Trial Attorney (Contract)

DLA Careers; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DLA Careers seeks an experienced Senior Counsel - Litigation for the Office of the Chief Counsel, Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support in Philadelphia, PA. The role focuses on representing the government in appeals and federal court matters, with leadership responsibilities for a litigation team.

The candidate will mentor attorneys, manage case strategy, coordinate with cross‑agency partners, and ensure compliance with DoD processes and security requirements.

Qualifications

• The first professional law degree (LLB. or J.D.).
• Proof that you are licensed and a member in good standing with the bar of the highest court of a State, D.C., or U.S. territory.
• Evidence of bar status within 6 months of the closing date of the announcement.

Responsibilities

• Presents the Government's case in appeals before boards and courts.
• Assists DOJ in cases filed in Federal court.
• Mentors and directs activities of junior attorneys.
• Prepares trial outlines and pre-trial conferences.
• Oversees motions, evidence, and witness preparation.
• Coordinates with Acquisition Counsel on claim resolutions and settlements.

Skills

Litigation

Oral advocacy

Written advocacy

Leadership/mentorship

Education

J.D. or equivalent

Bar admission

Job description

Summary See below for important information regarding this job.

Summary See below for important information regarding this job. The Incumbent will serve as a Senior Counsel for the Litigation Team under the Office of the Chief Counsel, Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, a Major Subordinate Command (MSC), located in Philadelphia, PA.

Duties

Serves as Senior Counsel - Litigation and will perform the following duties:

• Presents the Government's case in connection with appeals before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals,
• Assists the Department of Justice in cases filed in Federal court,
• Provides direction, guidance, and mentorship to other Team members,
• Assigns work, plans, and directs activities of lower‑graded Trial Attorneys,
• Develops legal policy and procedures for use by Trial Attorneys,
• Provides guidelines to be followed in preparation for Alternative Dispute Resolution, discovery, depositions, hearings, and selection and preparation of witnesses,
• Prepares trial outlines,
• Conducts pre‑trial conferences with appellant's representatives,
• Prepares stipulation of facts,
• Oversees and reviews preparation of motions, presentation of evidence, and tactics in in direct examination and cross‑examination of witnesses,
• Serves as consultant to Trial Attorneys, and
• Reviews documents and coordinates with Acquisition Counsel on claim resolutions, settlement agreements, and termination actions.

Requirements

Help

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• This is an Excepted Service position.
• Tour of Duty: Flexible (https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Join-Our-Team/Benefits/#Work)
• Security Requirements: Non‑Critical Sensitive with Secret Access
• Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, where reciprocity cannot be applied; unfavorably adjudicated background checks will be grounds for removal.
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
• Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service.
• Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Bargaining Unit Status: No
• Financial Disclosure Requirement: Required
• Selectees are required to have a REAL ID or other acceptable identification documents to access certain federal facilities. See https://www.tsa.gov/real-id for more information.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• The first professional law degree (LLB. or J.D.);
• Proof that you are licensed and a member in good standing with the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Annual bar certification cards issued from your state of licensure are not considered acceptable. Proof is a "certificate of good standing" issued by your state of licensure dated within 6 months of the closing date of this announcement or a screenshot of your bar status taken from your state of licensure website that is dated within 6 months of the closing date of this announcement or sworn statement to that effect. If there is not a date on the screen shot, you must provide a statement signed by you on the date that the screen shot was created. The successful applicant selected for employment must provide a "certificate of good standing" issued by their respective bar showing they are in good status and in active status prior to appointment.
• In addition to 1 and 2 (listed above), each grade level has the following qualification requirements:

To Qualify At The GS-13 Level

You must possess professional legal experience in excess of 2 years commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

To Qualify At The GS-14 Level

You must possess professional legal experience in excess of 3 years commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Principal Selection Factors

• Knowledge and experience in litigating and presenting the Government's case which involves collaborating and mentoring junior attorneys in connection with appeals before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals of the Department of Defense, government accounting office, court of Federal Claims and Federal Courts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, excellent legal research skills, recognized proficiency as an advocate, and demonstrated effectiveness in advising high‑level civilian and or military management officials.
• Ability to lead personnel toward achievement of organizational goals and the ability to manage programs or cases and other resources.

Security Clearance

This position is designated Non‑Critical Sensitive. If selected, you must obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance. If you are unable to obtain this level of security clearance (as a result of undisclosed or disclosed background issues), within a reasonable period of time (as defined by the agency), the employment offer may be withdrawn. In addition, incumbent is subject to periodic re‑investigation to maintain security eligibility in accordance with DoD 5200.2‑R.

Education

MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application.

FOREIGN EDUCATION

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

Excepted Service Position: This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service.

Veterans Information

There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their submissions.

Although the point‑preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10‑point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10‑Point Veteran Preference, and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF-15, which lists the types of 10‑point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov).

As of 23 December 2016, Military retirees seeking to enter federal service in the Department of Defense now require a waiver if they would be appointed within 180 days following their official date of retirement.

Reemployed Annuitants

This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF

Drug-Free Workplace Policy

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is committed to maintaining a safe, drug‑free workplace. All DLA employees are required to refrain from illegal drug use on and off duty. DLA conducts pre‑employment, reasonable suspicion, post‑accident, and random drug testing.

Applicants tentatively selected for employment in testing designated positions will undergo a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Refusal to undergo testing or testing positive for illegal drugs will result in withdrawal of the tentative job offer and a six‑month denial of employment with DLA from the date of the drug test. Employees in drug testing designated positions are subject to random drug testing. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment. You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

The DLA drug testing panel tests for the following substances: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, heroin, phencyclidine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, fentanyl, norfentanyl, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and opioids.

ADVISORY: Use of cannabidiol (CBD) products may result in a positive drug test for marijuana. DLA employees are subject to Federal law and under Federal law, Marijuana is illegal

Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.