Summary Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Chief Counsel, located in Baltimore, MD. Responsibilities The Office of Chief Counsel is one of the Government's largest and oldest legal offices. OCC attorneys work on cutting-edge legal issues and provide critical legal guidance across the CBP portfolio, including trade enforcement, search and seizure, immigration, and government ethics. They also represent the agency in labor and employment matters and provide litigation support to the Department of Justice. This position starts at a salary of $167,603.00 (GS-15, Step 1) to $195,200.00 (GS-15, Step 10) The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal guidance to, and legal representation of, CBP management in matters relating to the activities and functions of CBP. The Office is also responsible for reviewing proposed actions to ensure compliance with legal requirements, preparing formal legal opinions, preparing or reviewing responses in all court actions, civil or criminal, involving CBP, and developing, implementing, and evaluating nationwide programs and procedures within its functional areas. The Office of the Chief Counsel has both a Headquarters and a field structure. The Headquarters office is located in Washington, D.C. and its activities are divided broadly into three functional areas: Ethics, Labor and Employment; Enforcement and Operations; and Trade and Finance, under the supervision of Associate Chief Counsels. The field structure consists of Associate and Assistant Chief Counsels located in major cities across the United States and who advise CBP field managers in their geographic areas. Typical work assignments include: Serving as the senior principal attorney to all operating components of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) including, the Office of Field Operations, the ports under that office, the Office of Regulatory Audit, the Border Patrol and the Office of Air & Marine; Responding to and providing legal guidance to clients on the interpretation of Customs, Immigration and related laws, the scope of authority of CBP officials, the legal implications of their actions, and litigation affecting CBP, both criminal and civil; Reviewing cases for possible appeal where a decision is unfavorable to the government, handling appeals or portions thereof including preparation of motions and briefs and the presentation of oral arguments at the request of the Department of Justice, and directing the representation of CBP before other forums such as state courts and administrative agencies; Managing the legal office, planning and implementing a legal program; and Supervising and training attorneys and support staff, reviewing work assignments, and making recommendations on hiring, promotion and awards. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, 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. Financial Disclosure is required. Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit. Qualifications Qualifications Required: Applicants must have a minimum of five years of substantive legal experience as a licensed attorney and a minimum of two years of federal service at the GS-0905-14 grade level by the closing of this announcement and the following: Applicants should also possess and demonstrate the ability to supervise the work of others. Specialized Education: Applicant must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 07/07/2025. 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 5 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. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process. Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Education Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position. Additional Information Relocation: Should relocation funding be available, expenses may be offered to the selectee either as a full "Permanent Change of Station" (PCS) or as a lump-sum payment under CBP's Voluntary Relocation Plan test program (VRP). Should the selectee be offered the VRP in lieu of any relocation benefits available under the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), 41 C.F.R., Subtitle F, Chapter 302, the amount of the lump-sum payment will vary depending upon whether you rent or own your current residence and whether your residence is a single or multiple-person household. Any relocation expenses incurred that are greater than the VRP lump-sum payment amount will be your responsibility, and no subsequent claims for relocation expenses will be granted by CBP. The lump-sum payment, which will be made through direct deposit, will be treated as wages and, thus, will be subject to all applicable employment tax withholdings. To be eligible for the VRP, you must sign an employment agreement by completing CBP Form 334C-1 at the time of selection. Additional information can be found in CBP Directive 5330-026a, which is available on the CBPNet Policy Page. Supervisory Trial/Probationary Period: CBP Directive No. 51250-009 requires that all first-time supervisors and managers serve an 18-month trial/probationary period upon initial appointment. You may also be required to complete an appropriate supervisory training course within 90 days of assignment to this position. Financial Disclosure: The applicant selected for this position will be required to file a new entrant OGE Form 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report no later than 30 days after assuming this position, and on an annual basis thereafter while encumbering this position. If, however, the applicant has, within 30 days prior to assuming this position, left another position for which the filing of an OGE Form 450 is required and has previously satisfied the reporting requirements applicable to that former position, no new entrant OGE Form 450 shall be required. 5 C.F.R. Section 2634.903. Travel: You will be required to travel as needed for any mandatory training, and to provide legal support to or on behalf of CBP clients or to deliver training, in various field operating locations. This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process (Excepted Service) and is not in the competitive civil service. Veterans Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however the Office of Chief Counsel considers veteran's preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process. 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 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 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.
