demonstrate sophistication and originality in the use of research materials, exceptional innovation in research strategy, and skillful synthesis of research results into a comprehensive scholarly analysis.

A review panel comprised of librarians Victoria Trotta and Beth DiFelice and Associate Clinical Professor Kimberly Holst selected the winners from the competitive entries.

In addition to receiving a monetary award, the winners are also invited to publish their papers in the Law Library’s digital scholarship repository, and to feature their papers in the Law Library Display Case.

Chin’s research highlights the intersections of race and sovereignty and raises important questions about shifting conceptions of citizenship, self-determination, racial identity, and indigeneity in the United States. His paper blends legal and academic publications, secondary historical research, archival research and case law from several different courts.  Chin says one of the big discoveries he found while researching for the paper was not only the amount of Cherokee law that was digitally archived online, but also the extent to which the Dawes Rolls and other historical government documents are available through the United States Government Archives. The discovery of these resources allowed him to look at the form and content of the Dawes Rolls, a crucial document for analysis, and even look-up the names of individuals mentioned within the research study. He goes on to say that unlike many other papers he has written, this paper mixes archival research with a case that has yet to reach a final decision in federal court. Therefore his research not only encompassed historical texts, but also included different Google alerts and social media to locate information about the ongoing cases and conflicts to ensure that the case law is up-to-date.

http://www.law.asu.edu/library/2014RecipientsoftheRossBlakleyLawLibraryAwardforExemplaryStudentResearch.aspx

The Future of Food – Building sustainable food systems in indigenous communities – May 1, Heard Museum

The Future of Food –  Building sustainable food systems in indigenous communities
Heard Museum
Steele Hall,  2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004

Thursday, May 1, 2014
reception in the courtyard: 6:00 p.m.
program: 7:00 p.m.
Public Lecture:
Jim Enote, Director and Curator, Zuni Museum
Poetry Reading: Simon Ortiz, writer and poet
Music Performance: Randy Kemp, artist and musician

For more information contact: joan.mcgregor@asu.edu or rebecca.tsosie@asu.edu.
This event is supported by a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences/IHR Seed Grant, the Global Institute of Sustainability, and the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies.

RSVP at: https://ihr.asu.edu/node/1679/register

Job Opportunity – The Office of Native Affairs and Policy at the FCC

The Office of Native Affairs and Policy at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has a job opportunity available.  It is a full-time, permanent attorney position at the GS-12, GS-13, or GS-14 level, with a salary ranging from $75,621.00 to $138,136.00 per year.  Candidates must be law school graduates with a Bar membership, and must have at least one year of professional law experience. 

The job will be located in Washington, DC. 

The application period opened today and will close on May 6th

The Office of Native Affairs and Policy (ONAP) is the official FCC lead office for ongoing consultation and coordination with American Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and other Native communities.  The candidate selected for this job will serve as a staff attorney performing a variety of legal duties pertaining to the Communications Act and the communications industries and services.  The candidate will work on cases of extreme complexity.

All of those interested should go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/367843800 for more details about the position and instructions on how to apply.  

Applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday, May 6, 2014.

Job Opportunity – Patent Attorney with Bryan Cave LLP

Bryan Cave LLP has openings for a registered patent attorney and a patent agent in their Phoenix office.  Preferably, the candidates have 1-4 years of experience with patent preparation and prosecution in the areas of electrical engineering, computer science, computer software, and/or the Internet.  For the patent attorney position, interest in trademarks, copyrights, and litigation is desired, as well.  For more details, see http://www.bryancave.com/joinus/currentopportunities/lawyers/.

2 Job Opportunities

INDIAN OWNED LAW FIRM SEEKING ENTRY LEVEL ATTORNEY AND LAW CLERK

Anderson Indian Law, a Washington, DC law firm, is seeking an associate attorney with one to four years’ experience in the area of Federal Indian law.  Anderson Indian Law practices in the area of Federal Indian Law and represents American Indian tribal government clients’ on their regulatory, legislative and litigation interests before Congress, federal agencies and courts.  The Firm’s area of practice includes general counseling to tribal governments, environmental law, federal recognition, trust land acquisition, litigation, tribal codes and Indian gaming law.  The ideal candidate will have experience working in Indian Country and an understanding of issues that affect the people and governments of Native American Tribes.  Bar License in the District of Columbia or California preferred.

Anderson Indian Law is also seeking a law clerk for fifteen (15) to twenty (20) hours per week at a rate of $20 per hour.  This position is also available immediately.

Please visit our website at www.andersonindianlaw.com for more information on our firm.  To apply, please submit a cover letter highlighting your experience in Indian Law, a resume and a list of three references.  Annual Salary for the associate attorney position is commensurate with experience.  Health care benefits and various bar memberships are provided.  Submissions may be sent by email to lparent@andersonindianlaw.com.  Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Office of Hearings and Appeals
The Office of Hearings and Appeals has posted the following position (Administrative Judge-Board of Indian Appeals) on USAJobs.

Here’s the link:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/366951500

Three ASU Law Students Awarded Prestigious Udall Foundation—Native American Congressional Internships

Monday, April 7, 2014

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State College of Law again highlights the prominence of its Indian Legal Program (ILP) with the selection of three of its students to the prestigious 2014 Native American Congressional Internship program run by the Udall Foundation. On April 2nd, the Foundation announced that 12 students from 5 tribes and 9 universities have been selected as 2014 Native American Congressional Interns.

ASU is proud to continue to have strong representation in this internship program and to continue to educate exceptional Native American future leaders.

The awardees were selected by an independent review committee on the basis of academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to careers in tribal public policy.

The ASU—Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law students are:

▪   Glennas’ba Augborne, Navajo Nation, interning with the Council on Environmental Quality. Glennas’ba is a Diné (Navajo) from Blue Gap, Arizona.  She is Coyote Pass clan, born for African American people.  Glennas’ba is currently seeking a J.D. with a certificate in the Indian Legal Program from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.  She would like to pursue a career in Indian and international law.  She has a passion for the potential relationships between Indian nations and other indigenous nations abroad.  She would like to either work directly with Indian nations in a liaison capacity, a firm, or in a federal agency.

▪   Jacqueline Bisille, Navajo Nation, interning in the office of Senator John McCain. Jacqueline Bisille is from the Navajo Nation (Dine) in Arizona. Her maternal clan is Tsedeeshgizhnii (Rock Gap People), her paternal clan is Asiihii (Salt), her maternal grandfather’s clan is Kinyaa’nii (Towering House People), and her paternal grandfather’s clan is Kinichii’nii(Red House People -Zia). Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Jacqueline attended Arizona State University (ASU) where she earned a B.S. in justice studies, a minor in American lndian studies, and an M.P.A. with a concentration in urban management. This May, she will earn an M.L.S from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Her interests include policymaking, renewable energies as an economic development driver, and strengthening tribal self-governance. She intends to work on tribal legislative and government affairs.

▪   Chelee John, Navajo Nation, interning with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Indian Affairs. Chelee John is Navajo (Diné) from Zionsville, Indiana. Chelee is currently seeking her J.D. from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She attended Dartmouth College and graduated in 2012 with a double major in psychology and Native American studies. Chelee currently serves as her class representative to the Student Bar Association, is the community outreach chair for the Native American Law Students’ Association, and volunteers as a student ambassador for admissions and financial aid. She is an active participant in moot court. She was honored as a client-counseling finalist and was recently chosen to serve on the moot court executive board. Chelee also volunteers with the Business Legal Assistance Program helping local entrepreneurs start small businesses. Chelee hopes to help Native Americans and tribal governments by fostering economic development on reservations and by helping tribal entities engage in capital markets.

This highly regarded internship program is intended to provide American Indians and Alaska Natives with an insider’s view of the federal government. The internship is located in Washington, D.C., and is known for placing students in extremely competitive internship positions in Senate and House offices, committees, Cabinet departments, and the White House, where they are able to observe government decision-making processes firsthand.  The Udall Interns will complete an intensive, 10-week internship in the summer of 2014. Special enrichment activities will provide opportunities to meet with key decision makers. From 1996 through 2014, 221 American Indian and Alaska Native students from 110 tribes will have participated in the program.

For more information about the Indian Legal Program at ASU Law, visit http://www.law.asu.edu/ilp/TheIndianLegalProgram/ILPHome.aspx.

NABA-AZ APRIL 2014 MEMBER PROFILE: KEVIN POOLEY

Kevin Pooley is a second year JD candidate at the Sandra Day O’Connor College Of Law at Arizona State University. He graduated Cum Laude from Brigham Young University with degree in Philosophy. Kevin grew up in Arizona and has lived primarily in Flagstaff, Yuma, and Avondale. He is currently an intern for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Prosecutor’s Office. Kevin’s study interest include criminal law, evidence, and security transactions. In his spare spare time Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife and eight month old son.

Q&A

Why did you go to law school?

My family is the most important thing to me and I wanted to be in a line of work where I could support them in a respectable field. I also went to law school because I wanted to help Indian Country. When I was growing up, I was always told that my great-grandfather said that “the days of fighting with bows and arrows it over… the time has come for Indians to fight their fights with books and words.” That story inspired me to go into law.  

What do you hope to have accomplished in your career five years from now?

Right now I am taking things one step at a time so my first goal is to graduate and pass the bar! After that I hope to get a job and then gain as much experience as I can.

Why are you a member of NABA-AZ?

I am a member a NABA-AZ because I feel they really care about what Native American lawyers are doing in the legal field and their communities. I am so impressed with how much they reach out to the law school to make us students feel welcome and excited for the future. They have provided many opportunities to network and get involved. They also have also provided many mentoring opportunities for students. Seeing the members’ hard work and dedication has been an inspiration to me.

Job Opportunity – Dept of Justice TRIAL ATTORNEY

This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html.

 

ATTORNEY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION
APPELLATE SECTION
TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-13/14/15
OPEN: 04/07/2014
CLOSE: 4/14/2014
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: ENRD-14-025-EXC

About the Office: The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking an experienced litigator for its Appellate Section for a full-time position in Washington, DC.

The Appellate Section is responsible for handling cases in the federal courts of appeals involving the ENRD for preparing appeal recommendations, and for preparing drafts for the Office of the Solicitor General of petitions and briefs in all ENRD cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. For more information about the Environment & Natural Resources Division, visit the Justice Department’s web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd.

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: Cases involve such subject matters as: air, water, and solid waste regulation; hazardous substance cleanups; public land and forest management; water rights; Indian treaty rights and Indian gaming; land condemnation; Fifth Amendment takings; fish and wildlife conservation; and criminal environmental prosecutions.

Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least five or more years of post-J.D. litigation/legal experience, and be a U.S. citizen. Applicants with U.S. Court of Appeals experience or with a background in environmental or natural resources law will be preferred.

How You Will Be Evaluated: You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience you report relative to this position. Paid and unpaid experience will be considered.

Travel: Periodic travel is required.

Salary Information: Current salary and years of experience will determine the appropriate salary level. The possible salary range is GS-13 ($89,924 – $116,901); GS-14 ($106,263 – $138,136), and GS-15 ($124,995 – $157,100) per annum.

Location: Washington, DC

Terms of Appointment: This is a permanent appointment with a probationary period following a security clearance, for a full time position. Selected attorneys are eligible for employment benefits such as health and life insurance, the FERS retirement program, paid vacation and sick leave, and a public transportation subsidy.

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

Submission Process and Deadline Date: Applications must be received by Monday, April 14 2014.

Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter highlighting relevant experience and salary history, a writing sample, and OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment (found at this link: www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf) to:

U.S. Department of Justice, ENRD
Appellate Section
Attn: Aaron Avila, Assistant Chief
Please reference vacancy announcement number ENRD-14-025-EXC.

Email applications only, please to: ATTYAPPLY-APP.ENRD@USDOJ.GOV

No telephone calls, please.

What to Expect Next: Once your complete application is received, we will evaluate your qualifications. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-60 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.

Internet Sites: For more information about the Environment & Natural Resources Division, visit the Justice Department’s web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/. This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html.

Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination based on color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism.

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.

We place a high value on diversity of background, experience and cultural perspective and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those from all racial and ethnic groups, women, LGBT individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

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 that screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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 are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

Schedule A: The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and 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. Note: The Department of Justice also suggest eligible Schedule A applicants should submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com and reference “Federal Career Opportunities” in the subject line. For more information, visit the Bender Consulting Services website at www.benderconsult.com.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.