About This Position
The Senior Staff Attorney is an executive position appointed by the Chief Judge with the approval of the Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 715. The Senior Staff Attorney oversees the Eighth Circuit Staff Attorneys, supervising a staff of 23 attorneys (including 4 supervisory staff attorneys) and 3 support personnel.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must have (1) a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school; (2) membership in good standing in the bar of a state, territorial or federal court of general jurisdiction; (3) at least ten years of progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience received after graduation from law school; (4) excellent academic credentials, and superior analytical, research and writing skills; (5) excellent written and oral communication abilities, and strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to assume and delegate responsibility. Preferred Qualifications:
In addition to the minimum qualifications, any of the following will enhance a candidate's suitability for the position: (1) a thorough understanding of organizational, procedural, and interpersonal aspects of managing a complex organization; (2) expertise in federal appellate, civil, and criminal procedure and evidence, and an informed understanding of the processes of constitutional and statutory analysis; and (3) a minimum of three years of federal court experience.
Major Duties
The primary responsibility of the Senior Staff Attorney is to ensure the high quality of all substantive legal work performed by the staff attorneys. In addition, the Senior Staff Attorney has administrative responsibility for all aspects of the office's operations, including, but not limited to, human resources management, recruitment and training, budget preparation and fiscal oversight, procurement management, establishing and managing systems and processes, and statistical reporting.
Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The successful candidate will be subject to a ten-year background investigation, and employment will be contingent upon a favorable suitability determination. Subsequent reinvestigations will be required every five years. The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees. Employees are required to use the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
Education
Applicants must have a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school.
How You Will Be Evaluated
We will review your resume and supporting documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant professional, educational, and work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified in the Qualifications section above, required for this position.
Additional Information
All employees of the Judiciary are "at will" employees in the excepted service. About the Eighth Circuit Staff Attorneys: The Eighth Circuit Staff Attorneys support the Court as a whole rather than individual judges. They assist the Court in its review of decisions appealed from district courts and federal government agencies, primarily in matters that will be decided by the Court on written submissions only, without oral argument, including all pro se appeals.
The staff attorneys' principal task is preparation of written legal memoranda. The types of matters on which staff attorneys assist include: direct criminal appeals of convictions and sentences imposed under the United States Sentencing Guidelines; collateral attacks on criminal convictions by state and federal prisoners; civil rights actions brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; and cases involving a variety of other areas of law, such as employment discrimination, tax, bankruptcy, immigration, and Social Security benefits. Staff attorneys play an important role in supporting the federal judiciary's mission of ensuring equal justice under the law.
The Eighth Circuit Staff Attorneys do so by maintaining high standards for the research and written work performed for the Court. While the nature of the work is important and the workload is substantial, the office provides a collegial, collaborative environment. The U.S.
Court of Appeals is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
How to Apply
APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED STARTING MARCH 9, 2026 Submit materials to: [email protected] Qualified applicants must submit each of the following to be considered: Detailed cover letter Detailed resume outlining education background, and employment and salary history Law school transcript Self-edited writing sample of no more than five pages Contact information for three professional references
Required Documents
Detailed cover letter Detailed resume outlining education background, and employment and salary history Law school transcript Self-edited writing sample of no more than five pages Contact information for three professional references