Attorney-Adviser

Full Job Description

Office of Information Policy (OIP) manages the Department's responsibilities related to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which includes coordinating and implementing policy development and compliance-wide for the FOIA, processing FOIA requests for the senior leadership offices, adjudicating all administrative appeals from denials and assisting in the defense of certain FOIA matters in litigation.

OIP attorneys may be assigned/reassigned to any one of several distinct teams.

To qualify for the position of Attorney-Adviser, at GS-0905-12/13/14/15, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below.

Preferred Qualifications: It is preferred that applicants have knowledge of and a demonstrated interest in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and have administrative law and/or civil litigation experience.

Candidates must have at least one year FOIA processing / FOIA litigation experience to qualify at the GS-13 level; at least two years experience to qualify at the GS-14 level; and at least three years experience to qualify at the GS-15 level.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 04/07/2026 of this announcement. Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements.

Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume. Major Duties:

The duties and responsibilities for an Attorney-Advisor (Initial Request (IR) Litigation Staff), GS-0905-12 - 15 generally include, but are not limited to, the following: * Processing high-visibility and highly complex Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for Department of Justice (DOJ) senior leadership office records, including processing those records pursuant to court deadlines.

* Reviewing records in-depth for consultation and disclosure determinations.

* Drafting declarations and Vaughn indices, drafting or reviewing court filings, and assisting in the formulation of litigation strategies and legal arguments.

* Coordinating and collaborating with litigators in the Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Department senior leadership office stakeholders, and other agency contacts.

*Negotiating request scope and processing schedules with FOIA plaintiffs through assigned litigation counsel.

*Providing instructional training and guidance to various federal agencies regarding compliance with the FOIA.

* Conducting legal research and providing legal advice involving inquiries and assignments related to the FOIA.

* Developing a mastery of assigned area(s) of expertise and updating corresponding section(s) of the United States Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act.

* Providing expert advice and guidance to agency personnel and DOJ litigators concerning the application of FOI. * Presenting or teaching at Office of Information Policy training programs and events.

* Maintaining awareness of developments in FOIA and Privacy Act law, regulation, and policy.