Job Description

The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is now accepting applications for General Attorney positions, including in its New York City and Hudson valley locations, as well as possible positions in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

While our announcement goes until August 14 2025, resumes are accepted after that day and interviews are being held, selections are made and positions are offered on an expedited basis. We are hiring both 3Ls and experienced attorneys.

The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is now accepting applications for General Attorney positions, including in its New York City locations. Please follow this link to the announcement on USAJOBS: You can also send your resume to opla-nyc-recruitment@ice.dhs.gov after August 14, 2025.

OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 1,500 attorneys nationwide. Pursuant to statute, OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review litigating cases involving criminal aliens, terrorists, human rights violators, and other priority aliens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.

OPLA offers exciting opportunities for their attorneys, including joining specialized teams dealing with topics such as National Security, Human Rights and Fraud. In addition, there are many programs available to OPLA attorneys including being embedded with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the principle investigative component of DHS responsible for investigating, disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and terrorist networks.

Working as an Assistant Chief Counsel with OPLA NYC is a dynamic way to evolve your career while serving the public interest.

OPLA NYC holds virtual Information Sessions. To sign up for one, please email opla-nyc-recruitment@ice.dhs.gov

OPLA offers competitive pay on the GS scale. OPLA NYC starts at $87,133 for recent law school graduates and up to $146,754 for experienced attorneys, with regular pay increases up to $190,779. This is in addition up to 5% matching TSP retirement accounts, federal pension, annual and sick leave, health benefits and resources for parents.

This role may offer up to $50,000 in signing and retention bonuses.

If you would like to learn more about working with OPLA, please visit our informational page .

Conditions of Employment

• You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment.
• If you are a male born after 12/31/59, you must certify registration with the Selective Service.
• You must have relevant experience (see Qualifications below)
• You must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
• You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Resume: Your resume must include announcement number (DE-11691658-23-LP), education, work experience, training, awards, and work experience. For each work experience listed, please include job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, and starting and ending dates (MM/YY). Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Resume Limit).

Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, a U.S. a territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, with-in grade/range increases); your current promotion potential. If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information about your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form ( SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information .
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DHS Office of the Principal Legal Advisor New York City

Job Tags

Work experience placement, Work at office, Trial period, Relocation package,

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