Summary
This position is in the Office of the Chief Judge and reports directly to the Chief Judge. This vacancy is also posted as a Senior Level position and will be filled as either SL or GS-15 depending on applicant qualifications. The Counsel to the Chief Judge assists the Chief Judge with the review and analysis of Tax Court opinions pending release. The U.S. Tax Court is independent of the executive branch and has established a personnel system similar to the systems used by other Federal courts.
Clarification from the agency
This job is open to U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals and Federal employees.
Duties
The Counsel to the Chief Judge (Counsel) (GS-15) provides legal advice and assistance in complex matters of Federal tax law. The Counsel primarily assists the Chief Judge in reviewing non-precedential opinions that the other Judges of the Court submit to the Chief Judge to dispose of cases assigned to them. The responsibilities placed on the Counsel in this position are similar to some of those of judicial officers of the Court, subject to the supervision of the Chief Judge. Although the Counsel cannot assume final responsibility for disposing of cases, as must a Judge, he or she must possess the technical knowledge and judgment of a high order to properly discharge the trust imposed on the position and to warrant the confidence of the Court. The work of the Counsel is subject to review only by the Chief Judge or the full Court. The Counsel works independently performing analytical review and research duties. The Counsel works to ensure that Tax Court opinions, which are issued on a national basis, are consistent with each other.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES: The Counsel is directly responsible for developing and rendering advice to the Court on legal and operational matters that include the following:
Review of Proposed Opinions
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Reviews and analyzes opinions submitted to the Chief Judge; the purpose of this review is to determine the technical acceptability of the opinions and their consistency with the Court's judicial precedents and other relevant authorities.
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Has responsibility for recognizing and bringing to the Chief Judge's attention all matters that might call into question whether an opinion represents a proper adjudication of the facts and issues presented. Prepares commentary to be appended to opinions in written memorandum form or discusses the questions or problems directly with the Chief Judge. Discusses with the Chief Judge whether a case requires review by the entire Court; may also recommend alternative disposition of a case or changes to be made to an opinion as supported by the facts and applicable law.
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Advises and consults with the Chief Judge and Judges of the Court on questions of law and procedure and, upon request, advises Attorney-Advisers of the various Divisions of the Court.
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Assists the Chief Judge (or other Judges, with the Chief Judge's approval) in preparing opinions in cases tried or assigned to the Chief Judge for disposition.
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Performs other special assignments dealing with the Court's adjudicative work and requiring the application of the highest legal technical skill and judgment, a comprehensive knowledge of Federal tax law and procedure, and thorough familiarity with all branches of general law and legal procedure.
Legal Advice and Counsel
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Advises the Court with respect to legal and related operational questions involved in a proposed course of action or the determination of any matter pending before the Court.
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May assist in drafting proposed legislation and preparing and reviewing reports to be submitted by the Court to Congressional committees.
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May be assigned by the Chief Judge to assist committees of the Court.
Conditions of Employment
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All Court employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for U.S. Tax Court Employees.
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Employment at the United States Tax Court is subject to the provisions of the United States Tax Court Personnel Management System, a distinct system of personnel management practices specific to the Court as authorized by Public Law 111-366.
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The United States Tax Court Personnel Management System adheres to the provisions set forth in section 2301(b) of title 5, United States Code (Merit Systems Principles) and section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code (Prohibited Personnel Practices). All United States Tax Court personnel must conduct themselves in accordance with these provisions.
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Employment with U.S. Tax Court is "at-will;" employment may be terminated at any time by either party, with or without cause.
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Those who are required must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
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Appointment to these positions is contingent upon favorable suitability determination and security background checks, which include a credit check and a criminal check.
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A candidate selected for this position must be current on his or her Federal income tax obligations before employment with the U.S. Tax Court and must remain current at all times while employed by the U.S. Tax Court.
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Continued employment post appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of the background investigation and credit check and favorable adjudication. A background reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time during employment.
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All applicant information is subject to verification.
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New appointments to the Federal service require a probationary period of 52 weeks. Appointments to the Tax Court from other Federal positions may require a probationary period of up to 52 weeks.
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The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for Court employees.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA:
The successful applicant should be a highly motivated self-starter, an organized team player, and must consistently exhibit good judgment and tact. To qualify for the position:
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Candidates must be a graduate of a full course study in a School of Law (must have a J.D. or an LL.B. degree) accredited by the American Bar Association and a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
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Must possess at least six years of legal professional experience as a private practitioner or as an attorney on the staff of a government law office or court, and managerial experience related to the field of litigation or adjudication. Managerial or legal experience within the Federal court system is preferred.
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Ability to respond to requests on short notice and to manage multiple tasks and stringent deadlines.
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Aptitude and experience dealing with professional legal staff, court personnel, federal agency officials, and the public and an ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
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Solid critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
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Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Competencies Required for the Vacancy
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Extensive professional tax experience, with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the principles of tax litigation.
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A thorough knowledge and understanding of the Internal Revenue Code, the Regulations issued thereunder, and other Federal tax law authorities.
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Familiarity with the appropriate judicial precedents in the field of Federal tax law as enunciated by the Tax Court and appellate Federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
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Superior writing and communication skills.
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Demonstrated skill and ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in performing review duties.
Education
Candidates must be a graduate of a full course study in a School of Law (must have a J.D. or an LL.B. degree) accredited by the American Bar Association and a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
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.
Review our benefits
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
How You Will Be Evaluated: If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, the Court will then evaluate your application package to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education as they relate to the requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. Applicants will be screened by a selection committee. Appropriate background and security checks will be made. Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
Timing of Submissions and Retrieval: Complete applications on hand as of 11:59 p.m. (ET) on April 17, 2024 will be considered first. If no selection is made from those applicants, further applications will be collected each Friday until the position is filled. Applications that are not complete as of the collection time on the following Wednesdays (effectively 11:59 p.m. ET the preceding night), will be collected but will not be considered. Applications that are collected each Thursday and are complete will be considered along with all prior completed applications until a selection decision is made.
Applicants may apply by submitting all of the following:
- A letter of interest/cover letter. Applications without a cover letter or letter of interest will not be considered.
- A resume highlighting relevant knowledge and experience. Your resume may be in any format you desire, but it must show beginning and ending dates for all periods of relevant experience and must make plain the level of responsibility held in each position.
- Informal transcripts showing your law degree.
- Certificate of Good Standing for State bar affiliation(s).
- If you have federal government experience, your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50.
- A supplemental written statement, not to exceed two pages, which provides a brief description of how your experience relates to the duties outlined in this vacancy announcement. Applications without a supplemental written statement will not be considered.
- The names and contact information of at least three professional references.
Format of Applications: Application materials must be formatted as Adobe Acrobat PDF to be considered. Microsoft Word documents will not be considered.
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.
Application documents must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire, and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more details.
Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (202) 521-4700 or by email at humanresources@ustaxcourt.gov.
The Court does not accept hard-copy application packages. The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or to withdraw the announcement, with or without prior written or other notice.
Next steps
All Applicants: USAJOBS applicants whose application is "submitted" at the time of retrieval will be retrieved and assessed for completion. If the application is complete, it will be considered along with others retrieved at that time. If it is incomplete, it will not be considered.
This position will be opened until filled. Applications will be reviewed each week until a selection is made. After the closing date of this announcement, The Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your application package. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. At this point you may be contacted for an interview. If you do not meet the key requirements, and/or basic qualifications or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
Attention to detail and compliance with instructions on how to apply will be considered in the evaluation of applications.
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