Attorney-Adviser (Veterans)

Board of Veterans' Appeals; Salt Lake City (UT); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Board of Veterans' Appeals, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, seeks an experienced General Attorney (GS-0905) to review and decide Veterans' benefits appeals. The role may involve telework as discussed during the interview process and carries the standard federal qualifications.

You will join a legal team to handle complex cases, requiring a valid law license, four years of progressive experience, and a focus on administrative and Veterans Benefit Law.

Qualifications

• Active bar in good standing in a state, territory, or DC and unrestricted license to practice law.
• Four years of progressively responsible legal experience.
• Eligible for GS-14 with up to one year prior to bar admission.
• Preferred: at least 2 years of Veterans Benefit Law experience.

Skills

Veteran and Customer Focus

Administrative Law

Leadership

Problem Solving

Analytical Reasoning

Teamwork

Job description

The Board of Veterans' Appeals is a part of the Department of Veterans Affairs; located in Washington, DC. The Boards mission is to conduct hearings and decide appeals properly before the Board in a timely manner. The Boards jurisdiction extends to all questions in matters involving a decision by the Secretary under a law that affects a provision of benefits by the Secretary to Veterans, their dependents or their survivors.
VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2026
.

Basic Requirements:

• All attorneys in the GS-0905 series must be active members in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia and must hold a current, unrestricted license to practice law.

Quality of Experience:

Applicants must possess a total of four years of progressively responsible experience, which can include one year of relevant experience gained before admission to the bar. This experience can be from one or a combination of the following types:

1. Practice of law includes private, state, or Federal practice in any field of law.
2. Other legal experience of a responsible nature is experience in any one or a combination of the following performed in a law office, government office, or in the legal department of a business establishment, in the armed forces, or other Federal service:
   • Conducting legal research, analyzing statues, writing legal opinions:
   • Writing authoritative or advisory legal opinions involving interpretation of state or Federal laws, regulations, and orders, or the drafting of such regulations or orders; or
   • Drafting, analyzing, and other legal activities with respect to bills, regulations, Executive Orders, proclamations, or statutory provisions.

You may qualify at the GS-14 based on your experience as described below:

• Qualified applicants must possess four (4) years of progressively responsible experience as described in Quality of Experience above, of which a maximum of one (1) year of the required experience may be acquired prior to admission to the bar, and that demonstrates the professional and administrative abilities required to perform similar work and responsibilities described in Nature of Cases or Legal Problems, Type III and Level of Responsibility D, in the OPM Position Classification Standard for General Attorney Series, GS-0905.

Preferred qualification - At least 2 years of Veterans Benefit Law Experience

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Veteran and Customer Focus
• Administrative Law
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Reasoning
• Teamwork

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; religions; 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.

Note: Resume must include job title and employer name, number of hours worked per week, start and end dates (including month and year), list of duties and responsibilities for each position held. In addition, if the experience was a federal position, you must list series and grade for each position held. Failure to include this information may result in an ineligible rating. A full year of work is considered to be 40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.