SDNY Assistant United States Attorney Application Instructions - v.041624

Sep 13, 2026

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Instructions for completing an application for the Assistant United States Attorney position in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The document explains eligibility criteria, required materials and their order, and how to submit everything electronically as a single PDF. It specifies email subject-line formatting, cover letter content expectations, résumé and transcript submission requirements, recommendation-letter rules, writing-sample length limits, and a submission cutoff effective January 1, 2024.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Instructions for Submitting the Application

Electronic submission requirements

Required materials and order

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SDNY Please read the instructions below carefully before you submit your application. Your ability to follow these instructions correctly will be considered in evaluating your application. Please note that we now require that you submit your application materials to us electronically to the [following email address:](following email address: USANYS.AUSAapps@usdoj.gov. In the)[ ](following email address: USANYS.AUSAapps@usdoj.gov. In the)[USANYS.AUSAapps@usdoj.gov](following email address: USANYS.AUSAapps@usdoj.gov. In the)[. In the](following email address: USANYS.AUSAapps@usdoj.gov. In the) subject line of the email, include only your name in the following format: Last Name, First Name/AUSA Application Materials (e.g., Doe, Jane/AUSA Application Materials). Do not include any information in the text of the email message (it will not be reviewed). Attached to the email, as a single .pdf file, include the following documents, as described more fully below, in the following order: a. Cover letter (addressed to the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York) b. Application form, completed and signed c. Résumé d. Transcript of your law school grades e. Letters of recommendation f. Writing samples g. Potential conflict letter(s), if applicable h. Checklist As of January 1, 2024, we will no longer be accepting application materials in hard copy; please submit your application materials electronically. NB: If you submitted your application materials to our Office in hard copy prior to January 1, 2024, you are not required or expected to send us an electronic version. REQUIREMENTS 1. In order to be eligible for an appointment as an Assistant United States Attorney (“AUSA”), you must be a U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens who hold dual citizenship from another country are also eligible to apply. Please note that if you receive an appointment as an AUSA, you are required by statute to reside in the Southern District of New York (the “SDNY”) or “within 25 miles thereof.” See 28 U.S.C. § 545. In order to be eligible, you must also be an active member of a state bar in good standing. 2. In order to complete your application to be an AUSA in the SDNY, you must furnish the following information: a. A cover letter of 1-2 pages, describing your interest in our Office. In this letter, you should feel free to bring to our attention information about your background that is not otherwise reflected in your application materials that you think would be helpful to us in considering your candidacy. The letter should also identify who will be submitting letters of recommendation on your behalf and whether any of those individuals will be providing those letters to us in a separate submission. In addition, if you have a preference to work in the Civil Division or Criminal Division of the Office, please indicate that preference in your letter. Please note, however, as described more fully below, the United States Attorney may determine that the best interests ofthe Office are served by assigning you toa particular division as dictated by the needs of this Office, notwithstanding your preference. b. A completed and signed version of the application form on our website, [https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/assistant-usa-employment](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/assistant-usa-employment). c. Your résumé . d. A copy of the transcript of your law school grades NB: this need not be an official transcript at this juncture; you may be asked to supply an official transcript later in our process. e. Two letters of recommendation. You may send these letters along with the other application materials or ask that your recommenders send the letters directly to the email address identified below. Please identify in your cover letter the people who will be writing letters of

FAQs

What is the submission method and timeline for SDNY AUSA applications?

Applications must be submitted electronically as a single .pdf file. As of January 1, 2024, hard-copy submissions are no longer accepted; earlier hard-copy applicants are not expected to resend electronically.

What eligibility requirements must applicants meet to be considered?

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, and dual citizens are eligible. They must also be active members of a state bar in good standing, and if appointed they must reside in the Southern District of New York (or within 25 miles of it).

What materials are required and how should recommendation letters be handled?

The submission must include, in order: a cover letter, the completed and signed application form, résumé, law school transcript, recommendation letters, writing samples, potential conflict letters if applicable, and a checklist. At least one recommendation letter must be received before the application will be considered, and letters may be sent with the application or separately by email with a specified subject line.

Sep 13, 2026

Upload by James