The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) employs highly qualified attorneys to serve as Attorney-Advisors. OLC’s principal function is to assist the Attorney General in fulfilling the role of legal adviser to the President and Executive Branch agencies. More specifically, OLC’s 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 OLC’s 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. For a listing of OLC's current experienced attorney vacancies, please visit the Department's Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management website at http://www.justice.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html.

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: Bette Farris

Applicants are encouraged to fax applications to 202/514-0563 or e-mail them to Bette.Farris@usdoj.gov rather than mail them.

OLC participates in the Attorney General’s 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.