Attorney

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Washington, Baltimore (District of Columbia, MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of General Counsel, Personnel Law Group seeks a Policy Attorney to join our team in Washington, DC. You will engage in high-impact legal work shaping policy and supporting agency leadership on personnel matters for Veterans and federal employees.

Responsibilities include reviewing policy documents, drafting legislation, advising on regulatory implementation, and preparing materials for congressional briefings. Requires a J.D.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with a State Bar.

Responsibilities

• Providing legal review of agency handbooks, directives, notices, and policy documents
• Reviewing and analyzing draft legislation and regulations
• Advising leadership on statutes, regulations, executive orders, and implementation strategies
• Drafting legal opinions, policy guidance, and legislative language
• Preparing materials for Congressional briefings and hearings
• Responding to Congressional inquiries related to personnel and legislative matters

Skills

Federal employment law

Policy analysis

Legislation drafting

Regulatory interpretation

Legal opinions for leadership

Hearings preparation

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Attorney (Policy) VA Office of General Counsel – Personnel Law Group

Location: Washington, DC

GS 13/14 DOE

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of General Counsel (OGC) Personnel Law Group (PLG) is seeking a motivated and skilled Policy Attorney to join our dynamic and collaborative team in Washington, DC. This is an exciting opportunity to engage in high‑impact legal work that shapes policy, supports agency leadership, and influences national initiatives affecting millions of Veterans and federal employees.

As a member of OGC-PLG, you will work across an expansive and intellectually challenging portfolio, including matters of first impression, statutory interpretation, employment litigation, and personnel policy development. You will collaborate regularly with senior VA leadership, the Department of Justice, the Office of Personnel Management, and Congressional staff.

Your work may include:

• Providing legal review of agency handbooks, directives, notices, and policy documents
• Reviewing and analyzing draft legislation and regulations
• Advising leadership on statutes, regulations, executive orders, and implementation strategies
• Drafting legal opinions, policy guidance, and legislative language
• Preparing materials for Congressional briefings and hearings
• Responding to Congressional inquiries related to personnel and legislative matters

Preferred Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of federal-sector employment and labor law
• Legal review of organizational policy documents
• Drafting and interpreting legislation and regulations
• Advising on regulatory and statutory implementation
• Drafting legal opinions for senior leadership
• Preparing materials for hearings, including testimony review

Why Join PLG?

• A dynamic, highly collaborative work environment
• Broad exposure to employment litigation, administrative investigations, labor relations, classification, employee benefits, credentialing, disciplinary processes, reasonable accommodation, immigration, and more
• The opportunity to influence matters of national importance
• Trust to lead major preventative law initiatives and support field offices across the country
• Flexible or compressed work schedules
• Journeyman grade GS‑14 with potential promotion to GS‑15
• Long-term growth toward Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Leader (SL) roles
• Access to VA and OGC leadership development programs and CLE-qualified training
• Opportunities for pro bono work (workload permitting)

Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with a State Bar.