Become an Legal Leader: DHS Office of the General Counsel is Hiring an Attorney-Advisor
The federal government operates through structured financial frameworks, and keeping these systems compliant is a critical administrative duty. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), is looking for an analytical and dedicated Attorney-Advisor (General) to join the General Law Division (GLD) in Washington, District of Columbia.
This role is an exceptional opportunity for qualified legal professionals to advise on complex matters of federal fiscal law, appropriations, grants, and financial management. With a competitive salary range of $121,785 to $197,200 per year (GS-13/14/15), this position offers the chance to apply your legal expertise directly to the financial frameworks that protect our nation.
About the Agency: DHS Office of the General Counsel
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is tasked with a critical mission: securing the nation, safeguarding cyberspace, managing borders, and responding effectively to natural disasters. Supporting this multi-faceted organization is a workforce of dedicated professionals across hundreds of occupations.
At the heart of the department's administrative and statutory framework is the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The General Law Division (GLD) within OGC serves as the central hub for legal counsel on administrative and operational matters. Attorneys in this division provide definitive guidance to the DHS General Counsel, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), component agencies, and external partners. GLD promotes institutional integrity and legal compliance across all financial and administrative actions, ensuring public funds are managed properly.
Core Responsibilities of the Attorney-Advisor
In this role, you will analyze, interpret, and defend complex statutory frameworks governing federal funding. The position requires a combination of deep legal scholarship and strategic advisory skills. Your typical duties will include:
- Providing Authoritative Legal Advice: Rendering legal opinions on fiscal law issues, ensuring departmental programs align with statutory directives and federal appropriations laws.
- Managing Financial Assistance Programs: Advising on legal requirements for federal grants, financial assistance, cooperative agreements, and support programs for state, local, and non-federal entities.
- Drafting Critical Interpretations: Preparing complex legal analyses, statutory interpretations, and formal legal opinions for senior leadership, including the General Counsel and agency components.
- Inter-Agency and Congressional Liaison: Representing the department's legal interests before the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Congressional Appropriations Committees, and other federal entities.
- Reviewing Financial Compliance: Conducting and reviewing investigations under the Anti-Deficiency Act, developing and delivering fiscal law training programs, and resolving issues surrounding travel reimbursements and debt collection.
Qualifications and Grade Levels
To qualify for this position, you must meet the general requirements for federal attorney appointments, including possessing a Juris Doctor (JD) or Master of Laws (LL.M.) from an ABA-accredited school, alongside active bar membership in good standing.
Your experience must demonstrate direct familiarity with federal fiscal law, federal grants, and the appropriations process. Experience can be gained through both paid and unpaid work, including qualifying volunteer service.
| GS Grade | Salary Range | Minimum Post-JD Legal Experience | Specific Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-13 | $121,785 – $158,322 | 2+ Years (or 2-year judicial clerkship) | One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level, focusing on federal fiscal law, grants, or financial assistance. |
| GS-14 | $143,912 – $187,088 | 3+ Years | One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level, demonstrating independent analysis of complex appropriations issues. |
| GS-15 | $169,279 – $197,200 | 3+ Years | One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level, showing senior-level leadership and advisory expertise. |
Note: Education cannot be substituted for specialized legal experience at these grade levels.
Comprehensive Benefits Package
Federal service offers a competitive benefits package designed to support your personal, financial, and professional well-being. DHS employees receive access to:
- Health and Wellness: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plan options, long-term care insurance, and flexible spending accounts (FSA).
- Retirement Security: Coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension plan and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% agency matching contributions.
- Work-Life Balance: Generous annual and sick leave, alongside 12 paid federal holidays. Potential options for flexible schedules or situational telework based on agency policy.
- Career Support: Tuition reimbursement options, transit subsidies, employee assistance programs, and robust internal training and leadership development platforms.
- Special Leave Policies: Paid parental leave and dedicated disabled veteran leave for those with a qualifying 30% or more service-connected disability rating.
Application Checklist and Submission Guide
Applying for a federal excepted service position requires attention to detail. Ensure your application package includes the following items to be considered:
- Tailored Federal Resume: Clearly indicate the starting and ending dates (including month and year) and the hours worked per week for each position. If you are a current or former federal employee, you must explicitly list your GS grade levels.
- Transcripts: Provide unofficial copies of both your undergraduate and law school transcripts to confirm your academic credentials.
- Writing Sample: A professional, unedited legal writing sample (brief, memo, or legal analysis) that does not exceed 10 pages.
- Proof of Bar Status: Documentation proving you are an active member in good standing of a qualifying bar association.
- Supporting Documents: If applicable, submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your civil service grade, or your DD-214 Member 4 copy to confirm veterans' preference.
Ensure all documents are in English and submitted through the online application system before the closing deadline of September 10, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the target grade of this position?
This position has a promotion potential to the GS-15 level. If you are selected at the GS-13 or GS-14 level, you may be promoted to the next higher grade without further public competition, based on performance and management discretion.
Q: Are travel or relocation expenses covered?
No. Relocation expenses or recruitment incentives are not authorized for this vacancy.
Q: Is a background investigation required?
Yes. Due to the sensitive nature of DHS operations, the selected candidate must successfully pass a comprehensive background suitability investigation to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
Q: Is this position open to the public?
Yes, this position is open to all qualified U.S. citizens and nationals.
Q: Does this position require a trial period?
Employees appointed to the Excepted Service who do not already have a completed trial period in the federal service must serve a two-year trial period.
Conclusion: Make an Impact in Public Service
An Attorney-Advisor role within the DHS Office of the General Counsel offers a unique intersection of high-stakes financial stewardship and national service. By advising on federal fiscal laws, appropriations, and grants, you will ensure that the resources directed toward our national security are managed legally and efficiently.
Review the qualification criteria, gather your writing samples and academic transcripts, and submit your application to join the team in Washington, D.C. today.
Why This Attorney-Advisor (General) Job Matters
Propel your legal career to new heights by advising senior homeland security leaders on critical fiscal law and federal appropriations that protect our nation.
Attorney-Advisor (General) Job Overview
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), is seeking a highly skilled and analytical legal professional to join its General Law Division (GLD) in Washington, D.C. As an Attorney-Advisor (General), you will serve as a vital counselor on matters involving federal appropriations, fiscal law, financial management, budget execution, and federal grants. This non-bargaining unit position offers a dynamic environment where your legal interpretations directly influence the financial operations supporting national security and disaster resilience missions.
Requirements for Attorney-Advisor (General)
- Must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
- Must possess an active membership in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance (Non-Critical Sensitive/Moderate Risk).
- Must submit a professional legal writing sample not exceeding 10 pages.
- Must undergo and pass a background suitability investigation.
- Must participate in random drug testing as required by DHS Headquarters policy.
- Must complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form (OGE 450).
- Must serve a two-year trial period if new to the excepted service.
- Required post-JD experience: More than two years for GS-13 (or two years of a judicial clerkship); more than three years for GS-14 and GS-15.
Preferred Qualifications for Attorney-Advisor (General)
- Substantial experience navigating the federal budget formulation, submission, and execution process.
- Demonstrated capability advising high-level executives, senior agency leaders, or congressional staff on legal risks and financial policies.
- Proven experience handling a high volume of complex files under tight statutory or organizational deadlines.
- Strong collaborative track record working alongside non-legal business units, financial officers, and program managers.
- In-depth knowledge of the Anti-Deficiency Act, federal travel regulations, and debt collection procedures.
Federal Benefits & Perks
- ✓Competitive salary matching federal general schedule rates.
- ✓Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance options.
- ✓Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension plan.
- ✓Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with matching government contributions.
- ✓Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care.
- ✓Generous annual leave, sick leave, and 12 paid federal holidays.
- ✓Flexible work schedules and telework potential as authorized.
- ✓Tuition reimbursement and transportation subsidies.
- ✓Access to agency health and wellness programs and fitness centers.
- ✓Dedicated training, career development, and mentorship initiatives.
💡 How to Apply Attorney-Advisor (General) Job & Insider Tips
Application Steps for Attorney-Advisor (General) Job
- Click the Apply Online link to access the vacancy on USAStaffing.
- Log in or create a USAJOBS account to start the application process.
- Complete the online occupational assessment questionnaire.
- Upload a detailed resume highlighting your specialized experience in fiscal, grant, or financial management law.
- Submit your law school transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application).
- Upload a legal writing sample of 10 pages or fewer.
- Provide proof of active bar membership and good standing.
- Submit supporting documents such as SF-50 (for current/former federal employees) or DD-214 (for veterans' preference eligibility, if applicable).
- Review and submit your complete application package before 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date.
💡 General Tips
- Quantify your experience in your resume, clearly outlining your involvement with grants, cooperative agreements, or the federal budget process.
- Tailor your resume to address the core competencies of the position: fiscal law, financial administration, and advisory service to senior leaders.
- Ensure your legal writing sample demonstrates strong analytical capabilities, legal reasoning, and precision.
- Double-check that all uploaded files are legible and clear, as blurry documents cannot be evaluated by HR.
- Include an SF-50 that proves your highest permanent grade level if you are a current or former federal employee, avoiding performance award variants.
- For veterans, attach the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 or an official certification of discharge within 120 days to support your eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the security clearance requirement for this position?
Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance. The vetting process includes a comprehensive background investigation covering financial history, public records, and general suitability.
Is this position eligible for telework or remote work?
While the primary duty location is Washington, D.C., the position is officially designated as non-remote. However, general DHS policies may offer flexible work schedules or situational telework depending on operational requirements.
Are there opportunities for promotion within this announcement?
Yes. This position is being filled at the GS-13, GS-14, and GS-15 grade levels. If selected at a lower grade, you may be promoted up to the GS-15 target grade without further competition, based on performance and business needs.
Does this position fall under a bargaining unit?
No, this is a non-bargaining unit position within the Excepted Service.
Is veterans' preference applied to this position?
As an attorney role in the excepted service, there is no formal point-based rating system for veterans' preference. However, the Department of Homeland Security values military service and considers veterans' preference as a positive qualitative factor during selection.