Federal

Attorney Advisor (CLC Attorney)

Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System ยท Department of Justice
๐Ÿ“ Lompoc, California GS-12/14 $104,349 - $190,627/yr
Posted: Jul 2, 2026 Deadline: Aug 8, 2026 (Closes in 36 days)

About This Position

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

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.

Major Duties

The legal practice at the Los Angeles Consolidated Legal Center (CLC), with office locations at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Los Angeles, CA, (MDC LOS) and the Federal Correctional Complex at Lompoc, CA (FCC Lompoc) 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).

This position is part of the Los Angeles CLC, and the position will be located at either the MDC Los Angeles or FCC Lompoc as part of a legal team that oversees legal matters in the Central District of California associated with Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) operations, which includes the following correctional institutions: Metropolitan Detention Center at Los Angeles (MDC LOS), Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island (FCI Terminal Island), Federal Correctional Complex at Lompoc (FCC Lompoc), and the Federal Correctional Complex at Victorville (FCC Victorville). As a member of the Los Angeles CLC, 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 may also be required to handle other BOP legal matters as assigned, which are outside the Central District of California and pertain to other BOP institutions.

The incumbent will also be expected to communicate with defense attorneys, prosecutors, federal courts, and agency officials. 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 must have thorough knowledge of all aspects of BOP policy and practice as he/she may be required to appear in District Court on short notice to explain and advocate the agency's rationale for its correctional management decisions.

The duties of this position may at times require frequent and direct contact with individuals in confinement who are suspected or convicted of serious criminal offenses. It has also been determined that the duties of this position require experience and knowledge of the on-the-job responsibilities of a primary law enforcement officer working in a detention facility. Because of the nature and mission of this position, it requires "hands-on" understanding of the issues encompassed in working within an institution.

The incumbent may be called on to perform as a law enforcement officer in a correctional environment during training, emergency situations, times of staff shortages, and under any other type of correctional operating crisis. Specific correctional responsibilities may include custody and supervision of inmates, responding to emergencies and institution disturbances, participating in fog and escape patrols, and assuming correctional officer posts when necessary. The incumbent may be required to conduct pat down and visual searches of inmates and search inmate work or living areas for contraband.

The incumbent must be prepared to use physical control in situations where necessary, such as in fights among inmates, assaults on staff, and during riots or escape attempts. The Practice areas related to this position are: Correctional Law, Civil Litigation, and Constitutional Law.

Conditions of Employment

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).

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Additional Information

This is a primary law enforcement position. Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age of 36 for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution, applicants for this announcement can be considered up to age

  1. If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you must submit a SF-50 to verify prior coverage. Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age.

A prerequisite requirement of this position is the successful completion of 'Introduction to Correctional Techniques, Phase I' locally and, the satisfactory completion of a mandatory course in 'Introduction to Correctional Techniques, Phase II' at the Staff Training Academy. 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.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit a resume, list of references, a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience) and a writing sample by August 8, 2026, to Robert J. France, Regional Counsel at [email protected]. Applications must be received on or before the application deadline date below: August 8, 2026 FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO: https://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/ DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON-LINE.

Submit a complete/detailed resume or curriculum vitae. Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration.

Resume or curriculum vitae must contain all information listed in the Qualifications Section. Submit supporting documents (i.e. transcripts, certification, registration, and/or license, if applicable). A complete application packet (including optional questionnaire responses) MUST be submitted directly to the following email address: [email protected].

Required Documents

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Attorney Advisor (CLC Attorney) position at Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System?
The salary range for this position is $104,349 - $190,627/yr. This is a GS-12/14 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Attorney Advisor (CLC Attorney) job located?
This position is located in Lompoc, California. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
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.
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Aug 8, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.