General Attorney-Senior Counsel (Criminal Tax)

With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us.

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Learn about our Legal Divisions For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). As a General Attorney-Senior Counsel (Criminal Tax) you will:

• Serve as Senior Counsel with responsibility for personally handling, and performing technical review of, some of the office's most complex, important, or novel trial/case/project assignments, particularly those with broad, or potentially controversial ramifications.
• Provide legal services on program matters, including tax issues relating to investigations and prosecutions of violations of internal revenue laws, the Bank Secrecy Act, money laundering, and other white-collar crimes; special investigative techniques employed by Criminal Investigation; and criminal and civil forfeitures initiated by the IRS.
• Independently plan, develop and complete complex legal work products without review, and provides technical guidance and review of other staff work products. Ensure such products are technically complete and adhere to office policy, and exercises signatory authority on own and others' products in accordance with delegated authority.
• Research complex issues and trends affecting Criminal Tax (CT) legal services and determines likely legal ramifications on CT's programs. Ensure that the legal or administrative consequences of potential actions to handle these issues are fully considered and writes decision papers to determine Counsel's position on these matters.
• Serve as a primary reviewer on proposed legislation with potential impact on CT programs and prepares final comments/recommendations on behalf of the office. Identifies the need for and develops and drafts new procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation to ensure that policies are consistent with the intent of the law and are administratively sound and economical in operation and to enable CT to effectively meet its mission.
• Assist with the development and evaluation of the office's legal policies and positions and provides strategic planning and support in emerging trends and issues likely to have an impact on office activities.

This is not an all-inclusive list.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax), Senior Counsel you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:

Basic Requirements for General Attorney-Senior Counsel (Criminal Tax):

• Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
• Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

GS-15 Experience Requirements:

• 1 year of general professional legal experience from any area of expertise; plus
• 3 years of professional legal tax experience

Professional Legal Tax Experience is defined as: Presenting evidence before a federal or state grand jury in a criminal tax or financial crimes case; trying a criminal tax or financial crimes case before a federal or state petit jury; prosecuting or defending criminal tax or financial crimes offenses; engaging in motion practice relating to the Federal Rules of Evidence or the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure; drafting or providing legal advice relating to search warrant applications; experience prosecuting or defending criminal or civil forfeiture actions, or money laundering or Bank Secrecy Act violations; providing legal advice relating to undercover operations, or the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as they relate to criminal tax programs.

At least one year of this experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14). Note: Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.

Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (i.e. tax, GLS-related, or P&A- FOIA/Disclosure related field) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.

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. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-15: 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 (GS-14).