Agency-wide Requirements
All applicants must be:
- U.S. citizens (dual U.S. citizens also eligible)
- At least 18 years of age
- Willing to move to the Washington, DC area
- Able to complete security and medical evaluations
- Registered for the Selective Service
About the Job
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) provides legal advice and policy counsel to the Director of the CIA (DCIA) and other CIA officers on a variety of legal issues, to include intelligence and national security law; procurement and acquisition law; employment and personnel law; government ethics; fiscal law; general administrative law; privacy and civil liberties, and legislative affairs.
Our office places a high value on diversity of experiences and perspectives and encourages applications from qualified individuals from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities.
As an attorney, you will be responsible for:
- Providing legal advice and policy counsel to CIA leadership on complex areas of law affecting the CIA’s duties and responsibilities under authorities including the National Security Act, the CIA Act, and Executive Orders.
- Conducting legal research and analysis on sensitive matters.
- Providing training on a variety of laws and policies affecting CIA personnel.
- Maintaining productive working relationships with other Intelligence Community elements, federal agencies, congressional committees, and use these relationships to further the mission of the CIA.
As a Fiscal Law Attorney, you will work on unique and challenging issues related to the use of appropriated funds by interpreting statutory authorities, internal Agency regulations, and administrative guidance. You will provide legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys regarding matters related to fiscal law. You will also cover other legal accounts as assigned and will have opportunities to rotate to other OGC topic areas after an initial rotation as a fiscal law attorney.
Who You’ll Work With
At the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), we recognize our Nation’s strength comes from the diversity of its people. People from a broad range of backgrounds and viewpoints work at CIA, and our diverse teams are the reason we can keep our country safe.
Read more about diversity and inclusion
What You’ll Get
Our benefits support every aspect of a working professional’s life, including health and wellness, time off, family, finances, and continuing education. Our programs include highly sought-after government health benefits, flexible schedules, sick leave, and childcare. In some cases, we also offer sign-on incentives and cover moving expenses if you relocate.
As a CIA employee, you’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself. Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security.
Learn more about working at CIA
Minimum Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school
- Active bar membership from any of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
- Minimum of three (3) years of legal practice experience
- Demonstrated experience with fiscal law statutes, including the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Economy Act, and annual appropriations acts
- Familiarity with guidance related to fiscal matters, including the Government Accountability Office’s Principles of Federal Appropriations Law, Comptroller General opinions, and Office of Legal Counsel opinions
- Demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity by adapting to new demands or information, and handling situations with multiple variables and unknowns
- At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale
- Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation
All candidates are reviewed for the following competencies:
- Legal analysis, reasoning and writing, including the ability to quickly integrate and synthesize facts and law to make legally sound decisions in compressed timeframes
- Demonstrated expertise on complex legal matters
- The ability to work both independently and as a team member in a demanding environment
- The ability to exercise sound judgment in challenging situations
- Willingness to consider diverse perspectives and ability to navigate changing circumstances
- Ability to effectively manage multiple work assignments and competing priorities concurrently
- Ability to develop and maintain close and collaborative working relationships inside and outside the CIA
The following are also desired for Fiscal Law Attorneys:
- Prior federal government fiscal law experience
- Experience with federal travel authorities, including the Federal Travel Regulation , is preferred by not required
- Demonstrated ability to provide well-researched, clear, definitive advice to clients on matters that are both legally and technically complex