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 the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD) located in Camp Springs, MD.

Duties

The selectee for this vacancy will serve as a senior attorney providing advice to the Chief of the Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD), the Chief Counsel, the National Records Center (NRC) in Lee's Summit, MO, and USCIS officials in USCIS Headquarters. The attorney would report to the Deputy Chief of the Commercial and Administrative Law Division. This position has a particular focus on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), disclosure, and records law, and the Federal Torts Claims Act (FTCA) and Bivens. Among other duties, this position involves supporting the United States Attorney's Office and other Department of Justice attorneys in federal district court FOIA/Privacy Act (PA) litigation (e.g. drafting declarations and Vaughn indices, preparing and/or reviewing court pleadings, etc.), responding to administrative appeals of FOIA/PA requests, advising the NRC and USCIS Headquarters program offices on FOIA, records, and other disclosure issues, and responding to federal, state, and administrative court subpoenas . This position also involves supporting federal court district court FTCA and Bivens litigation (e.g. preparing litigation reports, drafting declarations, preparing and/or reviewing court pleadings) and responding to administrative tort claims under the FTCA). This position involves substantial written work product and requires outstanding writing and editing skills. The successful candidate will have strong communication skills and excel at managing multiple priorities, meeting difficult deadlines, and working cooperatively with both attorneys and non-attorneys. The attorney will provide oral and written legal advice and develop and conduct training. The attorney will also need to demonstrate the ability to represent and advocate for USCIS interests in federal court litigation. An attorney with demonstrated experience in FOIA, records, and disclosure law and FTCA and Bivens is highly desirable. Additionally, knowledge of and experience with Touhy matters is also desired. In addition to the other required documents specified below, applicants must submit a writing sample related to the FOIA and/or the FTCA.

Requirements

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 not to exceed 10 pages. 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/12633407.

Contacts

• Address
• Name: Latanya Jacobs
• Phone: 2407215009
• Email: [email protected]