Job Description

Introduction

Are you a skilled attorney ready to grow in your career? Do you want to elevate criminal prosecution across the state and help make a difference in the lives of the public? If so, the DOJ has the opportunity that you are looking for!

It is the mission of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect the public and ensure that justice is done. Click here to learn more about the DOJ.

The DOJ, Division of Legal Services (DLS) is dedicated to the provision of high-quality legal representation and advice to the Governor, Legislature, other state officers, and state agencies.

Position Summary

DLS is recruiting highly motivated and talented Assistant Attorneys General in the Criminal Litigation Unit with an emphasis on:

• Complex Criminal and Chapter 980 Cases – headquartered in Madison.
  • Firearms Cases – headquartered in Milwaukee.

Please indicate your preferred legal focus in a letter of qualifications and select the required headquarter location when applying.

If you are interested in either position, please select both headquarter locations when applying.

The Criminal Litigation Unit performs several important functions involving criminal related matters including prosecuting selected criminal violations and providing training and advice to state prosecutors and law enforcement. All Assistant Attorneys General provide legal advice and representation services in the enforcement of statutes, commencement of actions, or in defense of governmental clients under the supervision of a Deputy Unit Director.

For more information, review the AAG position description.

This recruitment may be used to fill other Assistant Attorney General vacancies that occur in the Criminal Litigation Unit within the next 6 months. Apply Today!

Salary Information

The Assistant Attorney General position is in pay schedule 09 and pay range 75. The starting pay will be between $44.00 - $58.07/hour maximum (approx. $91,520 to $120,786 annually), depending upon experience and qualifications, plus excellent benefits. Pay for current or former state employees will follow the provisions found in the State of Wisconsin Compensation Plan effective at the time of hire. An 18-month probationary period may be required.

The State of Wisconsin offers amazing benefits, such as:

• Generous paid time off, including at least 3 1/2 weeks of vacation/personal time, and nine paid holidays., and
  • Sick time that rolls over each year with no cap and may be used to pay for healthcare premiums in retirement.
    • Affordable health insurance, dental, vision, life, and more.
      • A top-notch retirement program and optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
      • A Well Wisconsin program, offering wellness tools and rewards to employees and spouses.

To learn more about DOJ’s total compensation package, please visit our Total Rewards Calculator!

Job Details

Positions headquartered in the award-winning city of Madison will be in the Risser Justice Center located at 17 West Main Street.

Positions headquartered in the metropolitan city of Milwaukee will be in the Milwaukee County District Attorney Office at 821 West State Street.

These positions may be eligible to work remotely as part of a hybrid schedule, following an initial training period, including reporting on multiple consecutive workdays if needed. Travel to the headquarters is not eligible for travel reimbursement. High speed internet access is required to meet the needs of remote work.

Occasional in-state travel will be required. Must be eligible to drive when required for travel.

The Department of Justice does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

A background check, including fingerprints, will be completed on applicants prior to selection.

Special Qualification: Candidate must be a member in good standing with the Wisconsin State Bar upon appointment.

Qualifications

Please address the following in your resume and/or letter of qualifications.

Minimally qualified applicants must have a Juris doctor degree and professional law experience in the following:

• Negotiating resolution of cases.
• First-chair experience litigating motion hearings, evidentiary hearings, and jury trials.
• Litigating criminal or civil cases at the state and/or federal level with experience performing the following duties:
  • Drafting pleadings, pretrial motions, and briefs.
  • Reviewing and/or producing discovery.
  • Analyzing facts and/or applying applicable law.
  • Preparing witnesses.
  • Handling the case at all stages from investigation through post-conviction.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, a well-qualified applicant will have professional training or experience in one or more of the following:

• Litigating complex criminal or civil cases (e.g. attempted homicide, discharge firearm from vehicle, child abuse, conspiracy, cold case homicide, etc.).
• Litigating complex criminal or civil firearm cases (e.g. non-fatal shooting, recklessly endangering safety, armed robbery, etc.).
• Litigating complex criminal or civil cases with dueling experts (e.g. abusive head trauma, NGI trials, cases involving DNA evidence or chemical trace analysis, etc.)
• Post-conviction litigation experience, including researching, analyzing, and writing briefs in circuit, district, or appellate courts.
• Training a professional audience on legal topics.
• Litigating Daubert motions on firearms and trace/touch DNA.
• Litigating Chapter 980 cases.

How To Apply

The steps to apply online are quick and easy! Your application materials, including your resume and letter of qualifications, are used during our evaluation process to determine your eligibility for further consideration. It is critically important that your application materials clearly describe your experience related to the stated job qualifications. Please review our helpful tips for developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included. Be advised that there will be no opportunity to change your application materials once you have clicked “Submit.”

Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer or voluntary demotion) should complete the application process as described above by the stated deadline.

The WI Department of Justice is committed to providing opportunities to all applicants from all backgrounds. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. We appreciate the time and effort it takes to apply for positions. If any questions arise, please contact the DOJ Recruiter email at dojrecruiter@wisdoj.gov.

For general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance, please see the wisc.jobs Frequently Asked Questions page.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply for this job announcement is Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

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