General Attorney (Assistant General Counsel)

Summary

OGC attorneys advise JMD and Department management in areas such as appropriations, budget and financial management, agency organizational management, personnel, procurement, access to government records (FOIA and Privacy Act), security, and delegations of authority. OGC attorneys also litigate in administrative forums and assist litigating divisions and U.S. Attorney's Offices (USAOs) when JMD matters are in the federal courts.

Duties

• About the Office: The Justice Management Division (JMD) is the administrative arm of the Department of Justice, headed by the Assistant Attorney General for Administration (AAG/A). The JMD Office of the General Counsel (OGC) functions as "in-house" counsel to the AAG/A, JMD managers, and senior Department leadership on a wide variety of matters relating to the organization, management, and administration of the Department. OGC attorneys advise JMD and Department management in areas such as appropriations, budget and financial management, agency organizational management, personnel, vacancies and appointments, labor and employment, procurement and government contracts, access to government records (FOIA and Privacy Act), security, information technology, property, audits, travel, and delegations of authority. OGC attorneys also litigate in administrative forums and assist litigating divisions and U.S. Attorney's Offices (USAOs) when JMD matters are in the federal courts. Job Description: This position reports to a JMD Deputy General Counsel. However, the incumbent also has significant collaborative interaction with the General Counsel, attorney colleagues in the office, and managers throughout JMD and the Department. The work of the attorney selected for this position involves research, review, and analysis of relevant statutes, regulations, administrative and judicial decisions, and other applicable authorities to defend the agency in administrative litigation and to provide legal advice or opinions to Department of Justice managers and offices to assist them to formulate administrative policy or to make difficult management decisions; providing written advice on the legal ramifications of new or proposed regulations; and reviewing agency policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance, recommending changes, as necessary. The attorney chosen for this position may have opportunities to conduct or be involved in litigation, including representing the Department of Justice in bid protests at the Government Accountability Office, contract disputes at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, employment discrimination matters at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, personnel and whistleblower matters at the Merit Systems Protection Board, and, as appropriate, to assist litigating divisions and USAOs when JMD matters are in the federal courts. The selectee may have opportunities to advise contracting personnel on an ongoing basis about Department procurements, and JMD managers on an ongoing basis regarding employment issues. The selectee may also have opportunities for involvement in cooperative work with attorneys and executives of other components and agencies regarding matters, initiatives, or projects of mutual concern or interagency responsibility.

Qualifications

Qualifications: OGC is looking for candidates with experience in one or more of OGC's practice areas, as listed above. The Office is interested in candidates with demonstrated ability to efficiently and thoroughly research and incisively analyze a wide variety of complex issues; to express themselves clearly and persuasively in oral and written presentations; to exercise sound judgment; to manage a workload consisting of a number of varied projects, without specific guidelines and often with short deadlines; and to contribute to and work in a supportive and collaborative environment. Applicants must be United States citizens, have a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, be an active member in good standing of the bar of any state (or the District of Columbia), and have no less than four years post-J.D. legal experience.

Education

See Qualification section above for education requirement. Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

How to apply

Application Process: To apply, interested individuals must submit the following documents via email to: [email protected] Cover letter that highlights qualifications and interest in the position; Resume, highlighting experience relevant to the duties and qualifications listed above; Copy of J.D. or equivalent degree (official transcript with conferred status is acceptable); Proof of active bar membership; Most recent SF-50; A statement indicating whether you are or have been a political appointee in the past five (5) years (if applicable); A list of at least three professional references; A brief writing sample or part of a longer writing sample (not exceeding 10 pages) that is exclusively or primarily the applicant's work and includes legal analysis; and Copy of most recent performance appraisal or rating (federal employees only). Note: Writing samples and performance appraisals may be redacted, as appropriate, to protect sensitive information. Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 10, 2026 Need Help? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc. Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement for assistance.