Legal Careers
General Counsel
Washington, DC 20002 - United States
This position serves as the General Counsel for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS Office”) under the administrative direction of the Director of the COPS Office. The incumbent has the responsibility of managing the legal activities of the COPS Office and ensuring that COPS Office operations and programs comply with applicable laws and advance Administration, Attorney General, and Director priorities in accordance with federal law and ethics requirements. COPS Office operations and grant programs are governed by laws, regulations, orders, and relevant policies and the viability of the COPS Office is dependent upon the incumbent’s ability to represent the agency in the most effective manner.
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.
This is a permanent position. If you are selected as the General Counsel, your responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Oversees the Legal Division staff in providing legal advice to COPS Office management, staff, and grantees, and in coordinating on related legal matters with other Justice Department components. Delegates to the Deputy General Counsel the responsibility for managing and supervising attorneys who provide legal advice regarding the full range of COPS Office operations and programs, including (but not limited to) the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, federal grant law, appropriations law, copyright law, administrative law, legislative drafting, labor relations, employment law, ethics, tribal law, procurement law, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Privacy Act. This also includes the representation of the COPS Office in all employment matters requiring legal assistance, including Equal Employment Opportunity and Merit Systems Protection Board cases, internal grievances, performance and conduct matters, and other sensitive employee matters that may require the involvement of the Legal Division in supporting or advising Human Resources and COPS Office management, such as, providing expert direction to staff investigating allegations of misconduct, conducting legal sufficiency reviews of adverse action proposals and decisions, and advising on personnel policy issues.
- Provides expert legal, policy, and programmatic advice to the Director and other executive level positions within the COPS Office based on knowledge of relevant law and COPS Office operations and programs. Represents the COPS Office in the most complex or high profile legal matters facing the office, including matters involving Attorney General priorities, Administration initiatives, and Director priorities.
- Interprets applicable executive and administrative orders, rules, regulations, and statutes relevant to the COPS Office. Provides the Director and other executive level staff with sound legal advice that may influence policy and program decisions.
Ensures that the Legal Division incorporates the Director’s priorities into strategic planning initiatives and that Legal Division staff are aware of the connection of their respective workloads to advancing those priorities, agency strategic plans, and the COPS Office mission.
KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION
- Extensive knowledge of the federal laws governing grant programs and agency operations, including (but not limited to) federal grant law, appropriations law, legislative drafting, administrative law, employment law, federal ethics requirements, labor relations, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Privacy Act.
- Knowledge of the full range of federal agency operational requirements. Advises the Director and other executive level positions in managing, including (but not limited to) federal budget development and execution, the federal appropriations process, grant program development and implementation, internal and external communication strategies, employee staffing and engagement, organizational structure, and strategic planning.
- Demonstrated supervisory skills, including the full range of requirements for federal supervisors such as recruiting, hiring, training, managing performance and conduct, assessing and assigning workloads, coaching, and mentoring.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex matters and appropriately identify legal and policy issues, both orally and in writing. Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to interact successfully with employees from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, senior Justice Department officials, and members of the public.
- Ability to develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships at all levels.
- Demonstrated ability to determine and give effect to Congressional intent on enacted bills including researching and analyzing legislative history to find support, clarification, or precedence on the interpretation of federal statutes.
- Demonstrated ability to review and revise proposed legislation and amendments including writing in plain English and analyzing the impact of proposed legislation on COPS Office programs and activities.
- Demonstrated ability to provide guidance on the use of appropriated funds including a comprehensive understanding of the Principles of Federal Appropriations Law and Comptroller General decisions.
- Demonstrated experience with federal labor relations/unions.
- A minimum of five years of professional legal experience at the GS-14 or higher level.
- A minimum of one year of litigation or advisory employment law experience.
To apply, interested candidates should: - Submit their resume - A cover letter that highlights the applicant’s interest in the position, and addresses in detail how they meet the qualifications - 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 - Current list of references - Contact information. Submit applications to Shanetta Cutlar via email to Shanetta.Cutlar@usdoj.gov. Applications are due no later than midnight, November 25, 2019.
For more information about the COPS Office please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
GS-905-15 ($137,849 to $166,500 / Per Year)
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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.
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.
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, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). 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, 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). 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.
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