Attorney-Adviser (General)

About the Position: This position is located at U.S. Army Installation Command and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Installation Legal Office, Civil Law Division, JBLM, Washington.

If you are currently serving in a permanent, competitive service appointment in the Federal service, and are selected for this position, the appointment will remove you from the competitive service while you occupy this position. Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications and http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
Who May Apply: US Citizens

Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position.

KSA’s:

• Knowledge of federal environmental laws and regulations (e.g., NEPA, RCRA, CERCLA, ESA, CWA, CAA, etc.) and skill in providing expert legal advice and technical and policy guidance on issues related to and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
• Skill and ability to analyze, formulate legal opinions, provide advice, and represent the agency on environmental law, cultural resources, and real property matters.
• Skill and ability in providing legal and policy advice on civilian personnel matters, including advice on civilian personnel law, labor law, and employment law issues, general administrative law matters and Government ethics issues.
• Ability to handle environmental law litigation related responsibilities.
• Skill and ability to maintain effective working relationships with agency staff at all levels as well as with key individuals in a variety of other federal, state, and tribal agencies, organizations or interest groups.
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member in a demanding environment.
• Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs.

Qualification Requirements: The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration:

Education Requirements: Position requires the possession of the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) AND member in good standing with the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicants for initial appointment into attorney positions within the Department of Army must be graduates of law schools accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of the applicant’s graduation. As indicated below, a law school transcript must be submitted with your application materials.

Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be a member in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar) of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As noted below, proof of such membership and good standing must be submitted with your application materials.

Experience: In addition to the requirements above, applicants for the GS-14 or equivalent Attorney positions must also possess 3 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: The Qualifying Authorities (QA’s) will make a determination as to the applicability of time in grade based on the requirements of the position. If you are currently employed as an attorney by the Federal government you must have completed one year at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade level as the position being filled.

NOTICE OF VETERAN’S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran’s preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the 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. The SF 15 will identify the supporting documentation required along with the list of the types of 10-point preference. The SF 15 is available from the OPM at https://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/sf/.