Supvy Attorney-Adviser (General Counsel) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. PARDON-25-12750248-ATTORNEY Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $167,603.00 to $195,200.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/18/2025 Close Date 7/1/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Office of the Pardon Attorney (PARDON) fulfills the duties of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in support of the President's clemency power under Article II, § 2 of the Constitution. For over 130 years, the President has relied on the advice and assistance of Attorney General in exercising the clemency power.

Duties

PARDON is seeking an experienced attorney to serve in the role of General Counsel for PARDON, to perform duties, including litigation preparation, , coordination with litigating components of the Department, including General Counsel, Federal Programs, the Civil and Criminal Divisions, and U.S. Attorneys' Offices, to oversee the component's FOIA work, and to provide counsel and guidance to senior component managers on areas of general law and federal requirements. Among other responsibilities, the General Counsel provides high-level counsel and assistance to the Pardon Attorney, Senior Deputy Pardon Attorney and Deputy Pardon Attorney regarding the preparation and dissemination of policy-related guidance on matters of importance and sensitivity. The position will also serve as a first-line supervisor of a team of attorneys and legal support staff, rating overall performance, and assigning special projects to address assessed office needs.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Must complete a Background Investigation to include drug testing.
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  • You may be required to complete a one-year supervisory probationary period.
  • Must obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
  • Proof of law degree, and active bar membership.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
  • Selectee must complete a 2-year trial period.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction, and have a minimum of 5 years of post J.D. experience, and be a U.S. citizen.

The work of the General Counsel requires significant attention to detail and the ability to conduct complex legal research and analyses involving regulatory mandates, special initiatives of the Administration, Office of the Attorney General and Office of the Deputy Attorney General. Individuals must perform research on assigned questions of law or policy and prepare reports and memoranda for the use of senior officials of the Department. This position also requires the interpretation of Rules Governing Petitions for Executive Clemency (28 CFR 1.1 et seq.,) and other mission-critical programs of PARDON. A successful candidate will have the ability to manage a significant caseload and work both independently and collaboratively. The Office places a premium on the commitment and ability to prioritize assignments and efficiently produce high-quality work, including substantial, appropriately focused, and well-written work products.

Preferred Qualifications:
Practice experience in federal regulatory, privacy, FOIA, and criminal law, prior federal or administrative litigation experience, - and excellent legal research and writing skills are strongly preferred qualifications.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction)

Additional information

PARDON is the office designated to carry out this function under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General. PARDON receives petitions for executive clemency, initiates the necessary investigations, and prepares the recommendations for DOJ leadership and the President in the consideration of all forms of executive clemency, including commutation of sentence, pardon, reprieve, remission of fine, and commutation of the penalty of death. For more information about the Office, please visit our Web page at https://www.justice.gov/pardon.

This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.

This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies & 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.

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.

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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

Required Documents

Interested candidates should submit all of the following:

  1. Cover letter (highlighting relevant experience),
  2. Resume (see this USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial),
  3. Law school transcript, which shows date degree conferred (for application purposes, these can be unofficial).
  4. Professional legal writing sample (not to exceed 20 pages),
  5. Official certificate showing that the applicant is an active member in good standing of a state bar,
  6. Performance appraisal (if a current federal employee) issued within the last 12 months, or if none exists, a statement describing why one is not available, and
  7. Copy of your latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if a current federal employee).

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

***** If you would like to be considered for the position of Supervisory Attorney Adviser (GS-0905-15), please submit your application to Pardon.AttorneyVacancies@usdoj.gov. Please include "Attorney Adviser" in the subject line.

Agency contact information

Tamara Shelton
Address
Office of the Pardon Attorney
2 Constitution Square
145 N Street NE
Room 5E.300
Washington, DC 20530
US

Next steps

Questions regarding this vacancy should be emailed to: Pardon.AttorneyVacancies@usdoj.gov


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