This position is in the Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA), Department of Defense (DoD), with duty in the Office of Information Counsel (OIC). As such, he or she is the principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on, and has final authority and responsibility for, legal policy and determinations and the delivery of legal services within the Department of Defense and its components.

Duties

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: The duties of the incumbent require familiarity with the policies, procedures, and operations of the Federal Government, including the legislative process, current Administration policies, and care in preparing and reviewing official documents and opinions relating to them. Serves as a legal advisor to the Director, and other attorneys and clients on the full range of legal issues and matters. Provides all necessary support in a broad array of legal issues, to include functional responsibility for legal advice and services. Familiarity and/or proficiency with the FOIA, the Privacy Act, the Federal Records Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is preferred.

Requirements

• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives may be authorized
• Position may be converted to permanent appointment at a later time

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume? at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/ BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: 1. Must possess the first professional law degree, i.e. Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctorate (J.D.), from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. 2. Must be an active member, in good standing, of the bar of the highest court of any one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any territory or possession of the United States. 3. This position requires you to have professional legal experience in excess of 1 year at the GS-12 grade level, that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector). Specialized experience is defined as: (1) advising a senior supervising attorney, presiding judge or comparable decision-maker on requirements and responsibilities imposed by Public Laws, governmental regulations and policy; or (2) prosecuting or defending complex felony-level criminal trials or comparable experience in civil litigation; or, (3) conducting legal research and analysis in evolving areas of information law which require adapting legal principles to specific uses and problems, and creative thinking to develop well-articulated positions on the many legal issues which will arise during the course of the proceedings. 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. ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave. Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and, Beginning and ending dates of appointment. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Defense Legal Services Agency Human Resources Directorate 4800 Mark Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22350 US
• Name: Washington HQ Services
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]