Attorney Advisor

Attorney Advisor - Employment/Ethics Counsel Hiring Organization

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

Hiring Office

Legal Division

Location: 145 N. Street, N. E.

Location: 145 N. Street, N. E.
Washington, DC 20530 - United States

Application Deadline:

About the Office

This position serves as an Attorney Advisor (General), located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

The primary purpose of this position is to represent the COPS Office in all aspects of the EEO process, including Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and federal court litigation, and provide advice and training to management and staff on employment issues, including adverse employment actions, managing employee conduct and performance management issues, labor relations, workplace harassment, and related employment topics. This position will also serve as the ethics official for the office.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Job Description

Oversees the legal representation of the COPS Office in all employment and labor matters, including EEOC and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) cases, Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) issues, Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) reviews, internal grievances, performance and conduct matters, unfair labor practice allegations, negotiability disputes, and other sensitive employee matters that may require the involvement of the Office of General Counsel in supporting or advising Human Resources and COPS Office management.

Provides expert legal advice and counsel to the Office of the Director, Deputy Directors, General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, and other program management and staff on all EEO, employment, and labor issues facing the office, including interpretation of all applicable laws, regulations, orders, and other legal precedent, and provides relevant training for COPS Office management and/or staff.

Manages the office's ethics program and provides ethics advice and training to COPS Office staff on the Executive Branch Standards of Conduct, and coordinates ethics approvals with DOJ and COPS Office leadership as necessary.

Manages the confidential and public financial reporting requirement process for the office.

Compiles and edits policy and legal materials related to ethics to ensure conformity with legal requirements. Develops internal and external ethics reports and manages responses to agency ethics data calls. Leads representation of the COPS Office at DOJ ethics forums and meetings.

Consults with EEO staff, COPS Office and DOJ personnel offices, and other DOJ legal counsel on employment matters to provide advice and to ensure internal agency consistency and compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, orders, or other legal guidance.

Manages the training program for COPS Office management and/or staff on EEO and employment issues to ensure understanding of and compliance with applicable legal requirements, supervisory responsibilities, and labor/employment policies.

Provides advice and counsel to management and supervisors on labor relations and bargaining units. Represents the COPS Office in collective bargaining negotiations.

Compiles and edits policy and legal materials related to employment and labor to ensure conformity with legal requirements.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar, and have a minimum of five years of professional legal experience.

A minimum of two years of legal supervisory experience.

A minimum of one year of litigation or advisory employment law experience.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION

Employee represents the office in all aspects of EEO and labor proceedings, ranging from the complaint stage to formal legal hearings before the EEOC, district courts, and appellate courts. If applicable, the employee represents the office in all labor negotiations, including collective bargaining, and related meetings, briefings, and training sessions. Employee also has the responsibility of ensuring compliance with applicable EEO and labor laws, regulations, orders, and other precedent by providing briefings, trainings, and written and oral guidance to COPS Office management and staff to prevent violations of applicable requirements.

The employee maintains strong interpersonal and negotiating skills to provide the optimal legal representation for the office.

The employee may also represent the office in all aspects of federal ethics proceedings, ranging from providing ethics training and ethics advice to COPS Office management and staff to coordinating ethics-related investigations with DOJ's Ethics Office and/or the Office of the Inspector General. The employee demonstrates exceptional sensitivity and discretion in handling confidential ethics matters and provides timely and expert advice to assist management and staff in complying with federal ethics requirements.

The employee may also represent COPS Office management in labor-relations matters, coordinating and effectively communicating decisions with designated labor relations liaisons.

Application Process

To apply, applicants must submit their resume and a cover letter that highlights their interest in the position and addresses in detail how they meet the qualifications. Applicants must also submit a short writing sample or part of a longer writing sample (not to exceed ten pages), which should be exclusively or primarily the applicant's work and should include legal analysis. Additionally, the applicant should provide a current list of professional references. Please submit applications via email to . Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM (EST), Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

GS-0905-14/15 ($139,395 to $181,216 / $163,964 to $191,900 / Per Year)

Telework eligible: Yes

Number of Positions

1

Travel

Occasional Travel may be required.

Relocation Expenses

No

Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department 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 of Justice.For more information, please review our fullEEO Statement .

Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. 213.3102(u hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list ofDPOCs .

Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation.Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, ). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S . click apply for full job details