Attorney (Honors and Lateral)

Duties

As an Attorney you will be responsible for:

• Providing legal advice and policy counsel to CIA leadership on complex areas of law affecting the CIA's duties and responsibilities under authorities including the National Security Act, the CIA Act, and Executive Orders.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on sensitive matters.
• Provide training on a variety of laws and policies affecting CIA personnel, including but not limited to collection of intelligence, employment and anti-discrimination laws, and government ethics.
• Engage with other Intelligence Community elements, federal agencies, and congressional committees.

OGC hires on a continuing basis into either of the following categories:

• Lateral Attorney: lateral hires have more than three years of post-law school experience and work on the most complex legal issues in the Agency related to national security laws and a variety of other legal issues. For more specific descriptions, please refer to job descriptions located in "Legal and Oversight" on the Enterprise and Support hiring tab, to include opportunities in government contracts, ethics, employment law, federal litigation and investigations, and technology and the law issues. Applicants may apply either for a specialty practice or as a Lateral Attorney through this announcement.
• Honors Attorneys are positions for attorneys with less than three years of post-law school legal practice. Honors Attorneys work under the close supervision of experienced attorneys. Applicants must have a record of strong writing and interpersonal communication skills.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must apply online, while in the United States.
• You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age (dual-national U.S. citizens are eligible).
• You must be willing to move to the Washington, DC, area.
• You must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
• CIA is a drug-free workforce. The issue of illegal drug use is carefully evaluated during the medical and security processing.

For further requirements information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/how-we-hire/requirements/

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
• Active membership of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). For Honors attorneys, applicants must pass the bar within 14 months of on-boarding.
• For Honors Attorneys with no prior work experience to law school, a law school GPA of at least 3.5 for schools on a 4.0 scale.
• Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation.

Desired Qualifications

All applicants are reviewed for the following competencies:

• Legal analysis, reasoning and writing, including the ability to effectively integrate and synthesize facts and law to make legally sound decisions, including in compressed timeframes.
• Interpersonal and communication skills.
• The ability to work both independently and as a team member in a demanding environment.
• The ability to exercise sound judgment in challenging situations.
• Willingness to consider diverse perspectives and ability to navigate changing circumstances.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple work assignments and competing priorities concurrently.
• Ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships inside and outside the CIA.
• For Lateral Attorneys, demonstrated expertise on complex legal matters, and strong client counseling skills.

Education

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
• For Honors Attorneys with no prior work experience to law school, a law school GPA of at least 3.5 for schools on a 4.0 scale.

Additional information

For more information on CIA careers and correct salary rates, visit https://www.cia.gov/careers

CIA Benefits: https://www.cia.gov/careers/working-at-cia/benefits/