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Legal Careers

Attorney Advisor (Ethics Attorney)

Hiring Organization
Antitrust Division (ATR)
Hiring Office
Office of the Chief Legal Advisor
Job ID
E23-04-O05
Location:
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530 - United States
Application Deadline:
About the Office

The Antitrust Division (Division) is seeking a highly qualified attorney to serve in the Office of the Chief Legal Advisor (OCLA) in the Washington, DC, office. The OCLA provides guidance to Division staff on broad recurring investigative, litigation, and privilege-related issues and supervises the Division's compliance with ethics and professional responsibilities, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Privacy Act.

This is a GS-13/14/15 position located in the Division's Office of the Chief Legal Advisor in Washington, DC.

Additional information about the Antitrust Division can be found at http://www.justice.gov/atr/.

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.

Job Description

As an Attorney Advisor, the incumbent will be responsible for:

  • Advising Division leadership on ethics matters.
  • Analyzing potential conflicts of interest of Division leadership and ensuring Division leaders comply with ethics obligations.
  • Answering questions on a daily basis from Division personnel seeking to meet their ethical obligations, including with respect to potential conflicts on pending litigation and ongoing investigations.
  • Providing ethics advice for current, former, and prospective employees.
  • Providing ethics training for all Division personnel.
  • Maintaining the Division’s ethics intranet page(s).
  • Ensuring employees comply with obligations to identify and resolve conflicts of interest.
  • Counseling employees seeking to leave the Division on their ethical obligations.
  • Evaluating potential speaking opportunities and offers of travel reimbursement.
  • Conducting legal research on ethics and related topics and making recommendations.
  • Working with employees and the Professional Responsibility Advisory Office to evaluate questions related to professional responsibility.
  • Using computer software to document compliance with ethics requirements and reviewing financial disclosures.
  • Undertaking other responsibilities within OCLA.

These responsibilities involve highly confidential and sensitive information and require expertise, discretion, good judgment, and the ability to give forthright advice. Prior ethics experience will be considered but is not required.

Qualifications

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. To qualify, an applicant must:

  1. Be a citizen of the United States;
  2. Possess a J.D. degree or equivalent, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction) and, have at least one and one-half years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-13 level; two and one-half years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-14 level, and/or at least four years of post J.D. legal experience to qualify at the GS-15 level.

The successful applicant will have significant experience with investigations involving a federal or state government; the ability to formulate and implement organizational policies; possession of strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills; and the ability to work cooperatively and closely with employees of varying levels.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted until April 7, 2023. To receive consideration, please submit your application through USAJOBS.

  1. If you do not already have a USAJOBS account, please create one before applying via the “Create an Account” link. You will be able to complete your profile and upload your resume and supporting documents prior to applying.
  2. Once an account has been created, apply to the USAJOBS vacancy: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/714898500
Salary

Candidates are being solicited at the GS-13, 14, and 15 level, with salaries up to $183,500 per annum, depending on qualifications and experience. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2023…

Number of Positions
1
Travel
Occasional domestic travel to DOJ sites and offices outside of D.C. may be required.
Relocation Expenses
Relocation expenses are not authorized.

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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.

Updated March 23, 2023