Federal Position Descriptions
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Assistant Attorney General Civil Rights Division

Assistant Attorney General (Civil Rights Division), Department of Justice
Responsibility
Management Scope

The Civil Rights Division had a 2016 enacted budget of $148.2 million, 714 positions and 383 attorneys.4

Primary Responsibilities
  • Enforces the:
    • Civil Rights Acts
    • Voting Rights Act
    • Equal Credit Opportunity Act
    • Americans with Disabilities Act
    • National Voter Registration Act
    • Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
    • Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act and additional civil rights provisions contained in other laws and regulations5
    • Fair Housing Act
Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Distinguished lawyer
• Litigation experience, preferably in relevant legal areas, or experience in civil rights policy
• Familiarity with the substantive legal areas

Competencies

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent leadership skills
• Ability to work under high pressure and handle sensitive matters
• Energy for frequent travel
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Ability to work in a matrixed environment
• Ability to deal with hot political topics and handle criticism
• Management focused; ability to navigate bureaucracy and manage a federal agency

Past Appointments
  • Thomas Perez (2009 to 2013): Secretary, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, State of Maryland; Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University; Assistant Professor of Law, University of Maryland, Baltimore; Council Member, Office of the County Council, County of Montgomery, Maryland; Director, Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services6
  • Wan J. Kim (2005 to 2007): Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee; Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia7
  • Alex Acosta (2003 to 2005): Member, National Labor Relations Board; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice; Chairman, Labor Law Section, Disability Law Subcommittee, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies; Adjunct Professor of Law, George Mason University; Senior Fellow/Project Director at the Ethics and Public Policy Center8
AGENCY

Department of Justice

Mission: The Department of Justice enforces the law and defends the interests of the United States according to the law, ensures public safety against foreign and domestic threats, provides federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime, seeks just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior and ensures fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)2

REPORTS TO

Associate Attorney General3

SENATE COMMITTEE

Judiciary

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Footnote
  1. https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-division
  2. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
  3. https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectionId=180&LDIOrgId=153553
  4. https://www.justice.gov/jmd/file/822036/download
  5. https://www.justice.gov/agencies
  6. https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?PersonId=-1&LDIPeopleId=246056&Save=0
  7. http://www.khhte.com/attorneys-Wan-Kim.html
  8. https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?PersonId=-1&LDIPeopleId=473054&Save=0
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