General Attorney

Duties

ICE OPLA Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD) is seeking an attorney for an Associate Legal Advisor position in Washington, D.C. to handle issues relating to:

• Advising ICE officials (including the Head of Contracting Activity and Chief Financial Officer) in carrying out ICE responsibilities with respect to acquisition programs and inquiries involving fiscal and appropriations law.
• Providing oral and written legal advice on all stages of the acquisition process, including acquisition planning, solicitation, and award, as well as contract administration;
• Litigating and representing ICE in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and claims before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals;
• Assisting Department of Justice counsel in all aspects of bid protest and claims litigation before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims;
• Providing legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including, but not limited to, federal procurement law, fiscal law, appropriations law, suspension and debarment, general administrative law, and intellectual property law.

CALD primarily provides legal advice to the Head of Contracting Activity and Chief Financial Officer. CALD'S work contributes to significant policy decisions integral to ICE's mission. Assignments within CALD are fast-paced and involve high-profile work. CALD attorneys advise, counsel, and train ICE programs on legal authorities, best practices, and agency policies on a wide array of issues.

CALD attorneys work closely with a wide range of ICE program offices, including Management & Administration, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations. They also work with components within DHS, and 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, CALD 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 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 1,800 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 25 OPLA Field Locations in more than 90 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 aliens, terrorists, human rights violators, and other priority aliens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.

OPLA attorneys provide 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 attorneys represent the agency before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Contract Board of Appeals. OPLA attorneys support the Department of Justice in the prosecution of ICE cases and in the defense of civil cases against ICE.

OPLA will ensure that applicants with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations when appropriate. 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 closeout 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.

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.

In addition, applicants for this position should have experience in the following areas:

• Providing legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including but not limited to federal procurement law, fiscal law, suspension & debarment, general administrative law, and intellectual property law;
• Conducting extensive research, analysis, and evaluation and providing oral and written advice; experience in one or more of the following is highly preferred: appropriation and fiscal law, suspension & debarment, and contract law matters to include formation, administration, claims, disputes, terminations, appeals, and litigation;
• Possessing well-developed written advocacy skills, organizational skills, communication skills, the ability to function both independently and as part of a team, interpersonal relationship skills, a strong work ethic, and an ability and willingness to learn new areas of the law;
• Drafting legal opinions that contain complex legal analysis while balancing policy considerations.

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

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 bargaining position. The exclusive representative for this bargaining unit position is the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), with representation provided by AFGE, Local 511.

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 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.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.

Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.

Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you must complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment , and sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants for this position must undergo a background investigation and successfully obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level as a condition of placement into this position. This process may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support, and tax obligations, and a review of certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Drug Test: Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment are subject to pre-employment drug testing, and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative result.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All information and documents submitted as set forth in the Required Documents section will be reviewed to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements.

Qualified candidates will be rated by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the skills and experience pertinent to the position to be filled. Experience, education, training, awards, and performance will be considered. An applicant need not have specific knowledge and experience regarding each item listed in the Qualifications section to qualify for the position.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Required Documents

You must include all required documentation, as set forth below, with your application package before the closing date. No extensions will be granted. Failure to provide all the required information as listed in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect your overall rating.

Cover Letter: Your cover letter must discuss your interest in the position; your pertinent knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience; and your personal characteristics and competencies that qualify you for the position as detailed in the Duties and Qualifications sections of this announcement. Your cover letter must also include your full name; home address; home or work e-mail address(es); phone number(s) where we may contact you; name of law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar.

Résumé: Your résumé must include announcement number (CALD-12726846-JP), your complete contact information (physical address, phone number, email address), work experience and education. For each work experience listed, please include job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, and starting and ending dates (MM/YY). Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor.

Writing Sample: A writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical abilities must be submitted as part of your application package, for which you must be the principal author. It should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages.

Transcript: All applicants must be a graduate of an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. If you have practiced law for less than five years, you must submit a copy of your law school transcript. Your transcript must include your full name, name of law school, grade-point average or class ranking, and date conferred. A copy of your diploma is not sufficient documentation. If you have practiced law for 5 years or more, your transcript is not required.

Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, a U.S. a territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.

If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information about your most recent political appointment: position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency, and beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form ( SF-15 ), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information .

You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12726846 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/02/2025 to receive consideration.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status , and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.

Agency contact information

MSD OPLA Staffing and Benefits

Email Attorney.opla@ice.dhs.gov

Next steps

You will receive an email confirmation once you have successfully submitted your application. Applications will be reviewed for completeness. Failure to provide all required documentation as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating. Eligible applicants will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration as vacancies become available. Highly qualified applicants may be contacted for an interview. If you are selected, you will receive a tentative offer. Upon acceptance, the drug test and the suitability/background investigation will be initiated.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and OMB plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Fair & Transparent

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

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