Attorney-Adviser

US Environmental Protection Agency; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC seeks a qualified attorney for the Office of General Counsel, Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office, to perform legal analysis and draft pleadings and memoranda. The role supports senior managers in counseling and litigation on environmental matters.

Candidates may be eligible with an LL.M. or a JD and must demonstrate superior law student activities or equivalent evidence of achievement.

Qualifications

• To qualify for GS-11: LL.M. degree or at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, involving legal analysis and formulation of recommendations to senior managers; or drafting pleadings, briefs, or other legal documents.
• To qualify for GS-12: at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including legal analysis and research, drafting memoranda/pleadings, or assisting higher-graded attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Perform legal analysis and research; draft legal memoranda, pleadings, or other documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation.
• Assist higher-graded attorneys in legal counseling or litigation.

Skills

Legal analysis

Legal drafting

Regulatory research

Oral communication

Education

LL.M. degree

J.D. degree

Superior law student activities

Job description

This position is in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office (PTSLO). About: OGC

Please see the duties section for more details about PTSLO.

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:

To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have either:

• an LL.M. degree
• OR
• at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as law clerk experience at the Federal, state, or local level, performing legal analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; or composing pleadings, briefs, or other documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation.
• OR
• completed superior law student activities while earning a J.D. degree. Superior law student activities include:
  • (A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class;
  • (B) Work or achievement of significance on law school's law review;
  • (C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif;
  • (D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools;
  • (E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or
  • (F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file.

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as performing legal analysis and research; drafting legal memoranda, pleadings, or other documents involving legal issues in counseling or litigation; or assisting higher-graded attorneys in legal counseling or litigation.

You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully, and you will be evaluated on these competencies:

• Attention to Detail
• Critical Thinking
• Environmental or Other Relevant Laws and Regulations
• Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Technical Competence
• Written Communication

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: Part-Time Experience.