Attorney-Adviser

Joining the Secret Service, Office of the Chief Counsel allows you to provide legal advice and counsel to, and representation of, the agency in connection with its protective, investigative, and administrative programs/activities. The Office is seeking attorneys in a variety of legal disciplines, with priority on fiscal and appropriations, procurement, personnel and employment, litigation, and operational law enforcement.

For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here. For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. This is an open continuous announcement. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The first review of applications will occur two weeks after the opening date. Applications received after this cut-off will be reviewed and referred as additional vacancies become available.

The selectee will serve as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of the Chief Counsel. Typical work assignments include:

• Making recommendations and advising on regulatory and policy changes required by new legislation or court decisions.
• Engaging in legal research into problems that involve the interpretation and application of laws and regulations enforced by or affecting the Secret Service.
• Assisting with representing the agency in litigation matters by providing support to senior agency and/or Department of Justice attorneys, to include furnishing legal advice, and support regarding discovery matters, witness preparation, and preparing written and oral advocacy for litigation proceedings.
• Assisting with drafting legal instruments, letters, memoranda, documents and informal and formal legal opinions.
• Drafting, interpreting, or applying legislation, regulations, contracts, orders, or decisions.

Apply for this exciting opportunity to support the agency's protective and investigative mission by providing timely, thorough legal guidance for all agency operations, in-service legal training, legal representation in administrative and judicial forums, and on-scene at events and incidents.

To be considered qualified for this position you must meet the following qualification requirements for the respective grade level in which you are applying.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirements AND Minimum Qualification requirements as listed below:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A. A first professional law degree (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.)) obtained from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time the degree was obtained.
AND
B. Be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. (Note: Supporting documentation must be included with the application package).

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ABOVE, YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You qualify for the GS-11 level if you possess one of the following:

Superior achievement as a law student that indicates the ability to independently perform legal work, as demonstrated by at least one of the following:

• Law school transcript that demonstrates successful mastery of law school curriculum.
• Work or achievement of significance on one of the Attorney's law school's official law reviews or journals.
• Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school (e.g., membership in the Order of the Coif, Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude)).
• Significant involvement in a moot court competition (e.g., winning a moot court competition, or membership on the moot court team that represents the Attorney's law school in competition with other law schools).
• Full-time or continuous participation in a legal services program while in law school (one-time, intermittent, or casual participation on its own would not demonstrate superior achievement).
• Significant law office clerk experience while in law school (involving legal or quasi-legal, not clerical, work).
• Other evidence of clearly superior accomplishment or achievement while in law school.

OR

• A second professional law degree (Master of Law (LL.M)) obtained from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time the degree was obtained, if at least one full year of graduate study was required to obtain the degree.

You qualify for the GS-12 level if you possess one of the following:

• One year of professional legal experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, following obtaining first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.), that has equipped the applicant with the particular skills and experience to perform successfully the duties of the position (generally, the experience is in or related to the work of the position to be filled).

OR

• One year of experience in judicial clerkship(s).

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.