General Attorney (Assistant General Counsel)

Duties

OGC attorneys advise JMD and Department management in areas such as appropriations, budget and financial management, agency organizational management, personnel, information resource and records management, access to government records (FOIA and Privacy Act), security, contracting, procurement, and delegations of authority. OGC attorneys also litigate in administrative forums and assist litigating divisions and U.S. Attorney's Offices (USAOs) when JMD matters are in the federal courts.

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.

This position reports to a Deputy General Counsel. However, the incumbent also has significant collaborative interaction with the General Counsel and attorney colleagues in the office. The work of the attorney selected for this position involves research, review, and analysis of relevant administrative and judicial decisions and other applicable authorities to provide legal advice or opinions to constituent clients to assist them to formulate administrative policy or to make difficult management decisions; providing written advice on the legal ramifications of new or proposed regulations; and reviewing agency policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance, recommending changes, as necessary. The attorney chosen for this position may have opportunities to conduct or be involved in administrative litigation, including representing JMD in bid protests at the Government Accountability Office, contract disputes at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, employment discrimination matters at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, personnel and whistleblower matters at the Merit Systems Protection Board, and, as appropriate, to assist litigating divisions and USAOs when JMD matters are in the federal courts.

OGC's clients include the JMD Procurement Services Staff (PSS). PSS provides acquisition support to the Department's Offices, Boards and Divisions (OBDs), including the Department's litigating components, and JMD Staffs. PSS administers a broad range of highly sophisticated multi-million-dollar contracts, including Department-wide Information Technology contracts. The selectee will have opportunities to advise contracting personnel on an on-going basis about Department procurements, including acquisition planning, detailed reviews of solicitation and evaluation documents for source selections, procurement integrity issues, procurement policy, and other contract administration issues. The selectee may also have opportunities for involvement in cooperative work with attorneys and executives of other components and agencies regarding matters, initiatives, or projects of mutual concern or interagency responsibility, including working closely with the Office of Inspector General with regard to debarments and suspensions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary or trial period.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices serviced by Justice Management Division, HR Operations.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• COVID vaccination status may be requested for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• Benefits

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  Documentation requirements may vary from applicant to applicant based on your eligibility claims.
  For example, Veteran documents would be required only from applicants claiming Veteran's Preference. It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of document descriptions below, to see which documents are required for your application.
  
  ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a detailed resume containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

  • Official position title,

  • Employer name and contact information,

  • Start and end dates (including month and year),

  • A detailed list of duties & accomplishments,

  • Your highest salary (or grade/step) achieved, and

  • The number of hours worked per week (or indicate full-time).

  If you're unsure about what to include in your resume, please review the USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial on YouTube. You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder, as this will ensure you're including everything that is required.
  
  If you are claiming a Veterans Preference eligibility:

  • When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.

  • If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.

  • If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.

  • For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.

  If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP:

  • You must submit your separation notice or agency RIF letter from your agency.

  • If you have not yet been separated, you can provide the letter of intent to separate you from the agency because of reduction-in-force.

  • See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.

  If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required:

  • You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.

  • Your transcript must come from a nationally-accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.

  • If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education.

  • Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection, these may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.

  More Info:
  USAJOBS - What documents might I need to provide?
  Application Manager Help - Documents

• How to Apply

  To apply, interested individuals must submit an application packet including a cover letter (highlighting the applicant's interest in the position and detailing how the applicant meets the qualifications), resume, list of references, a brief writing sample or part of a longer writing sample (not exceeding 10 pages) which is exclusively or primarily the applicant's work and includes legal analysis, and the applicant's contact information.
  
  Applications should be sent to the attention of Michelle M. Allen, Staff Assistant, Office of General Counsel, Justice Management Division, U.S. Department of Justice by e-mail to: Michelle.M.Allen@usdoj.gov
  
  Please no applications by U.S. mail and no phone calls.
  
  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 19, 2022
  Relocation Expenses:
  Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
  Number of Positions:
  One (1) position.
  
  REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:
  If you are unable to apply online due to a disability or overseas deployment, you must request an alternative application, which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Angela Tucker at Angela.l.tucker2@usdoj.gov or (202) 616-3716 to discuss your situation. Accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Indicate that you're asking for a reasonable accommodation in your e-mail subject so the HR Specialist knows where to direct you.

  Agency contact information

  Angela Tucker

  Email

  Angela.l.tucker2@usdoj.gov

  Address

  Justice Management Division, Office of the General Counsel
  2 Constitution Square
  145 N Street NE
  Room 9W.300
  Washington, DC 20530
  US

  Next steps

  You will receive e-mail notification regarding your application status updated by Michelle M. Allen, Staff Assistant, Office of General Counsel, Justice Management Division, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

This position is being advertised under delegated examining procedures and is open to all U.S. Citizens.