General Attorney (Government Contracts, Fiscal Law, and Administrative Law)

Duties Help The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is the largest legal program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 3,000 attorneys nationwide to provide a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices. OPLA's Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation (EG&L) divisions play a critical role in advancing ICE's homeland security and public safety mission. Through close client engagement, EG&L divisions provide expert legal advice and guidance to ICE personnel responsible for enforcing the nation's immigration, customs, and criminal laws and policies. Counsel in EG&L defend the operational authorities and decisions of ICE officers and agents in federal courts and support the advocacy of ICE attorneys before immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Special emphasis is placed on cases involving criminal aliens, human rights violators, and individuals who threaten national security. Additionally, EG&L divisions advise and provide legal and prudential counsel to a wide range of operational and policy clients within ICE on matters related to contracts, fiscal and information law, as well as ethics and regulatory issues. The Commercial and Administrative Law Division (CALD) portfolio generally encompasses two primary practice areas: procurement and administrative law, based in Washington, D.C., and revenue recovery, based in Williston, Vermont. CALD attorneys directly support the mission of the ICE Office of Acquisition Management, the ICE Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and OPLA oversight of major procurements and fiscal obligations. They are responsible for advising and assisting ICE officials-including the Head of Contracting Activity-in carrying out ICE responsibilities related to acquisition programs and operations. In addition to procurement and fiscal matters, CALD attorneys provide legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including general administrative law, environmental law, and intellectual property law. CALD also advises the ICE Health Service Corps on issues such as the portability of professional licenses for contract medical service providers, expenditure of appropriations for health care services, Collaborative Practice Agreements with Advanced Practice Providers, and matters involving contract service providers.

Procurement and Administrative Law Attorneys:

Advise and assist ICE officials in carrying out ICE responsibilities related to acquisition programs and inquiries involving fiscal and appropriations law. Provide oral and written legal advice on all stages of the acquisition process, including acquisition planning, solicitation, award, and contract administration. Litigate bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and claims before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. Assist Department of Justice counsel in all aspects of bid protest and claims litigation before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Provide legal counsel and representation in a variety of practice areas, including federal procurement law, fiscal law, appropriations law, suspension and debarment, general administrative law, and intellectual property law.

Revenue Recovery Attorneys:

Revenue recovery attorneys provide comprehensive legal advice on all matters related to collections on delinquent immigration bond and civil enforcement debts, real estate acquisition and leasing, environmental law, and damages to government-owned vehicles. In this capacity, they: Review breaches of immigration bonds and prepare records of proceedings for demand letters to delinquent bond companies. Represent ICE in hearings before Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) on employee debts. Provide advice and legal reviews on National Environmental Policy Act analyses, historic preservation requirements, and compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Draft purchase and sale agreements and review title and deeds for real estate purchases. Assist Department of Justice attorneys by drafting pleadings, assembling administrative records, and preparing declarations for immigration bond, environmental, and real estate litigation.