Resident Legal Advisor, Western Balkans Regional Justice Sector Initiative

Criminal Division (CRM)
Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training
Attorney
Zagreb
Croatia
22-CRM-DET-003
About the Office: 

While this vacancy announcement expires December 13, 2021, the announcement may be closed at any time if a selection is made. This assignment is for a period of 14 months, beginning on or about April 2022, with the possibility of extension, contingent on the availability of funding. Appointment to this position will be through a reimbursable detail.  

The mission of the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) is to develop and administer technical and developmental assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of foreign justice sector institutions and their law enforcement personnel. This assistance is administered to enable those institutions and their personnel to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, corruption, financial crimes, and other types of crimes more effectively in a manner consistent with the rule of law. The assistance is also administered to enable those institutions and their personnel to more effectively cooperate regionally and with the United States in combating such crime. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/opdat

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: 

The Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) will be assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb and work in close partnership with and at the Croatia Ministry of Justice. The RLA will represent the Department of Justice and OPDAT in the implementation of technical assistance activities funded by the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to raise capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate cases involving corruption and organized crime throughout the Western Balkans, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. This is a regional program.

Assistance will focus on, but is not limited to, procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, FinTech, gender-based violence, and trafficking. This will involve technical assistance, mentoring, and advice on the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of cases. It will also involve analysis of, and advice on, current or pending legislation. The RLA will coordinate and interact closely with other OPDAT RLAs assigned to the various Balkan countries. In addition, the RLA will work and interface closely with U.S. Embassy staff in the different Balkan countries. 

Qualifications: 

Required: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess ALL of the requirements below:

  1. Have a J.D. degree, be duly licensed, and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and be an active member of the bar in good standing. 
  2. Specific grade level requirements:
    1. GS-15: At least four (4) years of post J.D. legal experience, to include four (4) years of prosecutorial experience in Article III courts or comparable state level courts.
    2. GS-14: At least three (3) years of post J.D. legal experience, to include three (3) years of prosecutorial experience in Article III courts or comparable state level courts.

Applicant must have, or be able to obtain through their Component/Agency, and maintain a Top Secret security clearance. 

Preferred: Experience in the following areas is desired but not required: working in an Embassy and/or overseas environment, teaching, designing course curricula, work with international development projects, working on cases with international dimensions, prior corruption and organized crime experience, and familiarity with criminal justice systems in the Western Balkans and Europe.

The successful applicant should also have:

  • The ability to function effectively in an international, multi-cultural environment;
  • Excellent interpersonal and management skills;
  • The ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; and
  • Extensive prosecution experience.
Salary: 
Under a detail assignment, there is no change to the selectee’s base pay. If applicable, the selectee will also receive appropriate post and overseas salary differentials.
Travel: 
Extensive travel to/from Croatia and within the region will be required.
Application Process: 

While this vacancy announcement expires on December 13, 2021, the announcement may be closed at any time if a selection is made. The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

All interested attorneys meeting these qualifications should submit a cover letter and resume to OPDATDetails.CEE@USDOJ.GOV.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Application Deadline: 
Monday, December 13, 2021
Relocation Expenses: 
Relocation expenses are authorized. This is an accompanied position.
Number of Positions: 
1
Updated November 22, 2021

*         *         *

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.

*         *         *

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.