Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
Duties
The primary mission of the Employment Law Branch (ELB) is to represent the Agency in labor and employment cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), as well as the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). The attorneys in the Branch provide assistance to attorneys outside of the Bureau. In civil complaints of employment discrimination, ELB attorneys provide legal assistance to Assistant United States Attorneys in United States District Court and in the United States Court of Federal Claims. ELB attorneys also provide assistance to DOJ Civil Division attorneys in matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the District of Columbia Circuit. ELB staff review disciplinary letters for technical and legal sufficiency, conditions of employment reviews, and compressed work schedules. They provide legal advice to management officials on labor and employment matters. In addition to the staff in Central Office, Washington, DC, ELB has satellite offices in Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, Annapolis, MD; Kansas City, Kansas; Atlanta, Georgia; Grand Prairie, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Stockton, California. The incumbent will have the responsibility of litigating cases before administrative judges at the MSPB, EEOC, and other forums. The incumbent will have the opportunity to be directly involved in the preparation of Federal District Court trials. Locations: There are five possible locations for this vacancy (Washington, D.C.; Grand Prairie, TX; Atlanta, GA, Kansas City, KS, and Phoenix, AZ). You may apply for multiple locations at the same time by noting your interest in your cover letter. The Practice areas related to this position are: Employment Law, Employment Discrimination, Labor.
Salary
Qualifications
Applicant must possess a J.D. degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). Preferred qualifications: Prior experience in labor and employment discrimination and/or general litigation is highly desired.
Education
See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable. ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). 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 this criteria, Click Here. Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.
Required Documents
Resume: Resume limited to 2 pages showing relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.) To receive credit for experience contained in an application, the experience must be documented: Reflecting start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND Include the number of hours worked per week. College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable). NOTE: If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day. SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable. Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume (not to exceed two pages), preferred duty location, list of references, and a writing sample by July 24, 2026, to Douglas Goldring, Associate General Counsel, at BOP-OGC-EmploymentLawApplications@bop.gov. Please include in the subject line “ELB Attorney - July 2026." Applications must be received on or before the application deadline date below: Friday, July 24, 2026 FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/ DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON-LINE. Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience with preferred duty location(s). Submit a complete/detailed resume or curriculum vitae. Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Resume or curriculum vitae must contain all information listed in the Qualifications Section. Submit supporting documents (i.e. list of references, writing sample, transcripts, certification, registration, and/or license, if applicable). A complete application packet (including optional questionnaire responses) MUST be submitted directly to the following email address: BOP-OGC-EmploymentLawApplications@bop.gov
Benefits
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. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
