Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
Summary
Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
• Attorney Appointments are in the excepted service.
• DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPLY ONLINE.
• Refer to the "HOW TO APPLY" Section for application submission instructions.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/job/attorney-advisor-western-region
• Duty Location: Western Regional Office, Stockton, CA
The legal practice at the Western Regional Office covers a wide variety of issues focusing on correctional law, either through administrative channels or litigation in federal court. Issues include such matters as inmates' reasonable access to the courts (e.g., access to legal materials, legal correspondence, and attorney-client visits), conditions of confinement (e.g., medical care, diet and religious accommodations, housing assignments, hygiene & sanitation), and post-sentence administration (e.g., sentence computation and inmate discipline).
The position of Consolidated Legal Center (CLC) Attorney handles a wide variety of legal issues focusing on correctional law, which is a practice that relies heavily on constitutional law, tort law, and other administrative law. This practice is primarily civil in nature and involves providing extensive litigation support to the U.S. Attorney's Offices. When the duty location or client is a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) pretrial facility, the practice may also include time-sensitive advocacy in pretrial matters. This practice also involves providing legal guidance and support to BOP employees and through internal and administrative processes (e.g., administrative claims). The legal issues covered include, but are not limited to, inmates' access to the courts (e.g., access to counsel and legal materials, etc.), conditions of confinement (e.g., medical care, religious accommodations, etc.), and post-sentencing processes (e.g., sentence computations and inmate discipline).
The core functions described above require the ability to independently conduct thorough legal research and provide well-reasoned work products in a timely fashion that is tailored to the audience. In addition, the ability to communicate between different groups within the BOP, and to communicate on behalf of the BOP with external stakeholders, is critical to be an effective advocate for BOP.
Any of the incumbents may also be required to handle other BOP legal matters as assigned,which are outside of these districts and pertain to other BOP institutions. In addition to the above, the incumbent is expected to provide advice and guidance to all levels of staff at these correctional facilities, including members of the Executive Staff. The incumbent will also be expected to communicate with defense attorneys, prosecutors, federal courts, and agency officials. The incumbent must have thorough knowledge of all aspects of BOP policy and practice as he/she may be required to appear in District Court or other judicial bodies on short notice to explain and advocate the agency's rationale for its correctional management decisions. The incumbent is expected to possess excellent skills in both legal research and writing, as the position requires incumbent to perform extensive work in these areas with minimal oversight. The incumbent is also expected to learn and adapt to BOP protocols in order to achieve optimal levels of advocacy and persuasion.
The Practice areas related to this position are: Correctional Law, Civil Litigation, and Constitutional Law.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Qualifications
Applicant must possess a J.D. degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
Preferred qualifications: Prior and extensive experience in correctional law and/or federal civil litigation is preferred, but not required.
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.
Additional information
Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:
A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II"(ICT Phase I & Phase II). If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "ICT Phase I & Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position.
If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "ICT Phase I & Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment.
Individuals selected who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and who have not had three years "primary" law enforcement retirement coverage, will not be covered by law enforcement retirement while in this position. To regain coverage, individuals must return to a position with "primary" coverage.
Special Conditions of Employment Section:
Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis
Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.
All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check and must pass a review of their income tax filing history.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is processed under Direct Hire, veteran’s preference and Category Rating procedures do not apply.
Applicants will be evaluated utilizing the documentation submitted and considered for the grade level in which the resume and/or educational transcripts supports.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume (not to exceed two pages), list of references, and a writing sample by August 8, 2026, to Robert France, Regional Counsel, Western Region, at Rfrance@bop.gov. Please include in the subject line “WXR CLC Attorney."
Applications must be received on or before the application deadline date below:
JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75051
United States
Next steps
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume (not to exceed two pages), list of references, and a writing sample by August 8, 2026, to Robert France, Regional Counsel, Western Region, at Rfrance@bop.gov.
Please include in the subject line “WXR CLC Attorney."
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume (not to exceed two pages), list of references, and a writing sample by August 8, 2026, to Robert France, Regional Counsel, Western Region, at Rfrance@bop.gov. Please include in the subject line “WXR CLC Attorney."
Applications must be received on or before the application deadline date below:
JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75051
United States
Next steps
Applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting relevant experience, resume (not to exceed two pages), list of references, and a writing sample by August 8, 2026, to Robert France, Regional Counsel, Western Region, at Rfrance@bop.gov.
Please include in the subject line “WXR CLC Attorney."
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
