Summary
About the Position: These positions are located within the US Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, where you will function as a General Attorney providing legal services concerning for example contracts, environmental law, litigation, labor and employment law, and or real estate law, conduct legal research, render legal opinions and furnish legal advice to the District Commander, staff, and interested District personnel on all aspects of the Corps' missions.
Clarification from the agency
Duty station location may be negotiable upon offer depending on office location.
Duties
- Apply knowledge of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation; contract law, Federal Real Estate law; Corps Civil Works projects; Environmental law, Administrative Procedures Act law, and Fiscal law.
- Function as a trial attorney and provide advice and litigation representation to the District Commander and senior staff in a variety of forums, and on a variety of legal issues.
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and provide clear and convincing legal advice and opinions on a wide variety of matters to the District Counsel, District Commander, senior staff, other government members, and contractors.
- Work cohesively with individuals and groups of varied technical and professional backgrounds.
Conditions of Employment
- Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
- This position requires submission of a Financial Disclosure Report OGE-450 upon entry and annually thereafter.
Qualifications
This is an Open Continuous Job Announcement with a closing date of September 30, 2024.
Resumes may be pulled 30 days after the Job Announcement opening date and as vacancies occur within each district.
Who May Apply: US Citizens
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience and your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
1. Technical Knowledge.
A. Experience and/or knowledge in the specialized body of law applicable to procurement law, environmental law, labor and employment law, real estate law, and fiscal law. This includes extensive experience with and knowledge of Federal, DoD and Department of the Army regulations, guidelines, and policies.
B. Experience and mature judgment in handling legal problems including statutory interpretations, preparing legal documents, and reviewing document for legal soundness and accuracy sufficient for accomplishment of difficult, complex and varied legal work relating to complex procurements, litigation, civil works, military construction, regulatory, ethics, fiscal law, and interagency agreements, secured transactions, labor and employment law, real estate law, and administrative law.
2. Other Indicia of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
Ability to advise and communicate effectively with senior leadership at all levels; ability to lead and manage complex legal issues, including reviewing work of legal subject matter experts. Credentials as indicated in the résumé and other application materials (e.g., awards, support for diversity and EEO, performance ratings, educational achievements).
GS 11: One (1) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar; commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Examples of this experience are: (1) Providing legal advice on the application of laws and regulations, precedents, and agency practices; (2) Providing legal advice and representation related to environmental law, contract claims and appeals, real estate law, employment law, and criminal laws, (3) Using a broad spectrum of legal resources, including computer data bases and traditional research methods, (4) Analyzing cases, legal documents, statutes, regulations, and other legal sources for precedential or analogous information and/or argument, (5) Identifying, researching, evaluating and analyzing facts and complex legal issues, including administrative laws, (6) Formulating legal alternative courses of action to meet the needs of clients, (7) Explaining legal principles and the risks concerning alternative courses of action to decision makers, both independently and on a team, (8) Representing clients before administrative and judicial tribunals, (9) Preparing digests or summaries of documents and material located, shepardizing cases, checking case law to determine applicability and ongoing precedence, and performing citation accuracy, and (10) Preparing legal forms and documents such as litigation reports, motions, briefs, discovery, and pleadings.
OR
Superior qualifications, graduates in the top 25% of law school class, can substitute for the one year of legal practice experience requirement.
GS 12: Two (2) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar; commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Examples of this experience are: (1) Providing legal advice and representation related to state or federal laws, regulations and policies, (2) Analyzing factual and legal questions which present a variety of issues, including new and complex areas such as intellectual law, information management, environmental law, investigations, contract law, appeals, criminal law, and a detailed knowledge of a diverse combination of case law, government policies, federal regulations, legal texts, and state and federal statutes, (3) Drafting and constructing legal documents that are prepared reflecting substantive and detailed evidentiary research in support of litigation in United States District Courts and or various administrative courts, (4) Functioning independently to carry out investigatory, advisory, instructional, pretrial, trial and negotiation responsibilities. Consulting on the overall approach to be taken on the line of argument to be pursued especially when important precedential effects are anticipated or when unusual or extremely complex problems arise, (5) Advising decision makers in all aspects of federal remediation laws, regulations and policies related to federal environmental laws, and/or other related environmental laws, (6) Regulations and policies related to federal acquisitions, furnishing counsel and guidance on all procurement matters, including issues of law and fact procurement methods, government policies, appropriate legal authorities, types and forms of contracts, and the various consequences of the contract types and terms and conditions under consideration (7)Identifying, researching, evaluating and analyzing facts and complex legal issues, including administrative laws, (8) Formulating legal alternative courses of action to meet the needs of clients, (9) Explaining legal principles and the risks concerning alternative courses of action to decision makers, both independently and on a team to advise and advocate for the client, and (10) Representing clients before administrative and judicial tribunals.
GS 13: Two (2) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar; commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Examples of this experience are: (1) Exercising discretion and independent judgement in the application of laws, regulations, precedents, and agency practices; (2) Providing legal advice and representation related to federal or state environmental laws, regulations and policies, including the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, and/or other related environmental laws, regulation and policies, (3) Providing legal advice and statutory interpretation regarding problems related to the Federal Torts Claims Act, the Suits in Admiralty Act, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), (4) Advising a Contracting Officer or other decision makers in all aspects of federal laws, regulations and policies related to federal acquisitions, including contract formation, contract administration, contract disputes and contract litigation before administrative body or courts; (5) Advising decision makers in all aspects of federal aspects of the federal acquisition regulation, comptroller general decisions, OMB circulars, ASBCA decisions, federal regulations and policies related to federal acquisitions, including civil works and MILCON contracts, (6) Ability to function effectively as a counselor and advisor to senior officials and project delivery teams within the Corps of Engineers, and to work with private entities, local and governments, and other federal agencies, at the highest levels, (7) Identifying, researching, evaluating and analyzing facts and complex legal issues, including regulations, policies, and directives related to legal areas such as federal civil works programs, fiscal law, labor and employment law, real estate law, administrative laws, and representing clients before administrative and judicial tribunals.
Education
The minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration:
Education: In order to qualify for this position, you must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD).
Bar membership: Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Experience: For eligibility at either grade level GS-12, GS-13 or equivalent - Applicants must have at a minimum two or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Graduation from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class or an advanced law degree such as an LLM may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENTS: If currently employed as an Attorney by the Federal Government you must have completed 1 year at the next lower GS grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, one year at GS-11 for GS-12 or one year at GS-12 for the GS-13, or previously served at the same or higher grade of the position being filled.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
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.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THIS ATTORNEY POSITION: If you DO NOT provide the required documents listed below for this US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Attorney position, your application will be determined to be an 'incomplete application package' and will not receive further consideration for this position.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply.
Cover Letter (Optional)
Resume:
-Your resume may be submitted in any format.-If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content you will not be considered for this vacancy.
-For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). Resumes that do not contain this information will be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position.
-For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
Official Transcripts:
-Official law school transcript and an official statement of relative standing in class.
-Photo static copies of documents are acceptable when applying but certified documents must be furnished before entering duty.
-You MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
Official Certificate:
-Copy of official certificate showing that the applicant is a member in good standing of the bar. The official certificate must be dated within three months of the first date of the announcement.
-The Certificate is required to be submitted by all applicants to include attorneys currently appointed to positions under the qualifying authority of The Judge Advocate General (including active-duty Army Judge Advocates). See: Transcripts and Licenses
Sworn Statement:
-Either a sworn and notarized statement by the candidate that his or her fitness to practice law or conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction OR if either has been challenged, a sworn and notarized statement giving the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that the applicant considers appropriate.
-As an alternative to a sworn and notarized statement, a declaration under penalty of perjury may be submitted in the following format: I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct, executed on (date)(signature of applicant)." (28 U.S.C.1746).
-The statement of fitness must be dated within three months of the first date of the announcement.
-The sworn statement is to be submitted by all applicants including attorneys currently appointed to positions under the qualifying authority of the Judge Advocate General (including active-duty Army Judge Advocates).
-The sworn statement must be submitted with your application package, or you will be rated ineligible.
Writing Examples:
-Examples of writing skills as demonstrated by legal briefs, memoranda, or letters.
-These examples should total no more than ten (10) pages in length. Any pages after page 10 will be discarded and not considered.
-Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable.
Reference Letters:
-Must provide three (3) Letters of Reference from active members of the legal bar. Written references from current and former supervisors are preferred. We may contact references as part of the interview process. The letters must be dated within three months of the first date of the announcement or within one month of the last date of the announcement. You MUST submit the reference letters by the interview date, if offered an interview. In the alternative, you may submit a list of three active members of the legal bar references with complete contact information to include, name, address, email address, and phone number.
Required Documents for current US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Attorneys:
1. Resume
2. Most recent annual performance appraisal
3. Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50)
4. Completed Occupational Questionnaire
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/30/2024 to receive consideration
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12207253).
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
- It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
- Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
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