Attorney – Title & Real Property Customs and Border Protection · Phoenix, AZ 09/02/2026

HBCUNetwork; Phoenix, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Federal employment benefits

Relocation incentive up to 25% of base

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seeks an experienced title and real property attorney for a public-sector role in Phoenix and other locations. You will provide legal guidance on title review, conveyancing, and federal land acquisitions with a focus on compliance and litigation support.

The position offers a strong federal benefits package and stability. The role requires ABA-accredited-law-school graduate with bar admission and relevant real-property experience, including easements,

Qualifications

• Graduate from ABA-accredited law school and active bar membership.
• Minimum 1 year specialized experience in title examination, title opinions, and title curative matters.
• Experience with Federal land acquisition, conveyancing, easements, right-of-way.

Responsibilities

• Providing legal guidance to CBP in real property matters, including detailed title review for CBP-funded land acquisitions.
• Drafting and revising land conveyancing instruments (deeds, sales and exchange agreements, assignments, subordination agreements) to comply with Title Regulations.
• Supporting DOJ as agency counsel in civil actions; preparing litigation materials, eDiscovery, and motion drafting.
• Performing legal research and applying laws across CBP portfolio including title review and fiscal laws.
• Developing and delivering legal training to CBP managers and employees on title review, acquisition, and fiscal functions.

Job description

Phoenix, AZ Full Time Legal Posted 09/02/2026

If you are an experienced title and real property practice attorney who is seeking an employment opportunity in the public sector this job may be for you.

You’ll do sophisticated legal work, with employment stability, a highly competitive federal government benefits package, and an alternative to the billable-hour and business-development demands of private practice. This employment opportunity is with the Office of Chief Counsel within U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Your background should show experience in areas such as title examination and review, title opinions, curative matters, Federal land acquisition, conveyancing, easements, right-of-way, complex real-property matters or related experience.

This Title Attorney position is in multiple locations including: Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ, Yuma, AZ, San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; Washington, D.C.; Miami, FL, Glynco, GA; Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; New Orleans, LA; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville, TN; San Antonio, TX; Ashburn, VA; and Milwaukee, WI.

Typical work assignments include:

• Providing legal guidance to, and advocating on behalf of, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in a wide variety of matters, including real property issues, such as providing detailed title review for CBP-funded land acquisitions including problematic conveyancing issues and the optimal resolution of such issues.
• Providing legal guidance and drafting of land conveyancing instruments such as deeds, sales and exchange agreements, assignments, subordinations, pre- and post- acquisition title opinions and other instruments for real property conveyancing and drafting, revising and amending such instruments as necessary to comply with the DOJ Title Regulations, other applicable laws and regulations, and the client agencies' land acquisition goals and policies.
• Supporting the Department of Justice as agency counsel in civil actions (i.e., FOIA, FTCA,) brought in federal court by preparing litigation reports, affidavits, and other pleadings, and participating in eDiscovery, motion drafting, witness interviews, and mediation/settlement discussions.
• Performing legal research and applying laws, regulations, decisions, and guidance across the CBP portfolio including title review, federal land acquisition, and fiscal and appropriation laws, such as the permissible use of appropriated funds and the preparation of CBP's annual budget request.
• Developing and delivering legal training to CBP managers and employees relating to all aspects of title review, federal land acquisition, and fiscal activities and functions of CBP.

Salary and Benefits

This position may be filled at the GS-12, 13, or 14 grade level depending upon your background, including your level and quality of experience. The GS-12 grade level starts at a salary of $89,508 with promotion opportunities to the GS-14 step 10 grade level, $162,514.

NOTE: Newly appointed General Attorneys may be offered a recruitment incentive up to $50,000. Current CBP General Attorneys may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive up to 25% of base pay. A service agreement is required for all incentives.

You will receive the full package of federal employment benefits that include health and insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement plan akin to a traditional 401(k) offering.

Qualifications

Note: Prior Federal employment is not required and attorneys with transferable private-sector or state/local government experience are encouraged to apply.

For the GS-12 grade level: You will need a minimum of one year of specialized experience in areas such as: title examination, title opinions, and title curative matters; real-property acquisitions and conveyancing; easements, rights-of-way, and other property interests; commercial real-estate transactions and due diligence; land acquisition and eminent-domain matters; title insurance and underwriting; oil, gas, energy, or mineral-title matters; or Federal, state, or local government real-property matters.

AND:

Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

For the GS-13 and 14 grade levels: Depending on background and years of relevant experience, a candidate will be offered a position and placed at the appropriate GS pay level.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is one of the world's largest law enforcement organizations charged with keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while facilitating lawful international travel and trade.