Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Investigations (DGCLI)

Duties

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) provides legal advice and policy counsel to the Director of the CIA (DCIA) and other CIA officers on a variety of legal issues, to include intelligence and national security law; procurement and acquisition law; employment and personnel law; government ethics; fiscal law; general administrative law; privacy and civil liberties, and legislative affairs.

Our office places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives, and encourages applications from qualified individuals from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities.

The Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Investigations (DGCLI) leads a team that responds to the crosscurrents of high-profile Congressional inquiries, DOJ criminal investigations, civil litigation, and media scrutiny. The successful candidate will have the background, skillset, external perspective, and capacity to fully engage on these mission critical issues. The primary responsibility of the DGCLI will be to navigate the CIA's response to investigative inquiries from other government agencies, Congressional committees, various Inspectors Generals (at CIA and other agencies), and multiple offices at DOJ, which may be conducting a range of sensitive inquires associated with a broad swath of national security issues. The DGCLI will address these matters by supervising the CIA's responses, including by preparing witnesses, drafting written responses, coordinating on strategic communications, and working directly with private counsel and relevant investigators. As the head of litigation at CIA, the DGC will supervise the agency's role in criminal cases prosecuted by DOJ, and in affirmative and defensive civil litigation.

Specifically, the DGCLI performs all duties assigned or required to execute the General Counsel's priorities within the DGCLI's areas of responsibility, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Providing advice and counsel to CIA senior leadership on all aspects of litigation, investigations, and related inquiries, including criminal matters, cyber security, incident response, Congressional affairs, press inquiries, and engagements with the Office of Inspector General.
• Overseeing the Agency's investigations and inquiries legal rapid response team to ensure nimble, integrated approaches to extremely sensitive, urgent, and/or high-profile classified matters.
• Supervising a team of CIA attorneys in the conduct of litigations, to include counterintelligence, security, and electronic surveillance matters, as well as, support to Guantanamo Bay detainee cases.
• Counseling CIA leadership on risk-mitigation and litigation risk.
• Providing strategic direction on a large volume of criminal matters spanning statutes (including the Espionage Act, the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, International Trafficking in Arms Regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Economic Espionage Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), and the Neutrality Act, among others,) and civil cases and other disputes or potential disputes under the Freedom of Information Act, the Alien Tort Statute, the Justice Against Terrorism Sponsors Act, civil RICO, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the writ of Habeas Corpus, the States Secrets privilege, and affirmative civil actions for breach of contract and fiduciary duty.
• Addressing and resolving complex factual scenarios and novel legal issues involving data security and privacy.
• Applying expertise regarding counterintelligence including relevant aspects of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Title III, the CFAA, the Pen Trap/Trace Statute, Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the Stored Communications Act (SCA), the Fourth Amendment, the Cyber Security Act, the Federal Information Systems Modernization Act, the Central Intelligence Agency Act, the Privacy Act, the National Security Act, and various executive orders and regulations related to the operation of the CIA.
• Acting as a senior CIA interlocutor with the Department of Justice.
• Representing CIA legal interests before the National Security Council, Congress, and foreign liaison partners.
• Advocating for workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished and well-rounded leader with superb communication, interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving, and management skills. The candidate will be expected to develop and implement a strategic vision and participate effectively in broader management decision-making for the OGC and CIA.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume via MyLINK.
• You must be registered for the Selective Service, if applicable.
• You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age (dual-national US 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.
• For further requirements information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/how-we-hire/requirements/

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Active bar membership from any of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
• Minimum of ten (10) years of litigation or investigations experience.
• Prior public or private sector supervisory experience leading a legal team handling a wide range of subject-matter areas, diverse legal issues, and providing expert counsel to senior stakeholders in litigation and investigations matters.
• Federal criminal and/or civil litigation experience at the trial and/or appellate level; federal investigations experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity by adapting to new demands or information, and handling situations with multiple variables and unknowns.
• Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA , including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in national security-related litigation and/or federal criminal prosecution, including experience with the Classified Information Procedures Act
• 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 develop and maintain close and collaborative working relationships inside and outside the CIA
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET/SCI Security Clearance and pass a full scope polygraph examination
• Must be willing to travel on an infrequent basis, including to austere locations

Education

• Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school

Additional information

Higher starting salary possible depending on experience level