Supervisory Trial Attorney (Assistant Director)

Summary

The Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch is seeking qualified attorneys currently working for the Federal Government to serve as Assistant Directors in the Branch’s Trial Section. Assistant Directors provide leadership and oversight on complex tax litigation matters and assist in the management and supervision of attorneys and staff within the Branch.

Duties

• Attorneys in the Tax Litigation Branch, Trial Section, represent the United States in litigation in federal and state courts across the country.
• These cases involve a wide variety of substantive legal areas, including federal tax law, bankruptcy law, constitutional law, commercial and state property law, as well as unique evidentiary, procedural, and jurisdictional issues.
• The Trial Section is divided into regional groups, plus the Court of Federal Claims Section.
• The Assistant Director helps the Deputy Directors and Director of the Trial Section to manage the regional groups.
• This includes handling personnel, budget, and administrative matters, as well as supervising trial attorneys, paralegals, and other section staff.
• The Assistant Director may assume the duties of the Deputy Director in the Deputy Director's absence.
• The Assistant Director works closely with trial attorneys, coaching them to develop their tax and litigation skills, reviewing and editing their written work, and advising them on case development and strategy.
• The Assistant Director also works closely with paralegals and other administrative professionals, coaching them to develop their skills and reviewing and evaluating their work.
• The Assistant Director ensures that trial attorneys' legal work is of the highest quality, and the work is done effectively and efficiently.
• This includes working with section attorneys to develop appropriate legal theories, ensuring thorough fact development, making persuasive arguments, and developing sound trial strategies.
• The Assistant Director analyzes proposed settlements and concessions, and takes final action on settlement or concession proposals when delegated settlement authority.
• The Assistant Director sometimes personally handles important and difficult cases.
• In addition to complex civil litigation, the Assistant Director will work on Branch-wide projects or initiatives.
• The Assistant Director will be involved in the Branch's work on comprehensive tax enforcement.
• This includes coordinating with criminal tax enforcement attorneys and becoming familiar with the doctrines and practices involved in comprehensive tax enforcement.
• This is not a remote location position.
• You will be required to work in person five days a week.

Education

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. OR 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://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Applications received by June 23, 2026, will receive first consideration. Applications received after the first cutoff date will be reviewed after the announcement closes on July 7, 2026. Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their application materials. Applicants are encouraged to ensure their materials clearly demonstrate their knowledge of subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Please Note: The Selecting Official may select additional candidates if more positions become available within 120 days after the closing date of the vacancy.

Required Documents

• You must submit the following documents: A cover letter not exceeding two single-spaced pages that describes your interest in the Assistant Director position and explaining how your background and qualifications make you well qualified; Resume (not to exceed two pages); Most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form (if applying from outside the Civil Division) Do not submit a pay adjustment or an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment.
• SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.
• Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
• A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.
• Law school and any advanced degree transcripts (if applying from outside the Civil Division) A list of three professional references.
• All documents should be provided in either PDF or MS Word format.
• If you don't include all of the documents we require, we may not be able to fully consider your application.