The Energy and Natural Resources Division is seeking one or more experienced litigators for the Appellate Section in either Washington, DC, or Denver, CO. The Section is responsible for handling most Division cases in federal and state appellate courts. The first cut-off date for referral of applicants will be 8/4/2026. The second cut-off date will be on the closing date of 8/25/2026.
The Appellate Section represents the federal government in federal and state appellate courts in cases arising under the more than 200 statutes for which the Division has litigation responsibility. Our cases routinely concern important and complicated issues of environmental law, public lands and natural resources law, federal Indian law, administrative law, and constitutional law. We handle appeals both in defensive cases brought against the United States and in affirmative civil and criminal cases. The Section is also responsible for certain petitions for review filed directly in the courts of appeals. The primary duties of an Appellate Section Attorney are to draft effective briefs and internal memoranda and to present oral arguments. New attorneys to the Section handle their own appeals, with support and mentoring from experienced attorneys and managers. Section attorneys work closely with the Office of the Solicitor General in determining whether to appeal adverse district court decisions, to seek further review of adverse court of appeals decisions, and to participate as amicus curiae in appellate courts and the Supreme Court. The Section provides the Office of the Solicitor General with initial drafts of briefs filed in the Supreme Court in Division cases handled by the Appellate Section. The work can be fast paced on tight deadlines.
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
carmen.browne@usdoj.gov (202) 616-3127
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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