General Attorney

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • New Orleans, LA

9d

About The Position

This position serves as an Assistant District Counsel under the general supervision of the District Counsel. Assignments may involve areas such as contract and procurement law, litigation, labor and personnel law, civil works, real estate, environmental law, tort and admiralty, and fiscal law. The attorney prepares and reviews complex legal instruments and opinions, conducts research and investigations on complex questions of state and federal law, and advises clients on matters requiring original and creative legal analysis. Advice concerning national programs is reviewed by a supervisor for consistency with agency policy before it is provided to clients. The attorney may serve as a trial attorney, support the Department of Justice, and provide advice and litigation representation to the District Commander and senior staff in various forums. The position requires working cohesively with people and groups from varied technical and professional backgrounds.

Requirements

• Successfully complete a full course of study at an American Bar Association-accredited law school and hold a first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.).
• Be a current member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state or territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and maintain active good-standing status with at least one attorney licensing authority.
• Provide certification of active, good-standing attorney status upon appointment and every two years thereafter.
• For GS-13, have at least two years of professional legal experience acquired after bar admission, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position; or graduate in the top 25% of an ABA-accredited law school class or hold an advanced law degree such as an LL.M., and have at least one year of such post-bar legal experience.
• If currently employed as a federal attorney, meet the time-in-grade requirement: one year at the next lower level within 30 days of the announcement closing date, or prior service at the same or a higher grade.
• Submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) upon entry and annually thereafter.
• Be a U.S. citizen and provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Complete a suitability or fitness determination, which may include a background investigation.
• Complete a two-year probationary period, during which the agency evaluates fitness and whether continued employment advances the public interest.
• If using foreign education to qualify, have the credentials evaluated and determined equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program, or receive full course credit at an accredited U.S. college or university.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• Use direct deposit for pay.

Nice To Haves

• Veterans' preference eligibility is considered a positive factor for attorney hiring; eligible applicants should document their eligibility and submit supporting documentation.
• A top-25% class rank at an ABA-accredited law school or an advanced law degree such as an LL.M. may qualify an applicant for the alternate GS-13 experience pathway.

Responsibilities

• Prepare legal opinions and other legal instruments, and advise clients on matters requiring original and creative legal analysis to balance conflicting interests.
• Prepare or review extremely complex legal issues, instruments, and assemblies, and prepare opinions on complex questions involving state and federal laws and regulations.
• Conduct research or investigations concerning complex legal questions involving state and federal laws and regulations.
• Serve as a trial attorney and support the Department of Justice.
• Provide advice and litigation representation to the District Commander and senior staff in a variety of forums and on varied legal issues.
• Work cohesively with individuals and groups from varied technical and professional backgrounds.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Recruitment, relocation, or retention incentives may be authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station allowances may be authorized, subject to applicable rules and a determination that the move is in the Government's interest.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree