Summary

Department of Justice (DOJ) agencies post experienced attorney job announcements on the DOJ Careers page.

Please visit DOJ Careers on this specific vacancy announcement. The DOJ typically hires hundreds of attorneys each year.

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED: All groups of qualified individuals.

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens

Duties

The Office of Chief Counsel and each of its sections serve the DEA mission in a variety of ways. Representative work of the sections includes the following, and applicants with experience in these areas are preferred.

• Affirmative Litigation: works with prosecutors across the Department of Justice handling complex enforcement suits brought against the pharmaceutical industry for failure to comply with statutory and regulatory legal obligations.
• Diversion: works with investigators across the country to bring administrative enforcement actions against doctors, pharmacists and pharmaceutical industry who handle controlled substances in a manner inconsistent with regulation; litigate complex matters in administrative court and coordinate parallel criminal and civil proceedings; provide legal guidance in the promulgation of regulations, review legislative proposals and provide training to DEA personnel in this area of law.
• Employment Defensive Litigation: defend DEA in administrative cases before the Merit Systems Protection Board and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; provide litigation support in Title VII and personnel-related litigation in the respective federal courts of the US; process administrative tort claims for personal injury and property damages due to DEA employees actions or omission that occurred during the performance of their official duties; and provide counseling on employment and personnel matters.
• Finance & Ethics: assists in the operation and management of DEA's ethics program, to include review of confidential and public financial disclosures, developing and delivering employee training, providing ethics advice to employees and leadership, and ensuring DEA complies with Department of Justice and Office of Government Ethics requirements; and provides advice on fiscal law and policy matters and participates in review of procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, financial assistance agreements, interagency agreements, and other non-procurement contracts as assigned.
• Foreign: provides legal guidance to DEA personnel in 92 foreign field offices in 69 countries across 8 foreign divisions and the Headquarters Office of Foreign Operations on all aspects of international law. Foreign Section attorneys provide legal, policy, and operational advice on legal issues raised by DEA law enforcement operations abroad with an international nexus, including among other topics: foreign litigation, diplomatic and consular immunity issues, undercover investigative activities, money laundering, maritime operations, and export compliance.
• Forfeiture: provides legal guidance to DEA personnel and prosecutors related to the seizure of assets obtained using criminal proceeds; litigation in criminal and civil court; review legislative proposals and provide training around the world on the use of forfeiture as an enforcement tool.
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) & Information Law: serves as agency counsel for DEA in defense of FOIA lawsuits filed in federal court; advises DEA on all requests for release of DEA information; and complies with FOIA and the Privacy Act by providing requesters with access to non-exempt agency records.
• Intelligence Law: guides and supports DEA's Intelligence Division (IN) leadership and personnel; oversees all legal aspects related to the IN Division mission worldwide; advise and support IN Division personnel as they collect, collate, analyze, and disseminate tactical, investigative, and strategic drug-related intelligence information to federal, state, and local agencies, which supports effective law enforcement operations and initiatives against drug trafficking domestically and around the world.
• Support & E-Litigation: provides legal advice and training; formulates agency policies that incorporate the latest developments concerning electronically stored information and related fields into DEA's mission; provides comprehensive litigation support involving electronic record retention, storage, retrieval, preservation, and production; and serves in an expert capacity to manage the retrieval and exchange of records, including electronically stored information, in the discovery process.
• Strategic Programs: provides legal guidance focusing on domestic criminal law and policy, technology law, and privacy law; manages and coordinates DEA's legal training portfolio; provide verbal and written guidance for operational matters associated with criminal enforcement of Titles 18 and 21, surveillance techniques, the use of emerging technology (AI, biometrics, drones) by law enforcement, internet and social media investigatory issues, and lab science and discovery issues; assist prosecutors with trial preparation, filings, and discovery; develop and conduct standardized legal training; prepare privacy documentation in support of DEA programs; and, review legislative proposals impacting DEA and DOJ.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to obtain and maintain Security Clearance
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Drug testing designated position
• Must be active member of a Bar Association

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

All applicants must be an active member of a bar in good standing (any jurisdiction) and possess: 1) a J.D. degree; 2) excellent academic credentials; 3) strong oral and written advocacy skills; 4) superior legal research and analytical skills; and 5) a demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment. Five (5) years of legal experience is preferred, and experience in administrative law is also preferred but not required.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  Applicants must submit a detailed resume, a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, a legal writing sample, and the below-described Drug Questionnaire.
  
  The cover letter should include the announcement number, job title, and location.
  
  A copy of the Drug Questionnaire can be located at
  
  https://www.justice.gov/forms?title=Drug+Questionnaire&field_component_target_id=466&items_per_page=25
  
  If Applicable; Applicants must submit as SF-50 and annotate on their resume if they are a current or former Political Appointee (within the last 5 years).
  
  All Application materials must be in a least 12-point font. Writing samples should not exceed 10 pages. The applicant's cover letter should highlight relevant experience and qualifications applicable to the position.
• How to Apply
  
  To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 07/03/2024to receive consideration.
  
  1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
  
  2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
  
  3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
  
  4. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package,
  
  We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.
  
  For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.
  
  Reasonable Accommodations Request: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.
  
  If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Debra Jordan
  
  Phone
  
  571-776-2688
  
  Email
  
  Debra.M.Jordan@usdoj.gov
  
  Address
  
  Drug Enforcement Administration
  
  Do Not Send Postal Mail
  
  Springfield, VA 21310
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  Applicants will be notified if they are selected for an interview.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Applicants must submit a detailed resume, a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, a legal writing sample, and the below-described Drug Questionnaire.

The cover letter should include the announcement number, job title, and location.

A copy of the Drug Questionnaire can be located at

https://www.justice.gov/forms?title=Drug+Questionnaire&field_component_target_id=466&items_per_page=25

If Applicable; Applicants must submit as SF-50 and annotate on their resume if they are a current or former Political Appointee (within the last 5 years).

All Application materials must be in a least 12-point font. Writing samples should not exceed 10 pages. The applicant's cover letter should highlight relevant experience and qualifications applicable to the position.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 07/03/2024to receive consideration.

1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.

2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.

3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.

4. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package,

We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.

Reasonable Accommodations Request: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.

If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

Agency contact information

Debra Jordan

Phone

571-776-2688

Email

Debra.M.Jordan@usdoj.gov

Address

Drug Enforcement Administration

Do Not Send Postal Mail

Springfield, VA 21310

US

Next steps

Applicants will be notified if they are selected for an interview.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request