General Attorney

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 138,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Office of Counsel, seeks a developmental attorney at the GS-11/12/13/14 level. This position provides exposure to federal law, regulatory guidance, and complex litigation support for agency programs.

Successful applicants may be advanced to the higher grades based on performance. Legal duties include researching complex legal issues, drafting opinions, memoranda, contracts, and negotiating with stakeholders, while supporting policy

Qualifications

• Research complex legal issues involving federal and state laws, regulations, and policies to provide authoritative legal guidance supporting organizational missions.
• Prepare legal opinions, memoranda, contracts, and other legal instruments addressing complex or novel legal questions with significant programmatic impact.
• Represent the organization in negotiations, hearings, conferences, administrative litigation, and other legal proceedings with federal, state, local agencies, and private stakeholders;
• Provide legal advice and interpret federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies to support management decisions, policy development, and daily operations; and
• Conduct comprehensive legal research and develop legally sound recommendations to resolve high-impact matters involving significant financial, regulatory, or public interest considerations.

Responsibilities

• Research complex legal issues involving federal and state laws, regulations, and policies to provide authoritative legal guidance supporting organizational missions;
• Prepare legal opinions, memoranda, contracts, and other legal instruments addressing complex or novel legal questions with significant programmatic impact;
• Represent the organization in negotiations, hearings, conferences, administrative litigation, and other legal proceedings with federal, state, local agencies, and private stakeholders;
• Provide legal advice and interpret federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies to support management decisions, policy development, and daily operations; and
• Conduct comprehensive legal research and develop legally sound recommendations to resolve high-impact matters involving significant financial, regulatory, or public interest considerations.

Skills

Legal research

Regulatory analysis

Contract analysis

Negotiation

Written communication

Education

ABA-accredited law school

JD or LLB degree

Job description

About the Position

Position is located in the US Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Office of Counsel. This is a developmental position. You may be selected for the GS-11/12/13/14 grade level. Full Performance Level is GS-14. Pay range at the GS-11 level is: $82,289- $106,982 Pay range at the GS-12 level is: $98,630 - $128,221 Pay range at the GS-13 level is: $117,284 - $152,471 Pay range at the GS-14 level is: $138,595 - $180,178

Who May Apply

Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: Education: An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD). Bar Membership: Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Experience at the GS-11: Applicant has less than one year of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.(Exceptions to the experience requirement may be made for possession of special qualifications. For example, a second professional law degree (master of laws) or graduation with a distinguished record from an accredited law school (for example, in the top 25 percent of the class) may be substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience. Experience at the GS-12: Applicant must have one year of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. (Exceptions to the experience requirement may be made for possession of special qualifications. For example, a second professional law degree (master of laws) or graduation with a distinguished record from an accredited law school (for example, in the top 25 percent of the class) may be substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience. Experience at the GS-13: Applicant must have two years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. (Exceptions to the experience requirement may be made for possession of special qualifications. For example, a second professional law degree (master of laws) or graduation with a distinguished record from an accredited law school (for example, in the top 25 percent of the class) may be substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience. Experience at the GS-14: Applicant must have three or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Graduation from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class or an advanced law degree such as an LLM may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience.

Professional legal experience includes:

• Research complex legal issues involving federal and state laws, regulations, and policies to provide authoritative legal guidance supporting organizational missions;
• Prepare legal opinions, memoranda, contracts, and other legal instruments addressing complex or novel legal questions with significant programmatic impact;
• Represent the organization in negotiations, hearings, conferences, administrative litigation, and other legal proceedings with federal, state, local agencies, and private stakeholders;
• Provide legal advice and interpret federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies to support management decisions, policy development, and daily operations; and
• Conduct comprehensive legal research and develop legally sound recommendations to resolve high-impact matters involving significant financial, regulatory, or public interest considerations.

You will be