Skip to main content
Posted May 18, 2024

Attorney Advisor

Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Washington, D.C. Full Time
Reference: ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement791916100

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is seeking an attorney to serve as Attorney Advisor to ICE's Office of Diversity and Civil Rights (ODCR).

This position is located at OPLA Headquarters, in Washington, D.C. The selectee may be approved for local remote work (i.e., within a 50-mile radius of the agency worksite). This position is also telework-eligible, in conformance with agency policy. Applicants must be a graduate of an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Please see Required Documents for more information.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available; if such an incentive is available and is authorized, a service agreement will be required.

The Attorney Advisor will be an employee of OPLA but will exclusively provide advice and counsel in support of ODCR and advise ODCR's Assistant Director and the Assistant Director's designees on legal issues related to ODCR's service within ICE.

OPLA is the largest legal program in DHS, employing over 1,200 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 25 OPLA field locations in more than 60 cities throughout the United States. Pursuant to statute, OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review, litigating cases involving criminal noncitizens, terrorists, human rights violators, and other priority noncitizens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.

OPLA provides legal advice and prudential counsel to ICE personnel on their law enforcement authorities, legal liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act and Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, ethics, and a range of administrative law issues, such as contract, fiscal and employment law. OPLA represents the agency before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. OPLA attorneys support DOJ in the prosecution of ICE cases and in the defense of civil cases against ICE.

ODCR is responsible for directing and integrating the application of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as other applicable non-discrimination complaint systems and affirmative employment programs. The mission of ODCR is to ensure that the rights of employees and applicants are protected, and that the agency promotes a proactive equal employment opportunity program to ensure the goal of an ethnically diverse workplace is achieved.

The selected attorney will be assigned significant responsibilities on an immediate basis. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Reviewing the legal sufficiency of ODCR work product, such as policies, settlement agreements, recommendations on reasonable accommodation requests, investigative plans, and reports of investigation in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) cases;
  • Participating in ICE-wide training organized and provided by ODCR; providing training to ODCR staff and agency supervisors; being routinely available to timely address legal issues and respond to ODCR staff requests for related guidance on issues as they arise; and
  • Providing oral and written briefings that accurately and effectively present the Agency's position on Diversity and Civil Rights matters to ODCR staff and high-level Agency executives.

OPLA fosters an environment in which all voices are heard and values the unique perspectives and opinions that inhere among a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce. Comprising a far more diverse workforce than its private sector counterparts, OPLA is proud to strive to further diversify the experiences, perspectives, and characteristics of its workforce. It is committed to celebrating our differences and embracing practices that foster a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace by promoting equitable access to opportunities. In keeping with this commitment, OPLA will ensure that qualified applicants with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is required for any part of the application process, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Applicants must have experience with the EEO process and expertise with the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other relevant authorities. Applicants must also possess the following skills and competencies: excellent oral and written communication skills; strong inter-personal and teamwork skills; the ability to synthesize and apply complex legal issues; advising and briefing senior level officials on sensitive matters; attention to detail; institutional and organizational savvy; and the ability to work well both independently and with a team.

In addition, applicants for this position should be able to demonstrate:
  • The ability to conduct legal research, review evidence, negotiate possible resolutions, and plan legal approaches;
  • Mastery and skill applying advanced legal theories, principles, concepts, standards and methods to provide expert legal guidance and advice in Diversity and Civil Rights law to senior leadership;
  • Expertise in Diversity and Civil Rights law when handling matters involving compliance and regulations and knowledge of federal court practices and procedure;
  • Expertise drafting written materials and preparing factual analysis and legal opinions; and
  • The ability to provide oral and written briefings that effectively presents the Agency's legal position on Diversity and Civil Rights to high level executives.
Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 C.F.R. 213.3102(u), and Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Sign up for Job Alerts