General Attorney (Labor) (Honors Attorney)

National Labor Relations Board•Washington, DC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is part of the National Labor Relations Board Honors Program and is specifically within the Board-side program area. It is intended to provide experience across the full range of the agency’s legal practices. The attorney reviews formal trial or hearing records and related decisions and filings; researches legal authorities and applies that research to cases; prepares bench memoranda in consultation with the Assistant Chief Counsel; orally presents cases to Board Members; and drafts Board decisions and orders, as well as separate dissenting or concurring opinions, in consultation with the Assistant Chief Counsel. The role requires an ABA-accredited first professional law degree, current membership in good standing of a qualifying U.S. bar, and eligibility under the announcement’s academic, labor-related, or prior-experience criteria. Applicants must also meet the specified post-law-school, fellowship, or advanced-degree pathway and have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11. This is an onsite, Excepted Service, bargaining-unit position. Transcripts and proof of an active bar license are required, and a two-year trial period may apply.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required.
Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
Successfully completed a full course of study at an ABA-accredited law school and hold a first professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.), or be in process of obtaining an advanced law degree (e.g., LL.M. or J.S.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school, as specified in the announcement.
Be a current member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico; active bar license verification must show the bar number and good-standing status.
Meet at least one basic eligibility criterion: GPA of 3.0 or above (or equivalent), top 25% of the law school class, or attendance at a school that does not use numerical GPA/rank; prior internship or work at the NLRB or another labor agency; or other specialized labor law or labor relations experience.
Meet one of the stated qualification pathways: currently serving in at least one year of post-law-school experience as a judicial clerk or honors attorney; a legal fellowship begun within six months of graduating with the first professional law degree; or being in the final year of an advanced law degree begun within six months of graduating with the first professional law degree.
Have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 involving legal or policy analysis or interpretation, legal research and recommendations grounded in legal principles, and oral communication of legal issues and factual scenarios in a legal environment.
Document specialized experience fully in the resume; education may not substitute for specialized experience at this grade level.
Submit transcripts and a complete online application by 11:59 PM EST on the announcement’s closing date.
Sign an Honors Program Participant Agreement.
May be subject to a background investigation before appointment.
Must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the announcement closing date.
Foreign education used to meet qualifications must be evaluated and deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. education, or receive full credit at an accredited U.S. college or university.

Nice To Haves

Strong academic law school record.
Currently serving in a judicial clerkship, law fellowship, or honors attorney position, or be in the last year of an advanced law degree, as described in the ideal candidate statement.
Strong legal research skills.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Experience or coursework in labor or industrial relations and the National Labor Relations Act.

Responsibilities

Review formal trial or hearing records, including testimony transcripts, exhibits, hearing officer reports, administrative law judge decisions, regional director decisions, exceptions, requests for review, and briefs.
Research statutes, decisions, opinions, regulations, legislative history, and other legal authorities, and apply the research to cases.
Prepare bench memoranda in consultation with the Assistant Chief Counsel, identifying contested issues, relevant facts, lower-level dispositions, party arguments, and recommended resolutions.
Orally present cases to Board Members for disposition.
Draft official Board decisions and orders and, as applicable, separate dissenting or concurring opinions in consultation with the Assistant Chief Counsel.