Summary The Office of Immigration Litigation - General Litigation and Appeals Section (OIL-GLA) is responsible for the nationwide coordination of all civil immigration litigation before federal circuit courts of appeals and nearly all litigation in the district courts. OIL-GLA is comprised of more than 360 attorneys, litigation support, and administrative professionals. The office is led by a Director, three Deputy Directors, and one Associate Director, along with a dynamic group of attorney managers. Responsibilities As a Trial Attorney, the incumbent is responsible for: Coordinating with agency clients. Crafting litigation strategy. Conducting necessary pre-trial work. Drafting all complaints, motions, answers, and briefs. Participating in hearings, oral arguments, and court-ordered discussions. Engaging in settlement talks to advance government's interests. Making determinations about whether to seek panel, en banc, or Supreme Court/cert. review of adverse decisions. Substantially participating in further review briefing and argument. Handling attorney's fees litigation. OIL-GLA Trial Attorneys likewise contribute significantly as consultants on immigration-related inquires from Congress and the Department. OIL-GLA's litigation often involves high-profile matters, frequently entails short-fuse/emergency, fast-paced temporary restraining order litigation, and ordinarily requires analyzing substantially complex immigration, administrative, statutory interpretation, and constitutional law issues and principles. This is not a remote location position. You will be required to work in person five days a week. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Interested applicants must possess a J.D., or equivalent, degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing. To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must have up to one (1) year post-J.D. legal experience. To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must have up to one (1) or more years post-J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: performing legal analysis; composing pleadings, briefs and other court documents. Persuasiveness, reasoned judgment, strong writing skills, initiative and creativity, complex case management skills, a collaborative orientation, and a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards are highly valued. Preferred qualifications: Experience or interest in immigration law, trial work, and or appellate advocacy are highly valued, but not required. Trial Period Statement As a condition of employment for accepting this position in accordance with section 11.5 of Executive Order 14284, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Education All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Additional Information Veteran Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veterans' preference (VP), you should indicate the @type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific @type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the @types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/08-eeo-policy.pdf Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: www.benderconsult.com. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
