Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)

Assistant United States Attorney

The mission of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia ("USAO-WDVA") is to enforce our Nation's laws to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, to provide federal leadership in preventing and reducing crime, and to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior. The Western District of Virginia covers approximately 60 percent of Virginia's land area and serves a population of 2.2 million. It comprises 52 counties and 18 independent cities. Currently, over thirty (30) Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) assigned to the Western District prosecute cases and represent the United States in a wide variety of complex civil matters in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Abingdon, Harrisonburg, and Lynchburg.

An appointment as an AUSA offers a unique and challenging experience for a highly motivated attorney: the opportunity to handle their own caseload in which they investigate and prosecute a wide variety of federal criminal offenses including white collar crime, public corruption, organized crime, violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, child exploitation crimes, and other offenses. An emphasis will be placed on cases involving immigration enforcement, national security and public safety. An AUSA engaged in this challenging work should expect to spend time developing cases with federal agents and investigators, researching and writing, and preparing for trials, sentencings, and other hearings. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

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. Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. 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.