Legal Careers
Deputy General Counsel (ES) - Litigation Branch
Mission:
The FBI's mission is to protect the American People and uphold the Constitution of the United States.
The Deputy General Counsel (DGC) position is a Deputy Assistant Director-level position in the FBI. The DGC reports directly to the General Counsel and is responsible for management and direct oversight of the Litigation Branch, which is comprised of over 100 attorneys, paralegals and other professional staff, including two SES Section Chiefs and nine GS15 Unit Chiefs.
The Litigation Branch consists of two Sections: Litigation Technology Management (LTMS) and Strategic and Sensitive Information Litigation (SSILS). LTMS consists of two Civil Litigation Units, two Employment Law units and one Discovery Unit. SSILS consists of the National Security Coordination Litigation Unit, the FOIA Litigation Unit, the Congressional Oversight and Investigations Unit, and the Strategic and Sensitive Discovery Unit.
The Litigation Branch provides legal advice to the entire FBI, including the Director and other FBI HQ executives, as well as agents in the field, regarding litigation risk, personnel issues, training, security, employment law, external oversight, and internal investigations.
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.
The DGC serves as the senior executive responsible for the agency's civil litigation practice. The DGC oversees the defense of civil actions filed against the United States for the official acts of FBI employees, as well as individual-capacity claims against employees. The DGC coordinates national security litigation, lawsuits arising out of mass shootings and domestic terrorism incidents, and congressional and other demands for its sensitive information. The DGC also leads the employment law practice, counseling and defending the FBI and its executives. The DGC develops and maintains robust relationships with litigation partners at the Department of Justice, the U.S. Intelligence Community, and other government agencies.
The successful candidate will be an accomplished and well-rounded leader, manager, and attorney with strong communication (oral and writing), interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills. This is an executive management position in the FBI and OGC, and candidates must be able to hold employees accountable as well as develop and implement a strategic vision for the Branch and participate effectively in broader management decision-making for the FBI and OGC. Substantial civil litigation experience in the federal court system and experience with the Congressional oversight process is desirable. Additionally, candidates for this position must possess strong organization and collaboration skills.
This announcement is open to all qualified U.S. citizens.
NOTE: CURRENT PERMANENT FBI EMPLOYEES MUST APPLY FOR THIS JOB THROUGH ASAPP, Announcement Number 2021-1028 for FBI Professional Staff. Applications will not be accepted from outside of the area of consideration.
This opening is available for application until 08/04/2021
**APPLICANTS, IN ADDITION TO YOUR RESUME, PLEASE ENSURE YOU PROVIDE AND ATTACH ALL REQUESTED DOCUMENTS. PLEASE ENSURE YOU RESPOND TO EACH OF THE COMPETENCIES. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE COMPETENCIES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION. APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE IF ANY INFORMATION IS MISSING
Key Requirements:
· Must be a U.S. citizen
· Must be able to obtain a Top-Secret/SCI clearance
· Selectee may be required to complete form FD-887, Request for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
· Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 annually.
Must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (or have an LLM degree or other graduate law degree in addition to a J.D.) and must be a member in good standing of at least one State Bar Association.
Candidates must possess at least 10 years of post-J.D. professional experience.
Candidates will have professional experience in the following: 1) Substantial civil litigation experience in the federal court system, and 2) Strong leadership and management experience
Please make sure your specialized experience/requirement(s) can be identified in your resume. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Your application will be evaluated and rated under the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.
Please ensure you respond to each of the competencies. Failure to respond to the competencies will not allow you to submit your application.
1. Organizing and Planning (establish priorities, timetables, and goals/objectives; structure a plan of action for self and others; and develop both strategic and tactical plans).
2. Leadership (motivate and inspire others; develop and mentor others; gain the respect, confidence, and loyalty of others; articulate vision, give guidance and direct others in accomplishing goals).
3. Collaboration (establish contacts and interact effectively with external agencies, government officials, the media, the community, and internal bureau contacts; display professionalism while working with others to achieve common goals and proactively share information with others when appropriate).
4. Problem Solving/Judgment (critically evaluates conditions, events, and alternatives; identify problems, causes and relationships; base decisions or recommendations on data or sound reasoning; and formulate objective opinions).
5. Interpersonal Ability (establish and maintain rapport with management, colleagues and subordinates; recognize and show sensitivity to differences in the needs and concerns of others; mediate concerns between individuals and groups to settle disputes).
How to Apply
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying online is a hardship please contact the HR Specialist listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date for assistance.
Step 1 - Establish an applicant account on the FBIJobs website (fbijobs.gov) by clicking Apply Now and then Register Now or login using your existing applicant account.
Step 2 - Paste your text resume in the space provided, upload a new resume or use a resume you have applied with previously.
Step 3 - Complete your applicant profile if establishing your account for the first time.
Step 4 - Complete the assessment questionnaire.
Step 5 - Complete the application sections requested and submit your application
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:
i. Your resume
ii. Other supporting documents:
iii. Law School transcript(s)
iv. Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 (only former Federal employees)
v. Most recent Performance Appraisal. Please Note: This applies to current federal employees.
What to Expect Next
Once your complete application is received we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.
Benefits
The FBI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees: http://www.opm.gov/insure/new_employ/index.asp
Additional Information
You must respond to the COMPETENCY QUESTIONS in your application. Failure to respond to the competency questions will preclude you from submitting your application. Also, failure to provide additional necessary and relevant information required by this vacancy announcement may disqualify you for consideration. Additional information will not be requested if your application is incomplete. Your application will be evaluated solely on the basis of information you have submitted.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES: The FBI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please notify the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs (OEEOA) Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Program by either e-mail at REASONABLE_ACCOMMODATIONS@ic.fbi.gov, telephone at 202-324-2158, or FAX at 202-324-3976. Your request will receive an individualized assessment and will be processed in the order it was received.
THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS IS ONLY FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION AND/OR ANY QUESTIONS UNRELATED TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS. SHOULD ANY APPLICATIONS BE RECEIVED, THEY WILL NOT BE FORWARDED FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THE HIRING PROCESS.
The FBI is in the Executive Branch of the federal government. It is one of the components of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The FBI is the principal investigative arm of the DOJ. All FBI positions are in the excepted service.
The selectee, with the exception of current FBI SES employees, will be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period as a condition of retaining an SES appointment in the FBI.
New Federal employees must serve a one-year probationary period. The probationary periods for the selectee will be served concurrently.
Veteran's preference does not apply.
Selectees are also required to complete a financial disclosure report, OGE-278e, within 30 days of official appointment.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and consent to a complete background investigation, urinalysis, and polygraph. You must be suitable for Federal employment; as determined by a background investigation.
Policy has been implemented that requires support employees entering a position through a competitive OR non-competitive action may be precluded from moving to another position within the Bureau by means of reassignment or change to a lower grade for a minimum of 12 months.
This opening is available for application until XX/XX/2021
Questions regarding this opening should be directed to Paula L. Young, 202-324-2163 or Ashlee Turner, 202-324-3448.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The FBI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for this vacancy. Except where otherwise provided by law, selection will be made without regard to, and there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, parental status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, sex, sexual orientation, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism, or any other non-merit factors.
Salary: $132,552 to $190,891
Department Policies
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.
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.
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.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
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.
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).
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.
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.