Attorney Advisor (13)

DC Department of Human Resources; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC seeks an experienced attorney to join the Office of the General Counsel, handling complex legal matters and labor‑relations issues for the District government.

The role requires drafting legal opinions, analyzing grievances and coordinating with multiple agencies to ensure compliance with federal and local law. A JD from an ABA‑accredited school is essential and promotion potential is indicated in the guidelines.

Qualifications

• Experience researching legal and labor issues with limited precedents.
• Knowledge of federal and local laws, regulations, and case law relevant to law enforcement.
• Ability to draft legal opinions and decision language with clarity and precision.

Responsibilities

• Serves as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel handling moderate to complex legal matters.
• Reviews legal documents and case law to determine best department actions and drafts reasons.
• Prepares memoranda on legal and labor questions.
• Provides legal analysis of grievances, unfair labor practices, and labor contracts.
• Advises department officials on labor-management issues and enforces policies.
• Represents the Agency in formal and informal proceedings, including mediations and hearings.
• Processes subpoenas and court orders and assists with discovery and litigation workflows.
• Coordinates with DC government officials and external stakeholders on labor and employee relations.
• Attends hearings before Council committees and Congress on laws affecting the department.
• Performs case and calendar management and maintains timely records.
• Keeps abreast of changes in laws and recommends actions to supervisors.

Skills

Legal research

Civil & administrative law

Labor relations

Oral & written communication

Policy analysis

Education

J.D.

ABA‑accredited law school

Job description

This position is being advertised at Grades 13 and 14. If you are interested in both grades, you will need to apply to each grade separately.***

There is only one city in the country that can say it is the Nation’s Capital – Washington, D.C. Given that distinction, The Metropolitan Police Department is the premiere law enforcement organization in the city. We receive over 22 million visitors a year, have almost 700,000 residents, and 21,000 private business. The Department consists of more than 4,200 members: approximately 3,550 sworn members and over 650 civilian employees. We are one of the most diverse and highly trained departments in the country. We have the honor of safeguarding and protecting not only our nation’s residents, but also people from all over the world.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) offers an attractive benefits package. The benefits package includes competitive compensation, health insurance, prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, short and long term disability and life insurance, as well a strong retirement benefit and savings options. Employees are also eligible for our employer contributed 401a plan after one year of employment. Additional perks such as discounts on wireless carriers, gym memberships, amusement park tickets and much more! Additional information can be found at: DCHR Benefits

This position is located in the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Executive Office of the Chief of Police (EOCP), Office of the General Counsel (OGC).

The purpose of the position is to work on cases or legal issues of extremely complex and difficult legal or factual issues requiring a high order of legal endeavor with the incumbent often having to balance conflicting interests; or matters that can have the effect of substantially broadening or restricting the activities of MPD.

The Incumbent Will Be Responsible For The Following

• Serves as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel handling moderate to complex legal matters. Reviews various legal documents and relevant case law to determine whether execution or non‑execution of proposed actions is in the best interest of the Department and the District of Columbia government. Provides statement of reasons and drafts language necessary to obviate objections.
• Examines and analyses proposed orders, legislation and other legal documents from various sources for legal sufficiency, both as to the form and substance of agency actions. Performs the aforementioned research and provides oral or written opinions resulting from such analysis.
• Prepares memoranda on legal and labor questions and proposals.
• Provides legal analysis of grievances, adverse action appeals, and allegations of unfair labor practices in accordance with Federal and District law, rules, regulations, case law, Public Employee Relations Board and arbitral precedent, and provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Assists members of the service in interpreting and enforcing Federal, State and local laws; advises Department officials concerning labor‑management issues.
• Reviews all Departmental policies, practices, procedures, and forms for legal sufficiency and conformance to the law and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Confers with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia on a case‑specific basis to ensure that victims of crime, witnesses, and members of the service have maximum legal protections prior to submission of all discoverable material.
• Coordinates with Human Resource Management Division, Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining, Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel, Office of the Attorney General, and other internal and external stakeholders regarding labor and employee relations issues.
• Represents the Agency at formal and informal proceedings, including mediations, and administrative hearings. Representation includes interviewing witnesses, consulting with policy makers and recommending agency position and strategy, preparing witnesses, conducting pre‑hearing motions practice and discovery, conducting direct and cross‑examination of witnesses, submitting post‑hearing briefs, and filing appeals as necessary.
• Timely processes, reviews, and responds to subpoenas, court orders, civil discovery, and motions for records served upon the Department. Advises members of the service regarding all subpoena‑related questions and prepares response papers and appears in Federal and District courts.
• Confers with and incorporates concerns of District Government officials, members of administrative bodies, and officials outside the District Government regarding all actions taken during reviews, as well as the conclusions from proceedings on other matters handled.
• Attends and participates in hearings before committees of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Congress pertaining to proposed laws and/or legislation which may affect existing laws related to the functions of the Department.
• Assists other components of the Agency in court litigation resulting from matters handled by the Office.
• Performs all functions related to case and calendar management; e.g., preparation of case transfer or close‑out reports; case file entry updating; documentation of action taken; timely review of legal proceedings; and any other administrative functions associated with conclusion of assigned matters.
• Keeps abreast of judicial, agency, and other changes in laws and regulations related to the functions of the Office. Recommends appropriate course of action to supervisor, as deemed necessary.
• Compiles monthly statistical and status reports of assigned matters.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of research strategies and techniques sufficient to research legal and labor issues where no clearly applicable precedents are available or it is arguable which precedents apply. The issues researched are moderate to complex and are in areas of the law which are often in a continual state of evolution, requiring innovative research strategies. Knowledge of the controlling statutes, regulations, and case law pertaining to the subject matter of the particular issue sufficient to develop legal opinions whether through the litigation process or administratively.
• In‑depth knowledge of civil, criminal, and administrative law and litigation, agency policies, regulations and procedures; Federal and District laws related to functions of the Department; as well as precedent agency and judicial decisions.
• Skill in interpreting and applying legal knowledge in various situations.
• Highly developed skills in the analysis and resolution of difficult legal issues in an orderly, systematic, and effective manner.
• Skill in interpreting and applying applicable laws, regulations and practices, including agency policies and relevant judicial decisions.
• Skill in applying sound judgment in review and analysis of matters assigned and deriving logical conclusions.
• Skill in communicating precisely and effectively, both orally and in writing.

Licensures, Certifications And Other Requirements

Applicants must be active members in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or have the ability to waive in and be admitted within 360 days of appointment. If eligible for waiver, incumbent must submit an application for admission prior to commencing employment and successfully obtain admission to the D.C. Bar within 360 days of commencing employment. An appointee to the Legal Service position shall remain a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar during his/her employment in the Legal Service.

Education

Applicants must possess a professional law degree (J.D.) from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school at the time of appointment.

Work Experience

Candidates must have at least two (2) years of professional legal experience following law school graduation. Examples of specialized experience for this position include: experience negotiating legal or labor issues with officials, attorneys, representatives of government agencies, and/or with representatives of private interest groups; experience litigating or advising on administrative and judicial adjudications and proceedings, and giving legal or labor counsel to departmental officials.

Experience providing legal or labor advice on matters related to law enforcement is preferred.

Work Environment

The work is performed in an office environment.

Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-Union)

This position is not represented by a collective bargaining unit.

Other Significant Factors

Promotion Potential: No Known Promotion Potential or Promotional potential to the grade.

This Position Is Deemed As "Security Sensitive"

• Criminal background check;
• Traffic record check (as applicable);
• Consumer credit check (as applicable);
• Reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test; and
• Post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test.

A background investigation, to include a criminal, traffic and credit check are required for positions with the Metropolitan Police Department.

The incumbent is required to possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator’s permit.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer: all qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is also prohibited. In addition, harassment based on any of the above‑protected categories is prohibited.