Overview
Assistant United States Attorney Jobs in Knoxville, TN at U.S. Department of Justice
Hiring Organization
USAO Eastern District of Tennessee
Hiring Office
Criminal Division, Appellate Unit
Attorney Appointment Type
Attorney Permanent
Job ID
26-TNE-13020925-AUSA
Location:
800 Market Street
Suite 211
Knoxville, TN 37902 – United States
Application Deadline:
Friday, August 14, 2026
About the Office
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee is comprised of 57 attorneys located in three staffed offices: Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Greeneville. The Eastern District of Tennessee enjoys a challenging mix of cases, a friendly and talented staff, and excellent agency relationships.
The mission of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for the people of East Tennessee; and, to serve as effective financial stewards for the American people, by defending the financial interests of, and collecting debts owed to, the United States.
Job Description
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee is seeking applications from attorneys with strong written and oral advocacy skills to join the Appellate Unit. The successful applicant will be expected to research legal issues, write appellate briefs and responses to post‑conviction motions, review and edit pleadings drafted by other attorneys and paralegals, argue before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, prepare recommendations regarding adverse decisions, provide legal advice regarding ongoing criminal prosecutions, and complete other duties as assigned.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least three (3) years post-J.D. legal experience and exceptional computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, and electronic email and word processing systems. Applicants must have significant legal writing experience.
Preferred qualifications: Applicants should be characterized by sound judgment and succinct, persuasive writing. Applicants should also be adept at legal research; attentive to detail; capable of digesting and synthesizing large quantities of information; and receptive to constructive criticism. Applicants will need strong analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills and a strong work ethic to manage a significant workload. The ideal applicant will have prior appellate experience or a federal appellate clerkship, as well as an excellent academic record.
United States citizenship is required.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted online through the following link: 26-TNE-13020925-AUSA .
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
An Assistant United States Attorney’s pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of pay is $82,459 to $197,100 which includes 17.06% locality pay.
Title: Assistant United States Attorney
Company: U.S. Department of Justice
Location: Knoxville, TN
Category:
