Attorney-Adviser (General)

About the Office By delegation from the Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) provides legal advice to the President and all executive branch agencies.

The Office provides written opinions and other advice in response to requests from the Attorney General, the Counsel to the President, the General Counsels of the various agencies of the Executive Branch, and other components of the Department of Justice.

Such requests typically deal with legal issues of particular complexity and importance or those about which two or more agencies disagree. The Office is also responsible for reviewing and commenting on the constitutionality of pending legislation.

All executive orders and substantive proclamations proposed to be issued by the President are reviewed by OLC for form and legality, as are various other matters that require the President's formal approval. The Office reviews all proposed orders of the Attorney General including regulations that require the Attorney General's approval.

It also performs a variety of special assignments referred by the Attorney General or the Deputy Attorney General. Job Description The Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, is seeking highly qualified attorneys to serve as Attorney-Advisers in Washington, D.C.

The Office's principal function is to assist the Attorney General in fulfilling the role of legal adviser to the President and Executive Branch agencies. For more information, please visit OLC's internet website, http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/.

OLC's responsibilities include the following: Advising the Attorney General, the Counsel to the President, the General Counsels of executive departments and agencies, and the various components of the Department of Justice on constitutional and statutory matters; Resolving legal disputes within the Executive Branch through the issuance of authoritative legal opinions; Reviewing for constitutionality proposed legislation; and Reviewing for form and legality all executive orders and substantive proclamations and memoranda proposed to be issued by the President as well as all Attorney General Orders including regulations that require the Attorney General's approval.

Applicants must have a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) and have at least one year of post-J.D. legal experience. OLC is highly selective in its hiring because OLC attorneys handle some of the most difficult and important legal issues confronting the Executive Branch.

The ideal candidate would have exceptional academic credentials, a judicial clerkship or comparable experience, a strong background in constitutional law, outstanding legal research and writing skills, and the ability to obtain a Top-Secret security clearance.