Summary This position is located in the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Information Policy (OIP) located in Washington, D.C. A primary mission of OIP is to encourage and oversee agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). OIP is responsible for developing government-wide policy guidance on all aspects of FOIA administration. OIP also provides legal counsel and training to agency personnel.
Duties The duties and responsibilities for an Attorney-Advisor, GS-0905-12/13 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Recommending proposed actions to be taken in the adjudication of administrative FOIA appeals by reviewing the administrative record and evaluating actions taken by Department of Justice components in processing initial FOIA requests;
- Conducting legal research and providing legal advice to a wide variety of federal agencies involving inquiries and assignments related to the application of FOIA and Privacy Act access laws;
- 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;
- Encouraging FOIA compliance by components of the Department of Justice;
- Providing instructional training and guidance to various federal Departments regarding compliance with the FOIA; and
- Providing written and oral legal advice to litigators or periodically serving as litigators indefending certain FOIA lawsuits.
Qualifications
To qualify for the position of Attorney-Adviser, at GS-0905-12/13, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be an active member of the bar (any U.S.jurisdiction).
Preferred qualifications: It is preferred that applicants have knowledge of and a demonstrated interest in the Freedom of Information Act 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.
Promotion potential to a GS-15.
You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 11/30/2026 of this announcement.
Your resume must support your responses to the online 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.Education Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education.
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. How you will be evaluated
Security Requirements:
Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employmentadjudication. This includes fingerprint, tax and credit checks, and drug testing. In addition,continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Applicants will be required to qualify for a Top Secret security clearance.
Application Process:
Applicants are required to submit a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience and justifying interest in the position), resume (not to exceed two pages), and a writing sample containing a brief or comparable analytic legal exposition that is your work. Resumes should include a detailed description of employment history, to include dates of employment (month/year).
Materials should be submitted as one combined PDF. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.How to apply
Applicants are encouraged to email application to:
Laurie Day at Laurie.Day@usdoj.gov
Please reference AP-2026-4 in your cover letter and put your name in the subject of the email.
Applications must be received no later than 11:59 PM (ET) November 30, 2026.
Otherwise, please send to:
ATTN: Laurie Day
Offi ce of Information Policy
441 G Street, NW
6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20530
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Salary
GS-12 - GS-13 ($102,415 - $158,322) with promotion potential to a GS-15 ($169,279 - 197,200)
Number of Positions: One
Travel: Very limited travel may be associated with this position.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized.
Other information Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy
Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to he hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.