Legal Advisor

Profile

The mission of the Professional Responsibility Office (PRAO) is to ensure that Department of Justice (Department) attorneys perform their duties in accordance with the high professional standards expected of the Nation's principal law enforcement agency. PRAO, which reports directly to the Deputy Attorney General, provides professional responsibility advice to Senior Management Officials, Department attorneys and Assistant United States Attorneys worldwide about how to carry out their duties in compliance with the applicable rules of professional conduct. PRAO conducts in-person professional responsibility training for Department attorneys at offices nation-wide and the Department's National Advocacy Center and hosts frequent webinars. PRAO provides litigation assistance to Department components and offices in defending attorneys who may have been accused of engaging in professional misconduct. PRAO also serves as the Department's liaison with state and national bar organizations.
PRAO is a small, collegial, and service-driven organization which supports the entire Department. Our office places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives and encourages applications from all qualified men and women from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQIA individuals, and persons with disabilities.
Remote work is possible in appropriate circumstances.
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:
The incumbent will:
• Advise Senior Management Officials, Department attorneys and Assistant United States Attorneys about professional responsibility issues arising in their cases, investigations and other work for the Department, including advising on high-profile, sensitive and national security matters.
• Research and draft opinions regarding the application of the rules of professional conduct to the work of Department attorneys.
• Provide litigation assistance to Department components and offices in defending Department attorneys who have been accused of engaging in misconduct.
• Develop and present professional responsibility training nation-wide leveraging latest technologies.
• Participate in PRAO's outreach to bar organizations, bar counsel and the professional responsibility community.
Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing of a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) of admission and date (s)) on their respective resumes.Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, have at least 5 years of relevant post-J.D. experience, and be an active member of the bar in good standing of a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicants are responsible for citing J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) of admission and date (s)) on their respective resumes.
Salary:
Salary and grade level determinations are made based on the number of years of qualifying experience. The salary range for this position is GS-14/15.
Travel:
Travel required several times a year for training and sometimes for attendance at professional responsibility conferences.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience), a resume and writing sample demonstrating your ability to analyze and expound on complicated, nuanced legal issues to:
****
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, PRAO is not accepting hard copy or fax applications at this time. No telephone calls please.
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
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.
Relocation Expenses:
Relocation expenses will not be reimbursed.
Number of Positions:
2
Updated February 3, 2023
Department Policies
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 full  EEO 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 of DPOCs
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. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Veterans
:  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 Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website,  **** for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
USAO Residency Requirement
:  Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof.  See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies
and Volunteer Legal Internships
. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.
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