Attorney

US Bonneville Power Administration; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Bonneville Power Administration, part of the Department of Energy, seeks an Attorney-Adviser to provide strategic legal counsel shaping the Pacific Northwest's energy future. You will advise agency leadership, negotiate high-impact agreements, and represent BPA in administrative hearings and litigation on complex energy matters.

The role requires a law degree and bar membership, with progressive responsibilities from research and drafting to handling regulatory and court matters, including

Qualifications

• Professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.) and bar membership required.
• GS-11: legal research, drafting pleadings/briefs, assist with hearing prep and filings.
• GS-12: analyze statutes/regulations, draft pleadings/contracts, support administrative proceedings.
• GS-13: independently counsel executives, negotiate complex contracts, represent before tribunals.
• Experience may be paid or unpaid (including volunteer work).
• You must meet all qualifications by closing date.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal counsel to agency leadership on complex energy matters.
• Negotiate high-impact agreements and settlements.
• Represent BPA in administrative hearings, regulatory matters, and civil litigation.
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda, pleadings, and pre-proceeding documents.

Skills

Legal research

Drafting briefs

Hearing preparation

Regulatory filings

Education

Law degree (J.D. or LL.B.)

Job description

This position is within the Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration, Office of General Counsel. As an Attorney-Adviser, you will provide strategic legal counsel shaping the Pacific Northwest's energy future. You will advise agency leadership, negotiate high-impact agreements, and represent BPA in administrative hearings and litigation involving complex energy and resource matters. Help power the region while tackling rewarding, cutting-edge legal work!

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

Professional law degree (L.L.B. or J.D.) and membership in a State or D.C. bar association is required.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

GS-11:

professional legal experience 1) conducting legal research, fact gathering, and statutory and case law analysis to identify applicable legal precedents; 2) preparing initial drafts of legal memoranda, pleadings, discovery requests, briefs, or transactional agreements under the direction of senior counsel; and 3) assisting senior attorneys with hearing preparation, regulatory filings, or commercial dispute matters.

GS-12:

professional legal experience 1) analyzing and interpreting complex statutes, regulations, and judicial orders to provide legal advice to clients or management on operational, administrative, or policy questions; 2) drafting and editing legal pleadings, motions, transactional instruments, contracts, and formal legal analyses; and 3) supporting lead counsel in administrative proceedings, regulatory matters, or civil litigation, including preparing evidentiary records, participating in dispute resolution, and drafting pre-proceeding documents.

GS-13:

professional legal experience 1) independently researching, analyzing, and rendering legal opinions and counsel to executive management or organizational officials on complex administrative, regulatory, commercial, or environmental legal matters; 2) drafting, examining, and participating in the negotiation of complex contracts, commercial agreements, or settlement arrangements; and 3) representing an organization or clients before administrative tribunals, arbitration panels, regulatory bodies, or judicial courts, including drafting dispositive motions, conducting witness examinations, and formulating trial or hearing strategy.

'Experience' refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.