EPA's Office of General Counsel (OGC) is the chief legal advisor to EPA. The lawyers in the office provide legal advice on all federal environmental statutes, federal procedural statutes, and the federal statutes that govern EPA's day-to-day operations and international laws and treaties. Headquarters, Washington, DC. For more information, visit our website: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-general-counsel-ogc.        

Duties

OGC serves as the chief legal advisor to the Agency's senior management and program offices on Agency rules, permits, response actions, implementation actions, litigation and legislation.  Some offices independently handle litigation in front of the Environmental Appeals Board to defend EPA actions, or work to prepare to defend Agency decisions in formal hearings.   

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicant must have an LL.M. or J.D. degree from an accredited law school; must be admitted to practice before the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and must maintain active status as a member of the bar of one of these jurisdictions. Incumbent should have significant experience in providing legal advice and counsel at EPA, other federal, state or local agencies, or courts, non-governmental organizations, or in private practice. To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level.  Examples of specialized experience include independently performing legal analysis; (attorney’s credited with Level C or D (GS-12 to GS-14) independently perform legal analysis); composing pleadings, briefs and other court documents involving unique or difficult legal issues; conducting highly complex counseling and litigation; and leading junior attorneys, paralegals, and support staff. Please identify in your written statement of interest/cover letter and resume any specialized experience in administrative and environmental law, if applicable. Note: Applicants must include a separate business-style resume with your application in lieu of the automated USAJobs resume. In addition, applicants must include a writing sample that has not been edited by others.  These documents should be uploaded as part of your complete application packet described below under the Supporting Documentation Tab. Veterans:  There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Environmental Protection Agency considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his  or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). More information on GS levels for the 0905 Attorney position are available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/standards/0900/gs0905.pdf. If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form prior to your first day of employment and annually thereafter. This position is designated as a High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. This position is in the excepted service. Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status; however, this position is covered for the purpose of federal retirement and benefits.

Contacts

• Address Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, District of Columbia 20460 United States
• Name: Kay Weems
• Phone: 202-564-7907
• Email: [email protected]