What are the responsibilities and job description for the ATTORNEY-ADVISER (GENERAL) position at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?
Duties
- Serves as an Attorney-Advisor in the office of Counsel and is assigned a variety of legal matters.
- Renders legal advice and assistance in the administration of the Corps Clean Water Act 404 Regulatory Program and the Corps Civil Works Planning Program.
- Coordinates litigation and acts as liaison with Department of Justice attorneys in injunction or other proceedings for or against the government.
- Reviews for legal sufficiency prior to award, contracts and contract modifications.
- Contractual problems involve complicated and/or novel combinations of legal and factual issues not clearly covered.
- Furnishes legal advice and assistance in connection with non-contractual claims involving admiralty law and tort law.
- Renders legal advice and assistance (oral or written) to all elements of the District in response to inquiries on numerous types of miscellaneous problems.
- Investigates and prepares legal opinions pertaining to contractual claims in favor of or against the Government and serves as Government trial attorney.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
- Obtain and maintain a SECRET clearance.
- File annual Financial Disclosure, OGE-450.
- Must upload application documents as outlined in this announcement.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or 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; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Education Requirement for Attorney-Advisor (General), GS-0905-13:
An applicant 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 (LL.B or JD). Only a law degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the American Bar Association is acceptable to meet positive education requirements. (Transcripts must be uploaded)
Official or unofficial college or university transcript(s) may be used for the application process. Official transcripts will be required at the time of selection.
In addition to meeting the education basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
A. I have three (3) or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the Bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Examples of this experience include:
1. Analyze facts, ascertain law and give opinions, articulating facts and legal issues;
2. Explain legal principles and identify alternative courses of action;
3. Advise Program or Project Managers, Contracting Officers, or other managers or supervisors: (a) Clean Water Act 404 Regulatory Program; (b) Civil Works Programs; (c) environmental law; (d) Government procurement; (e) non-contract claims; (f) general law (including ethics, information law, and fiscal law).
BAR MEMBERSHIP:
An applicant must currently be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a State, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The experience described in your résumé will be evaluated and screened for the Office of Personnel Management's basic qualifications requirements, and the skills needed to perform the duties of this position as described in this vacancy announcement.
Time in Grade Restriction: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks MUST have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade (or equivalent).
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
- Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
Education
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/.
Additional information
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
- You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
- One year trial/probationary period may be required.
- Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
- This position requires you to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
- Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
- If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
- This is a Professional Services Career Field position.
- Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
- Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
- When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
- Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
- Upload documents to support response to your assessment and as instructed through-out this announcement.
- NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's 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 to claim veterans' preference may include that information in their cover letter or résumé and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference and desiring to obtain consideration of veteran's status must submit a Standard Form SF-15, "Application for 10-point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed.
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
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 you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. 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.
Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.
1. Knowledge and experience with federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures including in research, analysis, and effectively advising in complex areas of Federal law such as:
a) Clean Water Act 404 Regulatory Program;
b) Civil Works Programs;
c) environmental law;
d) Government procurement;
e) non-contract claims;
f) general law (including ethics, information law, and fiscal law)
2. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics. Please provide a writing sample, demonstrating your verbal communication and legal analysis skills through legal briefs, memoranda, or letters.
WRITING SAMPLES SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES.
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.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
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.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:- Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
- If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may 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). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
- For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:- Resume;
- Last two annual performance appraisals;
- Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); and
- A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
- Cover Letter is optional.
- Resume;
- Copy of law school transcripts (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); AND an official statement of relative standing in your class or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information;
- Certificate issued by the Bar Registrar or similar official showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar, dated NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection);
- A SWORN STATEMENT, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. IF YOUR FITNESS TO PRACTICE LAW OR YOUR CONDUCT AS AN ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN ANY JURISDICTION, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that you deem appropriate;
- One signed letter of professional reference from a member of the Bar of a State or Territory, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement; AS WELL AS the names of two additional professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State or Territory; and,
- A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
- Cover Letter is optional.
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.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/20/2024 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/12407735).
- 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.
Agency contact information
Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
RH-W2SJ03 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-WALLA WALLA
DO NOT MAIL
Walla Walla, WA 99362
USNext 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 for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
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.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
- Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
- If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may 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). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
- For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents:
- Resume;
- Last two annual performance appraisals;
- Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); and
- A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
- Cover Letter is optional.
- Resume;
- Copy of law school transcripts (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); AND an official statement of relative standing in your class or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information;
- Certificate issued by the Bar Registrar or similar official showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar, dated NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection);
- A SWORN STATEMENT, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. IF YOUR FITNESS TO PRACTICE LAW OR YOUR CONDUCT AS AN ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN ANY JURISDICTION, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation that you deem appropriate;
- One signed letter of professional reference from a member of the Bar of a State or Territory, dated within 12 months of the opening date of this announcement; AS WELL AS the names of two additional professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State or Territory; and,
- A writing sample. WRITING SAMPLES MAY TOTAL NO MORE THAN 10 PAGES IN LENGTH. Extracts of selected sections of larger documents are acceptable. Redacted material is acceptable.
- Cover Letter is optional.
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.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
