Summary
The General Counsel provides legal advice and assistance to the U.S. Tax Court. The General Counsel works under the general supervision of the Chief Judge. The Assistant General Counsel assists the General Counsel in providing legal and policy advice and assistance to Judges and Court staff on a broad variety of issues. Both the General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel have a confidential working relationship with the Clerk of the Court, Judges, Special Trial Judges, and senior staff.
Clarification from the agency
This job is open to U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals and Federal employees.
Duties
The General Counsel (1.) Serves as a principal general legal adviser to the Court, interpreting laws and providing legal opinions on a breadth of practice areas including but not limited to procurement law and government contracts, appropriations law, and employment law; (2.) Provides advice and guidance on legislative, administrative, organizational, ethics and conduct, budgetary, and management matters; (3.) Serves as the Court's compliance officer and evaluates activities and functions to assess compliance with laws, regulations and contract provisions. Identifies deficiencies and makes recommendations to ensure compliance with program requirements; (4.) Drafts policy and related documents to memorialize the Court's stance on a variety of issues affecting Court operations; (5.) Represents the Judges and employees acting in their official capacities in judicial and administrative proceedings. This includes drafting pleadings, reviewing complaints, and coordinating with the Department of Justice and or outside counsel on such matters.
The Assistant General Counsel assists the General Counsel in providing legal and policy advice and recommendations, including written opinions, with respect to a broad variety of administrative, organizational, and management matters affecting the Court. Practice areas include, but are not limited to, tax law, procurement law and government contracts, appropriations law, and employment law. The Assistant General Counsel also assists with Court Committee work, legislation, budget matters, ethics inquiries, opinion review, suits against Judges and the Court, and substantive and procedural matters relating to cases before the Court.
Conditions of Employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- Applicants must be United States Citizens or Nationals.
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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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Appointments under the United States Tax Court Personnel Management System subsequent to January 4, 2011, do not grant the rights to (a) appeal a reduction in grade or removal to the Merit Systems Protection Board under chapter 43 of title 5, United States Code; (b) appeal an adverse action to the Merit Systems Protection Board under chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code; (c) appeal a prohibited personnel practice described under section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, to the Merit Systems Protection Board under chapter 77 of that title (d) make an allegation of a prohibited personnel practice described under section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, with the Office of Special Counsel under chapter 12 of that title for action in accordance with that chapter; or (e) file an appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under part 1614 of title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
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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.
- Appointment to these positions is contingent upon favorable suitability determination and security background checks, which include a credit check and a criminal check.
See "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION" for complete Conditions of Employment.
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 ten (General Counsel) or six (Assistant General Counsel) 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.
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.
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. Successful candidates may or may not be called for one or more interviews. Interview expenses will not be reimbursed. Appropriate background and security checks will be made. Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
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.
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.
Format of Applications: Application materials must be formatted as Adobe Acrobat PDF to be considered. Microsoft Word documents will not be considered.
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. See "Timing of Submissions and Retrieval" under "Next Steps" for more information.
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.
Attention to detail and compliance with instructions on how to apply will be considered in the evaluation of applications.
Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (202) 521-4700 or by email at humanresources@ustaxcourt.gov.
Next steps
Timing of Submissions and Retrieval: Complete applications on hand as of 11:59 p.m. (ET) on 18 April 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 Fridays (effectively 11:59 p.m. ET the preceding night), will be collected but will not be considered. Applications that are collected each Friday and are complete will be considered along with all prior completed applications until a selection decision is made.
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. The Court may conduct interviews as early as April 29, 2024.
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.
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