Associate Principal Legal Advisor for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation

Summary

The incumbent of this position is one of two senior advisors to the Deputy Principal Legal Advisors for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation on all matters related to criminal, customs, and immigration law enforcement authorities, as well as litigation, general, and administrative law matters.

Duties

• The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) protects the homeland by diligently litigating cases while adhering to the highest standards of professional conduct, providing timely and accurate legal advice, and optimizing resources to advance the missions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE. OPLA is the legal arm of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), providing mission-critical legal services, counsel, and training to support ICE initiatives and programs vital to protecting U.S. national security, public safety, and the integrity of the immigration system. OPLA is part of the Office of the General Counsel within DHS. The General Counsel, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the Department's chief legal officer and principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. As such, the General Counsel is responsible for all of the Department's legal determinations and for overseeing all of its attorneys. The Associate Principal Legal Advisor (APLA) for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation (EG&L) serves as the first-line supervisor to Division Counsel in either the enforcement-focused divisions (Homeland Security Investigations Law, Human Rights Violator Law, Immigration Law Practice, and National Security Law) or the administrative divisions (Commercial and Administrative Law, District Court Litigation, Enforcement and Removal Operations Law, and Government Information Law). The duties of the position include: Leadership of attorneys and support staff, including direct supervision of attorneys and support staff advising ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and Management and Administration. Serving as agency counsel in federal civil litigation to which ICE is a party or ICE equities are implicated, or formulating legal strategies and developing ICE's positions in national security, human rights, and public safety matters before the nation's immigration courts, and overseeing its appellate practice before the Board of Immigration Appeals. Providing input and oversight, where appropriate, into the strategic planning for the ICE legal program, including through the collection and analysis of data and metrics. Directing the provision of a full range of legal advice and services, including participation in the development of ICE policies, directives, and procedures, and ensuring that they are consistent with the law and are administratively sound, efficient, and economical. Directing the preparation and review of official documents and letters for signature by the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director and Deputy Director for ICE, and other senior management officials. Responding to congressional inquiries by reviewing and analyzing proposed legislation and applicable case law. Providing oversight for civil actions before the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Applying collective bargaining agreements in conformity with federal labor law. Planning and executing training programs for managers, attorneys, and support staff. Serving as the Acting Deputy Principal Legal Advisor for EG&L, representing the office in meetings with senior officials, and serving as liaison with external stakeholders, as appropriate. The role requires the ability to develop and recommend courses of action to the ICE Director, as well as to explain and defend ICE programs and policies to DHS officials, other federal agencies, Congress, professional associations, and private sector leaders. The incumbent oversees legal advice and support on immigration law enforcement and provides critical litigation support to the Department of Justice in cases before federal courts related to DHS and ICE operations. Additional responsibilities may include advising agency leadership on government contracts, fiscal law, privacy law, and information disclosure. The incumbent offers authoritative counsel on highly sensitive or unprecedented issues that could significantly impact ICE operations. The position demands adaptability and the ability to guide change within OPLA. By serving on panels and committees, the incumbent ensures legal issues are addressed in agency planning and policy development, and collaborates with the DHS General Counsel and ICE Principal Legal Advisor on office programs, representing them to ICE leadership, other agencies, and external stakeholders.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen. Subject to a 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed). Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests. File a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on. You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. You must possess a professional law degree (e.g., J.D., LL.B.) acquired through graduation from an accredited School of Law. You must be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. The incumbent must possess the following characteristics and competencies: service-minded leadership, integrity, sound judgment, organizational skills, communication skills, decisiveness, initiative, professionalism, the ability to function independently and as part of a team, interpersonal relationship skills, strong computer skills, outstanding written and oral advocacy skills, and a superior knowledge of immigration law and procedure. The incumbent must also effectively manage multiple practice areas, including those in which they are not a subject-matter expert, and should possess a practical understanding of the interrelationship between work in OPLA field locations, OPLA headquarters, and other DHS components.

Education

You must possess a professional law degree (e.g., J.D., LL.B.) acquired through graduation from an accredited School of Law and be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. You must submit documentation supporting that you meet this qualification when applying to this job opportunity announcement. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage.