Attorney Advisor (General)

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Office of Chief Counsel, Asset Forfeiture Section. The Office of Chief Counsel works with federal and state prosecutors, and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to further DEA's mission. CC attorneys coordinate with DEA investigative personnel, provide legal training, and respond to requests for assistance from DEA Division Counsel. The Asset Forfeiture Section is comprised of a team of professionals dedicated to deterring, disrupting, and dismantling criminal drug trafficking organizations with Asset Forfeiture. Administrative, Civil-Judicial, and Criminal Forfeiture deprives criminals of their illegal drug proceeds and disrupts drug trafficking by confiscating facilitating property. Duties of Asset Forfeiture attorneys include: Serving as a subject matter expert for search and seizure matters, complex asset forfeiture and money laundering law, policy, and practice; and reviewing pre-seizure probable cause determinations for legal sufficiency and ensuring due process is afforded to parties with a legal interest in seized property; Collaborating with HQ and Field DEA personnel responsible for asset forfeiture processing to ensure efficient and legally sufficient forfeiture cases; Partnering with DEA personnel and other federal, state, local, tribal, and international law enforcement agencies to strengthen drug-related financial investigations; and examining forfeiture notice and publication efforts for legal compliance; and issuing Declarations of Administrative Forfeiture; Representing DEA at meetings involving forfeiture matters and delivering legal instruction to DEA personnel as well as domestic and international partners; Liaising and supporting U.S. Attorney Offices and DOJ litigating components prosecuting and defending DEA forfeitures in judicial proceedings; and reviewing draft legislation, policy proposals, and assisting with responses to Congressional inquiries; Ruling on petitions for remission or mitigation of forfeiture; and deciding requests for equitable sharing of forfeited assets. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. All applicants must be an active member of a bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction) and possess: 1) a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and have at least 2-year post-J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience; 2) excellent academic credentials; 3) strong oral and written advocacy skills; 4) superior legal research and analytical skills; and 5) a demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment. To qualify for each GS Level: Applicants applying for the GS-13 must have 2 or more years of post J.D. legal experience with federal administrative, civil-judicial, and/or criminal asset forfeiture cases. Applicants applying for the GS-14 must have 3 or more years of post J.D. legal experience with federal administrative, civil-judicial, and/or criminal asset forfeiture cases. Applicants must also have experience working in a collaborative interagency environment involved in the reviewing or editing of intra-agency policies, interagency agreements, or proposed legislation. Applicants applying for the GS-15 must have 4 or more years of post J.D. legal experience with federal administrative, civil-judicial, and/or criminal asset forfeiture cases. Applicants must also possess experience providing legal counsel on complex asset forfeiture, financial, and money laundering investigations, advising senior agency decisionmakers on complex legal or policy matters, and training law enforcement agents on asset forfeiture issues. A J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet these criteria, see www.ed.gov. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: ww.naces.org/members.php.