GENERAL ATTORNEY WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE
Company: Department of Homeland Security
Location: Washington
Posted on: October 25, 2024
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Job Description:
Duties ICE OPLA (LELD) is seeking an attorney for an Associate
Legal Advisor position in Washington, D.C. to handle issues
relating to: * Providing legal advice, training, and support to ICE
programs, including top-ranking officials, on Federal employment
law issues, including performance and conduct issues; complaints of
prohibited discrimination, harassment, and retaliation/reprisal;
and prohibited personnel practices and whistleblower retaliation; *
Serving as agency counsel in proceedings before administrative and
judicial forums, including arbitration, the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board,
the Office of Special Counsel, the Federal Labor Relations
Authority, and the U.S. Federal Courts; * At higher grade levels,
working on more complex third-party proceedings including those of
national importance to ICE and providing legal advice to
top-ranking officials. Experience in practicing Federal labor
and/or employment law, including matters involving Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Family Medical Leave Act, Rehabilitation
Act, the Federal Services Labor Management Relations Statute, the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Whistleblower Protection
Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights
Act, is strongly preferred but not required. In addition, the
selectee must possess the ability to represent ICE in high-level
meetings and to provide legal advice to top-ranking officials. LELD
provides legal advice to ICE program offices. LELD's work
contributes to significant policy decisions integral to ICE's
mission. Assignments within LELD are fast-paced and involve
high-profile work. LELD attorneys advise, counsel, and train ICE
program offices on legal authorities, best practices, and agency
policies on a wide array of issues, including but not limited to
those listed above. LELD attorneys work closely with a wide range
of ICE program offices, including the Office of Human Capital and
the Office of Professional Responsibility. They also work
occasionally with various departmental components as well as other
federal agencies and departments. The selected attorney will
immediately be given significant responsibilities and will be
expected to craft legally supportable policies to address the needs
of agency operational components. The attorney will be expected to
routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers and agents,
LELD management, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the
Department of Homeland Security's Office of the General Counsel
Headquarters. The selected attorney will be required to assess
litigation risk and provide litigation support to the Department of
Justice (DOJ). OPLA is the largest legal program in DHS, employing
over 1,200 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in
Washington, D.C., there are 25 OPLA field locations in more than 60
cities throughout the United States. Pursuant to statute, OPLA
serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal
proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review,
litigating cases involving criminal noncitizens, terrorists, human
rights violators, and other priority noncitizens. OPLA also
provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and
offices. OPLA provides legal advice and prudential counsel to ICE
personnel on their law enforcement authorities, legal liability
under the Federal Tort Claims Act and Bivens v. Six Unknown Named
Agents of Fed. Bureau of Narcotics , 403 U.S. 388 (1971), the
Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, ethics, and a range of
administrative law issues, such as contract, fiscal and employment
law. OPLA represents the agency before the Merit Systems Protection
Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the
Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. OPLA attorneys support DOJ in
the prosecution of ICE cases and in the defense of civil cases
against ICE. OPLA fosters an environment in which all voices are
heard and values the unique perspectives and opinions that inhere
among a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce. Comprising a
far more diverse workforce than its private sector counterparts,
OPLA is proud to strive to further diversify the experiences,
perspectives, and characteristics of its workforce. It is committed
to celebrating our differences and embracing practices that foster
a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace by promoting equitable access
to opportunities. In keeping with this commitment, OPLA will ensure
that qualified applicants with disabilities are provided reasonable
accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is required for any
part of the application process, please contact the OPLA
representative listed on this announcement. Requirements Conditions
of Employment * You must successfully pass a background
investigation and drug test for federal employment. * Selective
Service registration is required for males born on, or after,
December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved
exemption on file. * You must have relevant experience (see How You
Will Be Evaluated and Qualifications tabs). * You must meet all
requirements by the closing date of the announcement. * You may be
required to serve a two-year trial period if the requirement has
not been met. * Current OPLA attorneys must have completed two
years of service with OPLA by the announcement closing date to be
considered for this position. * You must be an active member in
good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, a territory of the United
States, or the District of Columbia. * Relocation expenses will not
be reimbursed in connection with this position. * Occasional travel
may be required, and you may be required to attend meetings and
trainings at OPLA Headquarters and elsewhere in National Capital
Region. Qualifications Qualification requirements must be met by
the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be
subject to verification. Applicants should be able to efficiently
produce quality legal analyses of complex and novel issues,
exercise sound legal judgment, prioritize competing assignments,
and work effectively independently, as part of a team, and across
work units. Applicants should be detail-oriented and have a strong
interest in supporting and providing stellar client services to
diverse program offices, including law enforcement officers,
policymakers, attorneys, and agency senior leadership, and must be
able to tailor communications to a particular audience. Applicants
should be able to take initiative and work in a reliable, decisive,
and professional manner. Applicants should possess the following
characteristics and competencies: integrity, sound professional
judgment, organizational skills, decisiveness, initiative, stellar
client services, the ability to function independently and
cooperatively, and superior written and oral advocacy skills. Bar
Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the
bar of a U.S. state, a territory of the United States, or the
District of Columbia. Current or Former Political Appointees: The
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment
offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are
currently, or have been within the last five years, a political
Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee
employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this
information to the Human Resources Office. The Department of
Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to
include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric
disabilities, as defined by 5 C.F.R. - 213.3102(u), and Disabled
Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30
percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. - 315.707. Veterans , Peace
Corps , VISTA volunteers , and persons with disabilities possess a
wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be
invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these
groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal
jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment
and to understand the required documentation, click on the links
above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the
bottom of this announcement. Education Applicants must be a
graduate of an American Bar Association accredited law school with
a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Please see Required Documents for
more information. A student loan repayment incentive may be
available; if such an incentive is available and is authorized, a
service agreement will be required. Additional information Local
Remote Work: This position is located at OPLA Headquarters in
Washington, D.C., and it has been approved for local remote work.
Selectees may be eligible for local remote work; remote work,
however, is not an employee right or entitlement, and approval is
at the discretion of OPLA management based on the specific needs of
the organization, and in accordance with agency policy. If a
selectee is approved for local remote work, the selectee's
alternative worksite (i.e., residence, approved telework center, or
another approved location) must be within a 50-mile radius of the
Agency worksite. E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify to confirm the
eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United
States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and
responsibilities. Bargaining Unit Status: This is a non-bargaining
position. Promotion Potential: This position has promotion
potential to the GS-15 level. When promotion potential is shown,
the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to
provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future
promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties
at a higher level, and administrative approval. Further, promotion
from the GS-14 level to the GS-15 level is subject to OPLA's
internal guidance. General Schedule locality pay tables may
Keywords: Department of Homeland Security, Germantown , GENERAL ATTORNEY WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE, Legal , Washington, Maryland
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