Job opening: General Attorney
Salary: $117 962 - 191 900 per year
Published at: Feb 07 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
Do you desire to be a part of the vibrant United States immigrant admission process, to protect American interests and to secure our nation while building a meaningful and rewarding career? If so, United States Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS), and its Office of the Chief Counsel are calling!
The Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC), is seeking an attorney for an Associate Counsel position with experience in labor and employment law with the USCIS Headquarters to be located in Camp Springs, MD.
Duties
As part of both USCIS and the Office of the Chief Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), you will work with other highly talented attorneys and colleagues on a rich array of intellectually challenging, critically important, cutting edge legal issues. Working along-side other components of DHS, USCIS strives to administer immigration benefit applications fairly, efficiently, and in keeping with the law, while simultaneously safeguarding our borders, our cyber space, and other elements of our nation's security. This vital mission is achieved by a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join, OCC, USCIS, and DHS!
The Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security, is seeking an attorney for an Associate Counsel position with demonstrated experience in labor and employment law with the Commercial and Administrative Law Division to provide legal advice and representation in USCIS headquarters, Camp Springs, Maryland.
The selectee for this vacancy will serve as an attorney providing labor and employment law advice to the Chief of the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), the Chief Counsel, and USCIS officials. The attorney will report to a CALD Deputy Chief Counsel. The position will focus on federal employment law with a particular emphasis on reviewing disciplinary and performance actions. The selectee will also represent the agency against complaints and appeals before the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The selectee will also provide litigation support to AUSAs litigating employment cases before federal district and appellate courts. Other duties include reviewing reports of investigation and advising supervisors and managers on a wide range of personnel issues, including employee misconduct, poor performance and compliance with FMLA and Rehab Act, among others.
The selectee will edit and review the legal sufficiency of performance improvement plans and notices of personnel decisions. The attorney will also provide oral and written legal advice and develop and conduct training on a wide variety of performance, misconduct, disability accommodation, Veterans' rights and Equal Employment Opportunity issues. This is not an immigration law position. Demonstrated experience in the foregoing employment law areas is required; experience in immigration or other legal areas may not be substituted.
Qualifications
You qualify at the GS-13 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-12 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least one year of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.
You qualify at the GS-14 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-13 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least two years of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.
You qualify at the GS-15 level if you: are currently an attorney in federal employment with the equivalent of being a GS-14 and at least one year experience at that level, or if not a federal employee and you have at least three years of post-J.D. professional legal experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an ABA-accredited law school or serve a legal apprenticeship in California, Virginia, Vermont, or Washington and pass the bar exam in order to be permitted to practice law in one (1) of those jurisdictions.
Bar Requirement GS-13 thru GS-15: Be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction).
Prior to entering on duty, all selected attorneys must provide a Certificate of Good Standing in holding an active Bar License to practice law in any state or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
All applicants will be rated against the following factors:
Ability to resolve questions and provide accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters.
Ability to handle a heavy workload and meet deadlines.
Legal aptitude as reflected in the resume provided.
Quality of writing sample on employment law topic, not to exceed 10 pages (EEOC or MSPB motions preferred).
Quality of the cover letter addressed to OCC summarizing interest in the position not to exceed 1 page.
Quality of recommendations provided (No more than 3 recommendations total).
To preview the job questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12306086.
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