Description
POSITION TITLE: Attorney AdvisorLOCATION:
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Commercial Division
Land Use Section
400 Sixth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
REMOTE WORK STATUS: A hybrid remote telework/in-office schedule option is available.
COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT: The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) is committed to providing the highest quality legal and programmatic services to the District and its residents while ensuring the health and safety of employees, customers, clients, volunteers, contractors, and other visitors.
JOB REQUISITION NUMBER: 2023- 133
NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 1
OPENING DATE: October 11, 2023
CLOSING DATE: October 26, 2023
SALARY RANGE: $91,673. – $103,905.
This salary is within the Legal Services salary schedule at Grade 12 Step 1 through Step 5. The salary will be based on a multitude of factors including applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines.
PAY PLAN, SERIES, AND GRADE: LA-0905-12
TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Legal Services – Regular Appointment
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT: This position is in the collective bargaining unit represented by AFGE Local 2401. If you opt to join the union, and consent, a service fee will be paid through direct payroll deduction.
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to the Public
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES: The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) is seeking an Attorney Advisor to join its Land Use Section in the Commercial Division. The Section’s mission is to advocate for the public interest in the District’s zoning and related land use, historic preservation, and real estate development processes, including appearing before the Zoning Commission (“Commission”) and Board of Zoning Adjustment (“Board”).
The Attorney Advisor is responsible for:
- Reviewing Commission and Board applications, appeals, and text amendments to identify public interest issues including but not limited to racial equity, affordable and accessible housing, environmental justice, and public participation and procedural fairness.
- Representing the public on behalf of the Attorney General in cases before the Commission and Board.
- Serving as a resource for ANCs, community groups, and residents by providing education and guidance as to how to participate effectively in the District’s development process and working with these groups to identify and address issues of public interest. Performing other related duties, as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Prior experience in Public Advocacy or Civil Litigation is required
- Excellent analytical, writing, and public presentation skills;
- Self-starter and team player with a commitment to developing and advancing the Section’s mission and specific goals;
- Experience working with diverse communities and constituencies;
- Must be available for off-site and off-hour hearings and meetings of the Commission and Board as well as meetings with ANCs, community groups, and residents as needed; and
Preferred but not required:
- Specific experience in real estate development, and/or land use and zoning law;
- Ability to read building plans and surveys; and
- Facility with the District’s systems for land records (Office of the Surveyor and the Recorder of Deeds), building permits (DCRA SCOUT), zoning applications (OZ IZIS), and District regulations and laws.
ELIGIBILITY: The successful candidate must have a law degree and be an active member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction. If not a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the candidate must be sworn into the District of Columbia Bar within 360 days of his/her initial appointment with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
TIME-IN-GRADE RESTRICTIONS: Time-in-grade restrictions must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates must apply online by 11:59 pm of the closing date. All applications must include the completed questionnaire, along with a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references including supervisors. Please ensure that all required documents are included prior to submitting the application.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS
GENERAL SUITABILITY SCREENING: The selected candidate will be subject to a background investigation including reference checks.
PRIORITY CONSIDERATION: Displaced Employee Priority Placement: Candidates who are eligible for the District of Columbia’s Displaced Employee Program (DEP) and Agency Reemployment Priority Placement Program (ARPP) will be given priority consideration for this position if found qualified.
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: Selectee will be eligible for health and life insurance, annual (vacation), and sick leave and will be covered under the District of Columbia government’s retirement plan. However, if the selectee was previously employed in the District of Columbia’s government under an appointment for which he/she was eligible for Civil Service Retirement (CSR), contributions to CSR will resume upon re-employment.
RESIDENCY PREFERENCE: A person applying for a position in the Career Service, Education Service, Management Supervisory Service, an attorney position in the Legal Service (series 905) other than in the Senior Executive Attorney Service (SEAS), or an attorney in the Excepted Service (series 905) who is a bona fide District resident AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION for the position, may be awarded a 10-point residency preference over non-District residents’ applications, unless the person declines the preference points. If selected, the person shall be required to present proofs of bona fide District residency and maintain such residency for 7 consecutive years from the effective date of the appointment. Failure to maintain bona fide District residency for the 7-year period will result in forfeiture of employment. If the position you accept is in the Career, Management Supervisory, or Educational Service at an annual salary of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) or more, you must establish residency in the District of Columbia within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of employment and continue to maintain residency within the District of Columbia throughout the duration of employment.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE: Applicants claiming veterans’ preference must submit official proof at the time of application.
DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Pursuant to the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998, the individual selected to fill this position will, as a condition of employment, be required to notify his/her immediate supervisor, in writing, not later than five (5) days after the conviction of or a plea of guilty to a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, genetic information, or political affiliation.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code, Section 2-1401.01 et. seq., (Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.
OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE TO BE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Important: Your COMPLETE application is important to OAG hiring process. Please ensure that you have read through the requisition in its entirety. Any REQUIRED document/s i.e. Resume, Cover Letter, DC2000RP, and/or KSAs as applicable, are included BEFORE you SUBMIT the application. You will NOT be able to re-submit. Thank you.