Attorney – Advisor (Instructor)

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC).

The position is responsible for conducting a variety of basic and advanced legal training courses for law enforcement personnel. The
position may also export training courses to off-site locations.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Applicants must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.

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; 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: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.

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 on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. This position is located in the Office of Chief Counsel, within the Legal Training Division in the Field Legal Branch. As an Attorney – Advisor (Instructor) , GS-0905-13/14, your typical work assignments may include:

• Serving as a senior instructor, subject-matter expert, and program/course developer in the assigned legal program/course areas of law enforcement. Students in these courses are routinely from the most high-profile law enforcement agencies in the world, including the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Immigration Customs Enforcement, and many others. The program/courses taught cover subject-matter that involves highly specialized knowledge of complex and difficult legal areas that impact close to 90 Federal agencies that train at the FLETC.
• Providing expert training in areas such as: Constitutional Law; Fourth Amendment; Self-Incrimination; Use of Force; Federal Court Procedures; Authority and Jurisdiction; Federal Fraud Statutes; Federal Firearms Violations; Rules of Evidence; Military law; Electronic Law and Evidence; Officer Liability; Criminal Law; Administrative Law; Obstruction of Justice; Terrorism and National Security Law; False Statements; Indian Law; Courtroom Testimony; Assault; Bribery; other emerging areas of the law.
• Planning, developing, coordinating, and implementing a legal training program, while balancing the needs and concerns of the DHS training mission.
• Working with other attorneys, managers and supervisory Federal law enforcement personnel to identify objectives to be met by a specific class.
• Selecting appropriate methods, equipment and materials, and developing the courses and providing instruction, guidance and direction to the class in accomplishing specific learning objectives.
• Keeping abreast of developing training goals and objectives, and continually restructuring the courses to reflect the current laws, identifying specific areas where study and research is required, searching literature for existing documentation, gathering and analyzing data, producing papers for publication and disseminating for internal use.
• Conducting extensive advanced export training (off-site) at other Federal, state, and municipal facilities around the country.
• Monitoring progress of students, documenting results, and/or recommending remedial and corrective action to include additional training and changes in training and/or operational procedures and instructions. Evaluates both individual and group performance in various training settings.
• Overseeing and participating in developing course and program material on the legal aspects of law enforcement. Initiating content changes and developing different approaches and methods of instruction and recommending any other changes needed to improve the course/program and achieve course/program objectives.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Please visit www.fletc.gov/site-page/employment-faqs website for further guidance regarding this page limit.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Selective placement factor (screen-out): To be considered for this position, all applicants must be an active member of a state bar in good standing in every jurisdiction in which you are licensed of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and have a license to practice law. Provide a copy of your Bar memberships.

Basic Educational Requirements: All applicants must possess one of the following law degrees. Please provide a copy of your transcripts.
The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); OR the second professional law degree (LL.M)

Specialized experience GS-14: In addition to the requirements listed above; to qualify at the GS-14 level, applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience in excess of three years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual’s background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three years equivalent to the GS-13 or higher demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; providing instruction in legal subjects related to the criminal justice system or for a law enforcement audience for a period of at least one year; authoring and publishing articles on substantive legal matters; experience presenting substantive material at nationally recognized conferences; and demonstrated expertise in a significant field of law related to law enforcement.

Specialized Experience GS-13: In addition to the requirements listed above; to qualify at the GS-13 level, applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position or two years of judicial clerkship.

Specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years equivalent to the GS-12 or higher demonstrated by substantial legal writing and communication skills; conducting original legal research and legal analysis; providing instruction in legal subjects related to the criminal justice system or for a law enforcement audience for a period of at least one year; authoring and publishing articles on substantive legal matters; experience presenting substantive material at nationally recognized conferences; and demonstrated expertise in a significant field of law related to law enforcement.

This position may be filled at the GS-13 or GS-14 level. If selection is made at the GS-13 level, promotion to the GS-14 level may occur without further competition.

Writing Sample: All applicants must submit a recent (within last 2 years) legal writing sample, such as a legal brief, a legal memorandum, or a legal article of law journal quality, or a legal training course curriculum development document/presentation.

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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: 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.