Attorney Advisor (CLC Attorney)

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Duties

The legal practice at the Los Angeles Consolidated Legal Center (CLC) with office location at the Federal Correctional Complex Victorville CA (FCC Victorville) covers a wide variety of issues focusing on correctional law either through administrative channels or litigation in federal court. Issues include such matters as inmates reasonable access to the courts (e.g. access to legal materials legal correspondence and attorney-client visits) conditions of confinement (e.g. medical care diet and religious accommodations housing assignments hygiene & sanitation) and post-sentence administration (e.g. sentence computation and inmate discipline).

This position is part of the Los Angeles CLC and the position is located at FCC Victorville as part of a legal team that oversees legal matters in the Central District of California associated with Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) operations which includes the following correctional institutions: Metropolitan Detention Center at Los Angeles (MDC LOS) Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island (FCI Terminal Island) Federal Correctional Complex at Lompoc (FCC Lompoc) and the Federal Correctional Complex at Victorville (FCC Victorville).

As a member of the Los Angeles CLC the incumbent is expected to provide advice and guidance to all levels of staff at these correctional facilities including members of the Executive Staff. The incumbent may also be required to handle other BOP legal matters (including litigation) as assigned which are outside the Central District of California and pertain to other BOP institutions. The incumbent must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and the ability to work closely and communicate clearly with defense attorneys prosecutors federal courts and agency officials. The incumbent is expected to possess excellent skills in both legal research and writing as the position requires incumbent to perform extensive work in these areas with minimal oversight. The incumbent must have thorough knowledge of all aspects of BOP policy and practice as he/she may be required to appear in District Court on short notice to explain and advocate the agencys rational for its correctional management decisions.

The duties of this position may at times require frequent and direct contact with individuals in confinement who are suspected or convicted of serious criminal offenses. It has also been determined that the duties of this position require experience and knowledge of the on-the-job responsibilities of a primary law enforcement officer working in a detention facility. Because of the nature and mission of this position it requires hands-on understanding of the issues encompassed in working within an institution. The incumbent may be called on to perform as a law enforcement officer in a correctional environment during training emergency situations times of staff shortages and under any other type of correctional operating crisis. Specific correctional responsibilities may include custody and supervision of inmates responding to emergencies and institution disturbances participating in fog and escape patrols and assuming correctional officer posts when necessary. The incumbent may be required to conduct pat down and visual searches of inmates and search inmate work or living areas for contraband. The incumbent must be prepared to use physical control in situations where necessary such as in fights among inmates assaults on staff and during riots or escape attempts.

The Practice areas related to this position are: Correctional Law Civil Litigation and Constitutional Law.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement:
• U.S. Citizenship is Required.

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 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).

Qualifications

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

Preferred qualifications: Prior and extensive experience in correctional law and/or federal civil litigation is preferred but not required.

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements if applicable .

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name Student Name Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education) you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

This is a primary law enforcement position. Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age of 36 for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution applicants for this announcement can be considered up to age 39.

If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage you must submit a SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age.

A prerequisite requirement of this position is the successful completion of Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I locally and the satisfactory completion of a mandatory course in Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase II at the Staff Training Academy.

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

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 Pursuant to DOJ component policies only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review U.S. Trustees 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 Departments 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

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview urinalysis physical and background investigation.

All applicants are subject to and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check and must pass a review of their income tax filing history.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their particular please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority