Attorney-Advisor Positions
The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) employs highly qualified attorneys
to serve as Attorney-Advisors. OLCs principal function is to assist
the Attorney General in fulfilling the role of legal adviser to the
President and Executive Branch agencies. More specifically, OLCs
responsibilities include advising the Attorney General, the White House
Counsel, all 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 binding legal opinions; reviewing for constitutionality legislation
proposed by the President or by Congress; and reviewing for legality
and form all executive orders, proclamations and memoranda proposed
to be issued by the President and all Attorney General orders and regulations.
Because OLCs 24 attorneys handle some of the most difficult and
important legal issues confronting the Executive Branch, the Office
is highly selective in its hiring. Applicants must have a J.D. degree,
be an active member of at least one bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and
have at least one year of post-J.D. legal experience. The ideal candidate
will have exceptional academic credentials, judicial clerkship or comparable
experience, strong background in constitutional law, and outstanding
legal research and writing skills. Turnover in Attorney-Advisor positions
is sporadic and often difficult to predict, and there is therefore no
established hiring cycle.
Qualified attorneys who are interested in positions with OLC are
encouraged to send a resume to:
Office of Legal Counsel
950 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Room 5245
Washington, DC 20530
Attn: Jennifer Cantilena, Executive Officer
Applicants are encouraged to fax applications to 202/514-0563 or
e-mail them to Jennifer.K.Cantilena@usdoj.gov rather than mail them.
Summer Law Internships
OLC participates in the Attorney Generals Summer
Law Intern Program. Each summer, the Office typically hires three
to four law students, usually third-year students who will be going
on to federal judicial clerkships. Applications to this Program should
be made via the Department's new web-based online application process,
which can be accessed at www.usdoj.gov/oarm.