Attorney-Advisor

This position is in Region 6, Office of Regional Counsel. About Region 6.

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. You must:
(1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and
(2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and
(3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.
NOTE: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation. At the full performance level of this position, you will:

• Provide legal research and problem resolution during the course of criminal investigations and prosecutions involving environmental federal statutes.
• Provide legal advice and policy recommendations concerning the criminal enforcement program and/or other regional programs, operations, and activities for decision makers with legal considerations in mind.
• Coordinate litigation matters regarding criminal enforcement programs.

If you are hired at a grade level lower than the full performance level (i.e., highest promotion potential level), your duties will be less complex and you will have more supervisory oversight. You may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as working on a variety of matters related to environmental laws; researching and analyzing legal policy issues and providing recommendations/resolutions under the guidance of senior attorneys; and drafting legal documents in coordination with senior attorneys.

To qualify for the GS-14 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level defined as working on a wide variety of complex matters related to environmental laws; researching and analyzing legal policy issues and providing recommendations/resolutions; providing legal advice related to environmental laws; drafting legal documents in coordination with senior attorneys; and participation in litigation activities such as drafting complaints and/or briefs to be filed in court.

You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully:

• Oral Communication. *
• Written Communication.
• Criminal Law. *
• Environmental Laws and Regulations. *

*You will be evaluated on these critical competencies.

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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

*If you have part-time work experience, read this: Part-Time Experience.