Legal Careers
Trial Attorney
Suite 3516
Houston, TX 77002 - United States
The United States Trustee Program (USTP) is a litigating component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders―debtors, creditors, and the public. The USTP is a national program with 21 regions consisting of 89 field offices, and has broad administrative, regulatory, and enforcement authorities in bankruptcy cases, including chapter 7 and 13 consumer cases, family farmer chapter 12 cases, small business reorganizations, and complex chapter 11 corporate reorganizations. The USTP is the only participant in the bankruptcy process uniquely positioned to address multi-jurisdictional misconduct or other issues of national scope that give rise to systemic fraud and abuse, while also effectively combatting local matters affecting the integrity of the bankruptcy system.
The USTP ranks in the top 30 percent of federal agency subcomponents and ranks seventh out of 18 components within the DOJ in the 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings. The rankings are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey which measures how federal employees view their job and workplace. The USTP exceeded the percentage of positive responses government-wide in more than 90 percent of the core survey questions, including questions related to achieving mission, sharing job knowledge, overall satisfaction with the organization, and employee recognition.
We invite you to visit the USTP's website for more information about the USTP and the Region 7 website for information on the USTP Houston office. The City of Houston website provides information about Houston, TX.
The USTP offers a flexible telework policy, including two routine telework days per week.
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 USTP is seeking an attorney experienced in litigation practice and bankruptcy law to oversee bankruptcy cases filed in the federal judicial districts covered by the Region and/or field office, litigate enforcement matters on behalf of the Program, oversee private trustees, handle appellate matters, and refer criminal conduct identified in connection with bankruptcy case oversight. The Program seeks to hire and cultivate talented trial attorneys and provides them with frequent and meaningful court experience on a variety of issues arising in bankruptcy cases.
The typical duties of a field office Trial Attorney include:
- Oversee the administration of bankruptcy cases filed in the judicial districts served by the Region and the field office;
- Litigate issues arising in chapter 11 proceedings, including those involving corporate governance, and issues arising in employment applications, fee applications, disclosure statements, and plan confirmation matters;
- Litigate civil enforcement matters arising in consumer bankruptcy cases, including discharge objections, dismissal proceedings involving debtors’ ability to repay creditors, attorney misconduct matters, and non-attorney document preparation servicer misconduct;
- Assist with appellate matters arising in the Region and district;
- Partner with the Executive Office and the United States Trustee on issues of national importance to enhance the Program’s mission locally, and to help develop and implement policies and strategies designed to faithfully execute a uniform application of bankruptcy law;
- Supervise private trustees in the Region who administer bankruptcy cases filed under chapters 7, 13, 11 (subchapter 5), and 12 of the Bankruptcy Code;
- Work with Program bankruptcy auditors, paralegals, and support staff in the Region;
- Work with the Program’s federal and state law enforcement partners to report criminal activity identified through bankruptcy case oversight;
- Provide outreach to interested constituents and those involved in the bankruptcy system, such as the bankruptcy court, the bar, and other federal and state agencies; and
- Work on other national projects and priorities, as assigned
Required Qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate excellent academic and professional credentials; superior oral and written communication skills; outstanding legal research, analytical, and legal reasoning skills; outstanding judgment; and the ability to function with minimal guidance in a demanding legal environment. Further, an applicant must have a J.D. degree from an accredited law school and have at least two (2) years post-J.D. professional legal or other relevant experience advocating on behalf of clients, interpreting or applying provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code, the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, and related laws, rules, and regulations that arise in bankruptcy cases.
Applicants must be an active member of a state bar in good standing. Please note, in a select few jurisdictions, federal attorneys are required to be active members of the jurisdiction’s state bar.
Preferred Qualifications: In addition to the required qualifications listed above, the ideal candidate will have:
- A demonstrated record of analyzing complex legal problems, interpreting statutory, rule, and regulatory provisions developing litigation strategies, and superior trial practice skills;
- A demonstrated record of litigating complex matters including experience taking depositions, examining witnesses under oath, and propounding formal written discovery;
- Outstanding organizational skills and the ability to address a broad array of issues arising in a large volume of cases;
- The ability to accurately and precisely articulate critical issues in a wide variety of cases and projects;
- The ability to set, manage, and balance diverse, evolving, and challenging projects and priorities;
- Demonstrated initiative and creativity;
- Strong interpersonal communication skills;
- Strong information technology skills, including using data bases and IT systems to manage and track work;
- Experience working with or for federal agencies;
- Experience in bankruptcy; and
- A commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
This vacancy announcement is open to ALL U.S. CITIZENS. To apply, interested candidates must submit ONE (1) PDF document containing the following:
- A cover letter that highlights the applicant’s interest in the position and addresses in detail how all qualifications are met;
- A current resume that details months and years of education and employment, and states the month and year of earliest bar admission;
- A short writing sample, or part of a longer writing sample (not to exceed ten pages), which should be exclusively or primarily the applicant’s work and should include legal analysis;
- DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member 4 copy) (if applicable);
- CTAP/ICTAP documentation (if applicable); and
- Schedule (A) documentation, (if applicable).
Email the pdf document to: ustp.employment@usdoj.gov with the subject line Trial Attorney-Houston-04-2024.
This position is full-time and permanent. The possible salary range is on the General Schedule from GS-13 to GS-15. The annual salary will depend on the applicant’s qualifications, experience, and the locality pay adjustment for the duty station.
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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.
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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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. 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.