Duties
OGC serves as the chief legal advisor to the Agency's senior management and program offices on Agency rules, permits, response actions, implementation actions, litigation and legislation. OGC lawyers also work with attorneys in the Department of Justice to represent the Agency in defensive litigation in the federal courts. Some offices independently handle litigation in front of the Environmental Appeals Board to defend EPA actions, or work to prepare to defend Agency decisions in formal hearings. We routinely engage in challenging issues, addressing complex, and often novel or cutting-edge legal issues. OGC attorneys assume great responsibility and quickly become national experts in their assigned areas. They also develop strong analytical, problem solving and communications skills while working closely with their program policy clients, other OGC colleagues, other agencies, and outside stakeholder groups. OGC prides itself on its core values of excellence, community, work-life balance, integrity, empowerment and responsibility, and respect.
The Attorney-Adviser works under the supervision of the Associate General Counsel and/or the Deputy Associate General Counsel. We are currently accepting applications that may be used to hire multiple attorneys for our law offices. We may also hire from this pool for additional law offices should any vacancy occur before our next hiring cycle, projected early-2025.
Each law office consists of practice groups that provide legal counsel to EPA Headquarters, regional offices, and some field offices concerning the environmental statutes and administrative law related to that particular law office. From this posting we may hire for the following law offices:
Air and Radiation: The Air and Radiation Law Office provides legal support for EPA to reduce threats to public health and the environment by cleaning up the nation’s air and dealing with radiation issues.
Cross-Cutting Issues: The Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office provides legal advice under the numerous federal statutes, Executive Orders, and policies that affect all of EPA’s programs, including the Administrative Procedure Act, Environmental Justice, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, Indian law and Children's Health issues.
Pesticides & Toxic Substances: The Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office handles legal issues for the EPA programs that address pesticides and toxic chemicals, including implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act which substantially revised the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Solid Waste and Emergency Response: The Solid Waste and Emergency Response Law Office provides legal support for the Agency's hazardous and solid waste programs and cleanup initiatives.
Water Law Office: The Water Law Office provides legal support for Agency programs that ensure drinking water is safe, that restore and maintain oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife.
For more information, visit our website: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-general-counsel-ogc
In this position you will:
- Analyze and anticipate legal issues with a problem-solving approach to support EPA Headquarters program offices (and in some cases other law offices) on a wide variety of issues within the attorney's areas of responsibility.
- Conduct research of laws, legal opinions, precedent cases, and relevant Agency guidance and actions, as needed, to address complex and difficult legal issues, either on their own or as a member of a team.
- Analyze factual and legal issues presented to determine what further facts are needed and what legal sources are applicable.
- Initiate contacts with program officials and other persons having knowledge of the facts involved in the substantive matter or case at issue.
- Provide oral and written advice and counseling in support of all EPA Headquarters program offices on a broad array of legal matters within the attorney's areas of responsibility.
- Assist the U.S. Department of Justice in defending the EPA in litigation filed against the Agency in federal courts. Serve as EPA's legal counsel to ensure the Agency's views are represented in proceedings filed before courts.
- Work under the general supervision of the Associate General Counsel and Deputy Associate General Counsel, as appropriate, under the guidance of one or more practice group leaders. Receive preliminary and established instructions as to methods of approach, source material available, and Agency policy and precedent.
- Work closely alongside others with different viewpoints and social identities from your own (including race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and genetic information).
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen
- If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required
- You must submit a statement of interest, resume and other required documents (See How to Apply)
- You may be required to travel occasionally
Qualifications
Applicant must possess a J.D. degree or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.
To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must have an LL.M. degree or at least one year of post J.D. legal experience with specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-9 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include law clerk experience at the federal, state, or local level, performing legal analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; composing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation.
OR
To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants who meet the GS-9 requirement and in addition have superior law student activities while earning a JD degree. Superior law student activities include: (A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class; (B) Work or achievement of significance on law school’s law review; (C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif; (D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools; (E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or (F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file.
To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing legal analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; composing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation. Employee must be able to conduct basic legal research and draft legal advice for EPA clients in the relevant area of law. The drafts must be complete and clear. Employee must be able to review draft regulations and guidance documents and identify basic legal issues in the relevant area of law and provide advice on how to address them with assistance from managers.
Incumbent should have experience in providing legal advice and counsel at EPA, other federal, state or local agencies, or courts, non-governmental organizations, or in private practice.
The ideal candidate will have a strong academic and/or employment record, including evidence of nuanced legal analysis with respect to both statutory construction and applicable case law, excellent research and writing skills, superior oral and written communication, strong interpersonal skills, initiative and self-motivation, the ability to work effectively in a team and independently, a commitment to public service, mature judgement, and the ability to work with diverse persons and perspectives. Knowledge and relevant experience in administrative or environmental law, or both, preferred but not required.
More information on GS levels for the 0905 Attorney position are available at:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/standards/0900/gs0905.pdf.
Veterans: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Environmental Protection Agency considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Initially, you will be evaluated based on the information contained in your resume packet. If an interview is granted, you will be evaluated based on the responses you provide during an interview. In responding to interview questions, you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did and the outcome.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
Documents to be submitted should be in PDF format only.
- Written statement of interest (no more than two single-spaced pages), specifically addressing your qualifications for this position. Also indicate your preferences among the law offices, if you are interested in only certain positions, or want to be considered for all open positions, including positions that may become available in the future (before our next hiring cycle).
- Resume (Please include a separate business-style resume with your application in lieu of the automated USAJobs resume).
- A legal writing sample not to exceed 15 pages (for which the applicant was the primary author – with only minor (if any) edits by others). The writing sample should include legal analysis.
- References (names and contact information of three professional references)
- Copy of law school and undergraduate degree transcript (unofficial or official).
- Copy of bar certification
- Veterans' Preference Documents - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service), VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage), and SF-15, if applicable; active duty service members: submit certification from the armed forces documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (a certification is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after you submit the certification).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please completely read the entire announcement before applying. All required documents must be uploaded to this job vacancy announcement by 11:59 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resources Office listed below for assistance no later than three business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.
For detailed instructions to assist you in ensuring your application package is received, go to EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
EPA provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.
- If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than three business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.
- If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process (e.g., writing sample or interview), you should notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official’s office.
- If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.
The National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, see Reasonable Accommodation.
Next steps
The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome.
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