Hiring Organization
USAO Central District of California
Hiring Office
Criminal Appeals Section
Attorney Appointment Type
Attorney Permanent
Job ID
26-CAC-12999146-AUSA
Location:
Los Angeles, CA 90012 - United States
Application Deadline:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
About the Office
The United States Attorneys Office for the Central District of California (USAO) is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the Central District of California. This includes criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. With an authorized strength of approximately 280 Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), the USAO is the second largest in the country. The USAO is divided into three litigating Divisions (Criminal, National Security, and Civil). The USAO's main offices are in Los Angeles. The USAO's Criminal Division has branch offices in Santa Ana and Riverside.
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
Job Description
The U.S. Attorneys Office for Central District of California is seeking to hire exceptional attorneys to serve as AUSAs in the Criminal Appeals Section. AUSAs in the Criminal Appeals Section supervise or handle all of the Office's criminal matters before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals-including some 200 briefs and nearly 100 oral arguments each year. These cases involve some of the most challenging legal issues in criminal law, including constitutional challenges to criminal convictions, statutory issues of first impression, sentencing challenges, and appeals from substantial (and often high-profile) trials. AUSAs in the section also work closely with the Solicitor General's Office to determine which cases raise significant legal issues that are worthy of government appeal, en banc rehearing, or Supreme Court review.
Qualifications
Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). If not already an active member of the California bar, any applicant hired will be required to take and subsequently pass the California bar exam. AUSAs must become active members of the California bar and maintain California bar membership.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred qualifications: Hiring for AUSA positions within the USAO is highly competitive. The USAO seeks a diverse complement of lawyers with a wide range of exceptional skills and experience, unified by keen intelligence and sincere commitment to public interest. Litigation experience, superior academic record, excellent writing skills, impeccable character, demonstrated interest in public service, courtroom presence, and the ability to work with and relate to a wide variety of people are all taken into account. Most attorneys hired have several years of experience, although highly qualified recent graduates with some experience in practice or as a judicial clerk are also considered. Ties to the Central District of California will be considered. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
United States citizenship is required.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon time of applying.
Application Process
Attorneys seeking a position as an AUSA should complete:
To be considered for a position, applications must be submitted by 11:59pm (EST) on September 30, 2026. Applicant will only be accepted through USAJobs website at: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/875403000
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Required - Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
Required - A cover letter and a one-page resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year).
Required, if applicable - To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume.
Resumes will not be accepted by fax or regular mail.
This is an open continuous announcement that is intended to continually solicit applications in order to fill immediate and future vacancies. Vacant positions may or may not be available at the time of application. Applications will be reviewed and referred as vacancies occur and will only remain active for seven (5) months from the date of submission. Applicants will be notified when their applications have been reviewed/referred for further consideration.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Salary
Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience.
The following years of experience as a license attorney or law clerk determined the AD grade:
AD-21: 0-2 years
AD-23: 3-4 years
AD-25: 5 years
AD-26: 6 years
AD-27: 7 years
AD-28: 8 years
AD-29: 9 plus years
The range of pay is $114,525 to 197,100 for AD 21 through AD 29
