Legal Careers
Attorney Advisor (ELR)
Suite 2300
Falls Church, VA 22041 - United States
This position is located within the Office of the General Counsel, Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) Unit. The primary function of the position is to provide legal advice and representation, in formal and informal settings, for EOIR management on various legal matters relating to employment laws and regulations including labor and employee relations, equal employment opportunity, discipline, performance management and related actions.
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
- Performs trial attorney responsibilities in sensitive cases concerning all facets of federal employment laws.
- Provides advice on sensitive and difficult legal issues presenting novel issues, complex factual scenarios in an area with evolving case law and the absence of clearly applicable precedents.
- Coordinates and/or directs the development and presentation of agency representation from initial complaint or charge until conclusion of the administrative process.
- Establishes case strategy and tactics.
- Conducts research in connection with cases pending administrative hearing to analyze factual and legal issues and to determine what further facts are needed and what legal sources are applicable.
- Develops the EOIR position on litigation issues that arise in conjunction with federal court and administrative tribunal proceedings, to include: pre-trial discovery, motion practice, pleadings, trial, and the analysis of attorney fee requests by individuals who are prevailing parties in litigation against the agency; the review of actions to ensure that the agency complies with remedies that are awarded to individual or labor organizations to include reinstatement, back pay, cease and desist orders, protection against reprisals, and implementation of "make whole" remedies.
- Conducts direct negotiations regarding settlement with complainants and attorneys.
- Prepares or reviews settlement documents and monitors agency compliance.
- Develops legal memoranda in connections with hearings and post-hearing briefs, appeals, or responses.
- Provides legal counsel, guidance and advice regarding specific phases of employment law.
- Develops guidance and advice on the interpretation and application of employment law decisions for consistent application and implementation throughout EOIR.
- Provides and prepares oral and written advice and technical legal guidance and opinions on extremely complex legal issues or factual questions, often involving conflicting interests.
GS-14 and GS-15
Education: Applicants must possess a LL.B. or a J.D. degree.
AND
Licensure: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a U.S. state, territory, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia (include the date of your admission to the bar on your resume).
AND
Experience:
GS-14 - Three (3) years post-J.D. specialized legal work experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level performing duties related to: 1) providing legal advice and representation on various matters concerning labor and employment law; 2) participating in labor and employment litigation, preferably before the Merit Systems Protection Board, Federal Labor Relations Authority, and/or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and 3) developing an agency's position on employment law litigation issues that arise in conjunction with federal court and administrative tribunal proceedings, including advising on settlements . (Must be reflected in resume)
GS-15 - Four (4) years post-J.D. specialized legal work experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level performing duties related to: 1) providing legal advice and representation on various matters concerning labor and employment law; 2) representing clients as a trial attorney in federal sector labor and employment litigation; 3) coordinating and/or directing the development and presentation of agency representation from initial complaint or charge until conclusion of the administrative process; and 4) developing positions on litigation issues that arise in conjunction with federal court and administrative proceedings, to include conducting direct negotiations regarding settlement with opposing parties and attorneys. (Must be reflected in resume)
To apply for the position you must click on the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/475004800#btn-how-apply.
You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire, which can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10020658.
Required Documents:
1. Your Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Transcripts (include your name, college name/address, type of degree, major, date degree conferred, courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, G.P.A. etc.), if qualifying based on education
4. Proof of active bar membership
5. Writing sample
6. Other supporting documents (submit if applicable to you):
- CTAP/ICTAP documents
- Veterans' documentation (DD-214 (Member 4 copy), dated VA Letter, SF-15)
- SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility: If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must submit a copy of their SF-50 which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, grade, and salary. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form, which shows the length of time you have been in the next lower grade level. (Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within grade/range increases, and SF-50s one or more years old.)
- Non-Competitive or Special Hiring Authority documentation. For further information, click here
$112,021 to $161,900 / per year (GS-14/15)
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Department Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.
Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.