Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers | April 9, 2025 | Federal Law

What Does a Federal Attorney Do?

The United States Government employs approximately 40,000 attorneys who make up less than two percent of the Federal workforce. They work in every department in the executive branch, the independent agencies, and both the judicial and legislative branches. These lawyers represent the United States in litigation, handle negotiations, and draft and implement regulations and policies, but what does a federal attorney do every day?

Federal Attorneys Vary in Areas of Concentration

Movies and television make it easy to think about Federal lawyers as overworked prosecutors who go to court every day to present compelling opening statements and win the day for the American people. While it is true that these are hard-working and often overworked attorneys, prosecutors make up only some of the Government’s legal team. 

Just like in the private sector, the Government includes attorneys across all specialties, including:

  • Consumer protection
  • Criminal prosecution
  • Criminal defense
  • Ethics
  • Fraud
  • Immigration
  • Intellectual property
  • International law
  • Labor
  • Legislation
  • National Security
  • Regulations
  • Taxes

Regardless of the area of concentration, Federal attorneys focus on Federal law, and each branch of the Government applies its subject matter expertise to different activities. 

Federal Attorneys in the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branch

Attorneys in each branch of Government necessarily perform different types of legal work. Though the work itself differs, it also overlaps. 

  • Legislative branch: Drafts and negotiates bills to become laws in Congress—both in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Most members of Congress are attorneys, and all members have several attorneys on their staff.
  • Executive branch: Enforces the laws that the legislative branch passes. These attorneys also draft regulations to assist with implementation and defend those laws and regulations in Federal courts nationwide.
  • Judicial branch: Interprets the laws the legislative branch passes and ensures the executive branch properly enforces them. Judges are attorneys, and they employ many attorneys on their staff.

Like their private sector counterparts, attorneys for the U.S. Government evaluate available evidence, engage with stakeholders, collaborate across functions, and develop legal strategies. These lawyers are typically highly skilled in their practice, are well studied in their area of expertise, and communicate well. The work they do each day is often high-profile and critical, and they remain under tremendous pressure as they work their complex and often highly nuanced and unprecedented cases or create new laws and regulations.

What Are Federal Prosecutors?

Most Federal prosecutors are known as Assistant United States Attorneys, each of whom works for a U.S. Attorney who is both presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed. They represent the Federal Government in cases before the Federal courts and are charged with upholding their oath of office through the ethical and integrous application of the law and protection of the public.

These attorneys have tremendous resources at their disposal and generally are well-practiced in all aspects of a case, from pre-trial work and filings to the court case and any appeals. The consistent application of Federal laws is important to Federal practice, though taking into consideration any applicable circuit laws will impact their prosecutions. 

What’s the Difference Between State and Federal Attorneys? 

Federal attorneys represent the federal government and handle cases involving federal laws, such as drug trafficking, immigration violations, and fraud. They prosecute in federal courts and deal with offenses that affect the nation as a whole. State attorneys represent state governments and focus on violations of state laws, like theft, assault, and local drug offenses. They work in state courts, handling cases within their jurisdiction. The main differences lie in the type of laws they enforce, the courts they operate in, and the scope of their jurisdiction.

For more information, please contact the criminal defense law firm of Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers for a consultation. Give us a call at (682) 777-3336 or visit our convenient location:

We serve the surrounding areas of Tarrant County and Fort Worth, TX.

Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers
604 E 4th St Ste 101
Fort Worth, TX 76102