GS14/15 Trial Attorney (Human Rights) at Military Commissions Defense Organization

POSITION OPENING
Trial Attorney (emphasis on Human Rights Litigation) on Guantanamo Bay terrorism case

The Military Commissions Defense Organization (MCDO), a component of the Department of Defense, invites applications for a full-time GS 14/15 trial attorney, in a term position, on the case of United States v. Encep Nurjaman, et al. This position is on the defense team representing Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep, whose case is currently in pretrial proceedings in a Guantanamo Bay military commission. He faces charges involving alleged acts of terrorism in Southeast Asia.

The attorney in this position will focus primarily upon case-specific human rights issues under both domestic and international law (a great deal of this involves state-sponsored torture of detainees in United States custody), as well as mitigation and criminal sentencing issues.

Commissions practice is not for everyone; it calls for dynamic, innovative legal work with little or no direct precedent to follow, originality of thought in complex, high-visibility litigation, and a willingness to speak one’s mind and work closely with others. Important aspects to consider include:

• This position requires full professional training in law, as evidenced by (1) graduation from an accredited U.S. school of law, (2) admission to the bar of the highest court of a State or the District of Columbia, and (3) a minimum of 6 years of experience as a practicing lawyer.
• This position will require a sophisticated understanding of criminal law, constitutional law, international human rights law, torture law and policy, and international conventions on the treatment of prisoners and detainees; strong skill and experience in legal research and writing is also required.
• This position is located in Arlington, Virginia. Applicants must live near, or be willing to relocate to, the Washington, DC area.
• This position requires travel, primarily to and from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba. Travel to NSGB is at the expense of the Government, and normally originates at Joint Base Andrews in the Washington, DC area.
• This position requires an active Top Secret with Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. While a current clearance is not required, applicants must either already possess TS clearance or be able to pass a background check appropriate to this level of clearance.
• This position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the federal civilian drug testing program, which requires refraining from the use of illegal drugs and consent to monitoring by urinalysis testing. The term “illegal” means prohibited under federal law, regardless of whether permitted by any State.

If interested, please submit a cover letter and resume to lead counsel at [email protected]. Please feel free, in your cover letter, to express your perspective on America’s “War on Terror” and how our values have been (and continue to be) reflected in our conduct therein. For applicants who do not have a current security clearance, please indicate in the cover letter whether you are aware of any reason why you might not be eligible for a security clearance. Applications will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.