Attorney Advisor

Federal Emergency Management Agency•Washington, DC

About The Position

Serve as an Attorney Advisor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), handling federal-sector labor and employment law litigation before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The position supports FEMA’s mission to help people before, during, and after disasters. All FEMA employees have recurring emergency-management responsibilities and may be recalled at any time for emergency operations. Deployments may involve irregular hours, work outside the official duty station, extensive travel with little advance notice, and extended assignments at austere or operationally challenging locations. This is a Schedule Policy/Career position in the excepted service. A three-week, in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, is required within six months of onboarding; FEMA covers travel expenses.

Requirements

J.D. or LL.B. from an American Bar Association-accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
At least five years of work experience, including at least two years of specialized experience in civil litigation, preferably employment or labor law.
Specialized experience must include preparing and responding to discovery requests, representing individuals or entities before adjudicative bodies, and advising on employment law, including Title VII, the Rehabilitation Act, and proposed disciplinary or poor-performance actions.
U.S. citizenship.
Successfully pass and maintain a Moderate Risk background investigation.
Selective Service registration, if applicable.
Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
Ability to deploy with little or no advance notice anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period.
Submit transcripts with the application; official college transcripts are required before appointment.
Attend a three-week, in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, within six months of onboarding.

Responsibilities

Support the Department of Justice in developing and presenting litigation in federal, state, and municipal courts.
Independently litigate cases before the EEOC, MSPB, and other administrative forums, and participate in labor arbitrations and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
Prepare documentary evidence and witness testimony for dispositive motions or trial; prepare declarations and affidavits; and direct investigations to develop evidence in pending litigation.
Provide training on employment matters.
Review proposed employment actions and make recommendations.
Review legislation, regulations, and proposed changes to existing policies and make recommendations.