General Attorney, GS-0905-12/13 (FPL 14)

Duties

APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 125 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 125th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.

We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As a General Attorney, GS-0905-12, you will be responsible for:

• Developing and implementing, as appropriate, Department regulations, policies and guidelines reflecting the specific and general Government laws and regulations on ethics/standards of ethical conduct.
• Coordinating the implementing and execution of the Department's ethics program in Department regional offices and other appropriate offices.
• Developing and participating in the execution of agency-wide training program and individual sessions
• Reviewing and providing legal advice to employees on such topics, including, but not limited to, public and confidential financial disclosure reports submitted by agency employees; acceptance of travel payments from outside, non-agency sources; conflict of interest matters; lobbying activity; political activity; gifts from outside, non-agency sources to employees and the Department; procurement integrity requirements; fundraising activities; and use of Department and staff resources for non-official purposes.
• Providing legal advice to Department officials on sensitive agency matters in connection with federal ethics laws and regulations related to the conduct of employees on the job, and in certain respects, in their personal lives.
  
  

As a General Attorney, GS-0905-13, you will be responsible for:

• Developing and implementing, as appropriate, Department regulations, policies and guidelines reflecting the specific and general Government laws and regulations on ethics/standards of ethical conduct.
• Coordinating the implementing and execution of the Department's ethics program in Department regional offices and other appropriate offices.
• Developing and participating in the execution of agency-wide training program and individual sessions.
• Reviewing and providing legal advice to employees on such topics, including, but not limited to, public and confidential financial disclosure reports submitted by agency employees; acceptance of travel payments from outside, non-agency sources; conflict of interest matters; lobbying activity; political activity; gifts from outside, non-agency sources to employees and the Department; procurement integrity requirements; fundraising activities; and use of Department and staff resources for non-official purposes.
• Providing legal advice to Department officials on sensitive agency matters in connection with federal ethics laws and regulations related to the conduct of employees on the job, and in certain respects, in their personal lives.
• Collaborating, as appropriate, with the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) on complex and sensitive issues in connection with ethics laws and standards of conduct that have cross-agency implications or require an analysis of or recommendation for policy.
  
  

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Relocation will not be paid.
• You may be subject to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Must be a US Citizen
  
  

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

Conditions of Employment

Telework Eligibility

• You may be eligible for occasional telework in which you are required to report to the office on a regular basis. Participation must be requested and approved by the supervisor and there must be a signed telework agreement. The number of telework days approved is determined by the agency policy, emergency situations, the approval of your immediate supervisor. You must have access to high speed internet and cell phone service meeting current Agency policy from the approved work location.
  
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements for GS-12:

• You must be a graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
  
  

AND

• Proof of admission to the Bar of the highest court of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and current membership in such Bar as would permit the practice of law. You must be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.
  
  

AND

• Has two years professional legal experience, at least one of the two years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, OR
  
  

Has one-year professional legal experience at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study OR

Has One-year Professional Legal Experience At The Level Of Difficulty And Responsibility Equivalent To That Of An Attorney At The Grade Immediately Below The One Being Filled, PLUS Record Showing Superior Law Schoolwork, Or Activities As Demonstrated By One Of The Following

• Academic standing in the upper third of the law school graduating class.
• Work or achievement of significance on his/her law school's official law review.
• Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif.
• Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools.
• Full-time or continuous participation, for one year or two semesters of law school, in a legal aid program (as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation).
• Significant summer law office clerk experience after beginning law school.
• Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
  
  

AND

Specialized Experience For The GS-12

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-11 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

• Experience analyzing criminal laws applicable to the Federal sector and/or equivalent government sectors (e.g., State, County, Tribal and/or local government levels) that apply ethics laws and regulations.
• Experience researching, analyzing and/or litigating legal issues applicable to the Federal sector and/or equivalent government sectors (e.g., State, County, Tribal and/or local government levels) that apply ethics laws and regulations.
• Experience advising/counseling and communicating with individuals/employees on a full range of ethics issues including, but not limited to, conflicts of interest, standards of conduct, lobbying, political activity, fundraising and travel.
  
  

Minimum Qualification Requirements For GS-13

• You must be a graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association,
  
  

AND

• Proof of admission to the Bar of the highest court of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and current membership in such Bar as would permit the practice of law. You must be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar,
  
  

AND

• Has three years professional legal experience, at least one of the three years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled,
  
  

OR

Has two years professional legal experience, at least one of the two years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study

OR

Has Two Years Professional Legal Experience, At Least One Of The Two Years MUST Be At The Level Of Difficulty And Responsibility Equivalent To That Of An Attorney At The Grade Immediately Below The One Being Filled, PLUS Record Shows Superior Law Schoolwork Or Activities As Demonstrated By One Of The Following

• Academic standing in the upper third of the law school graduating class.
• Work or achievement of significance on his/her law school's official law review.
• Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif.
• Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools.
• Full-time or continuous participation, for one year or two semesters of law school, in a legal aid program (as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation).
• Significant summer law office clerk experience after beginning law school.
• Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
  
  

AND

Specialized Experience For The GS-13

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-12 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments.

• Experience analyzing conflict of interest laws at 18 U.S.C.
• 201-209 applicable to the Federal sector and/or equivalent government sectors (e.g., State, County, Tribal and/or local government levels) and accompanying implementing regulations.
• Experience researching, analyzing and/or litigating legal issues applicable to the Federal sector and/or equivalent government sectors (e.g., State, County, Tribal and/or local government levels) that apply ethics laws and regulations, including, but not limited to financial interests and assets/instruments, Federal travel regulations, lobbying activity, the Hatch Act and outside activities/employment.
• Experience advising/counseling and communicating with high level agency officials on a full range of ethics issues including, but not limited to, conflicts of interest, standards of conduct, lobbying, political activity, fundraising and travel.
  
  

Education

Foreign Education

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please click Foreign Education .

Additional Information

Veterans' Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email sro_recruiting@ed.gov to schedule a session with a career counselor ("Veterans Counseling Session" should be placed in the subject line of the email).

Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment.

Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check.

Essential/Non-Essential: This position is considered non-essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.

Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure.

Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.