Supervisory General Attorney Job in Baltimore, MD

Vacancy No. OCC-25/11-DE-12747405-LLE Department Customs and Border Protection
Salary $167,603.00 to $195,200.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/16/2025 Close Date 7/7/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Baltimore, MD


Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Chief Counsel, located in Baltimore, MD.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to the public

Duties

The Office of Chief Counsel is one of the Government's largest and oldest legal offices. OCC attorneys work on cutting-edge legal issues and provide critical legal guidance across the CBP portfolio, including trade enforcement, search and seizure, immigration, and government ethics. They also represent the agency in labor and employment matters and provide litigation support to the Department of Justice.

This position starts at a salary of $167,603.00 (GS-15, Step 1) to $195,200.00 (GS-15, Step 10)

The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal guidance to, and legal representation of, CBP management in matters relating to the activities and functions of CBP. The Office is also responsible for reviewing proposed actions to ensure compliance with legal requirements, preparing formal legal opinions, preparing or reviewing responses in all court actions, civil or criminal, involving CBP, and developing, implementing, and evaluating nationwide programs and procedures within its functional areas. The Office of the Chief Counsel has both a Headquarters and a field structure. The Headquarters office is located in Washington, D.C. and its activities are divided broadly into three functional areas: Ethics, Labor and Employment; Enforcement and Operations; and Trade and Finance, under the supervision of Associate Chief Counsels. The field structure consists of Associate and Assistant Chief Counsels located in major cities across the United States and who advise CBP field managers in their geographic areas. Typical work assignments include:

  • Serving as the senior principal attorney to all operating components of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
    including, the Office of Field Operations, the ports under that office, the Office of Regulatory Audit, the Border
    Patrol and the Office of Air & Marine;
  • Responding to and providing legal guidance to clients on the interpretation of Customs, Immigration and related laws, the scope of
    authority of CBP officials, the legal implications of their actions, and litigation affecting CBP, both criminal and
    civil;
  • Reviewing cases for possible appeal where a decision is unfavorable to the government, handling appeals or
    portions thereof including preparation of motions and briefs and the presentation of oral arguments at the
    request of the Department of Justice, and directing the representation of CBP before other forums such as state
    courts and administrative agencies;
  • Managing the legal office, planning and implementing a legal program; and
  • Supervising and training attorneys and support staff, reviewing work assignments, and making recommendations
    on hiring, promotion and awards.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
  • Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
  • As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
  • DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
  • Financial Disclosure is required.
  • Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Qualifications Required:

Applicants must have a minimum of five years of substantive legal experience as a licensed attorney and a minimum of two years of federal service at the GS-0905-14 grade level by the closing of this announcement and the following:
  • Applicants should also possess and demonstrate the ability to supervise the work of others.
Specialized Education: Applicant must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 07/07/2025.

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 5 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.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
  • A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
  • Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
  • Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

Relocation: Should relocation funding be available, expenses may be offered to the selectee either as a full "Permanent Change of Station" (PCS) or as a lump-sum payment under CBP's Voluntary Relocation Plan test program (VRP). Should the selectee be offered the VRP in lieu of any relocation benefits available under the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), 41 C.F.R., Subtitle F, Chapter 302, the amount of the lump-sum payment will vary depending upon whether you rent or own your current residence and whether your residence is a single or multiple-person household. Any relocation expenses incurred that are greater than the VRP lump-sum payment amount will be your responsibility, and no subsequent claims for relocation expenses will be granted by CBP. The lump-sum payment, which will be made through direct deposit, will be treated as wages and, thus, will be subject to all applicable employment tax withholdings. To be eligible for the VRP, you must sign an employment agreement by completing CBP Form 334C-1 at the time of selection. Additional information can be found in CBP Directive 5330-026a, which is available on the CBPNet Policy Page.

Supervisory Trial/Probationary Period: CBP Directive No. 51250-009 requires that all first-time supervisors and managers serve an 18-month trial/probationary period upon initial appointment. You may also be required to complete an appropriate supervisory training course within 90 days of assignment to this position.

Financial Disclosure: The applicant selected for this position will be required to file a new entrant OGE Form 450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report no later than 30 days after assuming this position, and on an annual basis thereafter while encumbering this position. If, however, the applicant has, within 30 days prior to assuming this position, left another position for which the filing of an OGE Form 450 is required and has previously satisfied the reporting requirements applicable to that former position, no new entrant OGE Form 450 shall be required. 5 C.F.R. Section 2634.903.

Travel: You will be required to travel as needed for any mandatory training, and to provide legal support to or on behalf of CBP clients or to deliver training, in various field operating locations.

This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process (Excepted Service) and is not in the competitive civil service.

Veterans Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however the Office of Chief Counsel considers veteran's preference eligibility as a positive factor in the hiring process.

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 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 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.

Benefits

Learn more about OCC's mission, core values and careers at https://careers.cbp.gov/s/career-paths/occ/occ-attorney

Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants will be rated based on their education, experience, demonstrated legal research and writing abilities, and performance during the interview process, which may include personal interview(s) and a writing exercise.

Required Documents

You must include the following information (in addition to specific information requested elsewhere in the vacancy announcement) to receive consideration for this position:

Cover letter: Your application package must include a cover letter expressing your interest in this position. Please do not exceed two pages. Application packages received without a cover letter will not be given consideration.

Resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining grade setting. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, announcement number, veteran's preference, address, phone number, email, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note: It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords. USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my resume?

Transcripts: From an ABA approved law school or equivalent is required. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials. If submitting documentation of an evaluation, transcripts are still required. Note: Official/unofficial transcripts will be considered when applying for the position. However, if selected the position, an official law school transcript will be required at the time of selection. For a listing of some accrediting agencies, please see http://www.naces.org/members.htm. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.

Writing Sample: A writing sample is required as part of the application package and may not exceed five pages.

It is your responsibility to verify that information submitted (i.e., resume, veterans documentation, and SF-50's) is received and accurate and must be in English. Applications and supporting documentation will only be accepted by email at the address listed under the "How to Apply" section. The section also outlines the contact information for inquires.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by fax, hand-delivery or USA jobs.

Submit your application to:
Submit your application to:Ileana.gomez@cbp.dhs.gov, (A) Associate Chief Counsel, Northeast Region

In the subject line of your email, you must reference Vacancy Announcement CC/25-11.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information visit this link. Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by fax, hand-delivery, USA jobs or mail. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 07/07/2025. If all materials are not received, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Inquiries regarding this job opportunity announcement should be directed to: ileana.gomez@cbp.dhs.gov (A) Associate Chief Counsel, Northeast Region

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete

Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to hc-recordsmgmt@cbp.dhs.gov.


View common definitions of terms in this announcement.

Agency contact information

CBP Hiring Center
Address
Office of the Chief Counsel
Please see HOW TO APPLY
Washington, DC 20229
US

Next steps

GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table.

The open period for this job opportunity announcement may be extended to allow for a sufficient applicant pool.

After review of the application packages, highly qualified applicants may be contacted for interviews.

Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306 (Declaration for Federal Employment), and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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