Assistant US Attorney: U.S. Department of Justice

• Assistant US Attorney: U.S. Department of Justice

Company - U.S. Department of Justice
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 6-100, Honolulu, HI 96850

The Honolulu Assistant United States Attorney role is a permanent appointment with the U.S. Department of Justice's USAO District of Hawaii. The position has two Criminal Division vacancies at 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 6-100, Honolulu, HI 96850. Basic pay ranges from $79,469 to $197,100, including 21.21% locality pay.

Federal prosecutors handle investigations, grand jury proceedings, hearings, trials, sentencing, appeals, and post-conviction litigation in this role. An active bar member in any U.S. jurisdiction, a J.D. holder, and a U.S. citizen can meet the stated minimum qualifications. Priority consideration closes September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST, while the announcement remains open through August 30, 2027. The permanent appointment includes occasional travel within and outside the district as necessary.

• Role:
  Assistant United States Attorney, Criminal Division
• Employer:
  
  U.S. Department of Justice, USAO District of Hawaii
• Pay: $79,469 to $197,100 basic pay, including locality pay

The applicant prepares the federal submission around the online occupational questionnaire, the required resume, and proof of active bar membership. Veterans' Preference documentation and potential client or family-member conflicts are addressed when they apply to the applicant's circumstances.

The Criminal Division handles complex federal prosecutions from investigation through judgment and post-conviction litigation. An Assistant United States Attorney works with law enforcement, prepares legal process, manages discovery, and litigates detention and suppression issues.

• Drug trafficking, violent crime, firearms offenses, fraud, public corruption, and financial or tax crime
• Export-control violations, child exploitation, civil-rights offenses, money laundering, and organized crime
• Terrorism and national-security offenses, computer crime, wildlife offenses, white-collar crime, and appellate litigation

Daily courtroom work includes grand jury proceedings, hearings, trials, sentencing, restitution, and forfeiture matters. The attorney also briefs and argues appeals before the Ninth Circuit and assists other attorneys when district workloads require additional coverage.

The USAO District of Hawaii works across the state's eight main islands and serves a population of approximately 1.4 million residents. About 27 Assistant United States Attorneys work from the federal complex in Honolulu, where the office investigates and prosecutes federal crimes.

The office also defends United States interests in civil litigation and pursues affirmative civil litigation consistent with Department of Justice priorities. The Honolulu assignment carries a district residency rule: the appointed attorney must live in the district or within 25 miles of it.

The minimum qualification is a J.D. degree or equivalent, active membership in any U.S. bar by the entry-on-duty date, and U.S. citizenship. Law school graduates and current law students taking a July 2026 bar examination may receive consideration under the announcement's stated conditions.

Preferred candidates demonstrate superior oral and written communication, legal research and analysis, sound judgment, and competence with electronic discovery and litigation tools. The screening also weighs integrity, organization, time management, the ability to handle a demanding caseload with minimal guidance, prior federal criminal prosecution, and significant litigation experience. Prior federal criminal prosecution experience is preferred, while lawyers with litigation experience bring related courtroom skills to the qualification review.

The appointment is permanent, and the Department may provide training to Assistant United States Attorneys after appointment. A recruitment incentive may be available for exceptionally qualified applicants, but relocation expenses are not authorized.

The position requires a satisfactory background investigation and a drug test before final appointment. The announcement may close before its stated deadline if the vacancies are filled, and applicant lists are reviewed approximately every 30 days after the priority-consideration period.

The Honolulu office's work spans local investigations and federal appellate practice, so case…