Duties

Summary

This position serves as a staff attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel (CC), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Department of Justice (DOJ). The staff attorney is assigned to the Associate Chief Counsel, General Law and Information Division and primarily provides legal advice to ATF officials in the area of general criminal law matters and matters involving disclosure and/or protection of information.

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Responsibilities

The attorney serves as legal advisor to Public and Governmental Affairs (PGA) management officials, to include the Assistant Director (AD) and Deputy Assistant Director (DAD), PGA and all PGA divisions' management staff including the Chief of the Legislative Affairs Division, Chief of the Public Affairs Division, Chief of the Disclosure Division, and Chief of the Intergovernmental Affairs Division. The attorney also provides expert legal advice on complex and difficult issues relating to drafting, interpretation, application of legislation, regulations, orders, decisions or other legal instruments and/or matters pertaining to the Bureau's legislative and public affairs programs; Disclosure (Freedom Of Information Act and Privacy Act) program and activities. The attorney also advises on legal substance pertaining to the Bureau's intergovernmental affairs program and activities.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Infrequent domestic travel may be required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Pass drug screening and subject to random drug test
• Must successfully complete a background security investigation
• A Financial Disclosure Form may be required
• Must provide a writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
• May be required to serve a one year probationary period

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements described in this announcement by the closing date.

Applicants must be an active member of the bar of any State or the District of Columbia, in accordance with Department of Justice policy.

MOBILITY PLAN : New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process.

Qualifications

GS-15: Applicants must have in excess of six years commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The attorney also serves as lead attorney on extremely complex legal issues where there is little or no precedent. This includes cases referred to the office on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson matters, including litigation, as required. The specialized experience must be providing legal advice in connection to extensive understanding of all Federal laws, including the Federal firearms and explosive laws; as well as other Federal regulations used by ATF.

Specialized Experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience required for this position is legal experience in excess of six years commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

Expertise in subject matter areas of particular value to ATF and has a thorough understanding of duties and responsibilities handled by the Field Operations and Information Division and Public and Governmental Affairs directorate.

Demonstration of original thinking, mature judgment, and sound reasoning are continually required as new problems of law, policy and procedures are presented for solution.

Demonstrated ability to provide legal advice on the laws enforced by ATF, including the Gun Control Act, the National Firearms Act, and the Federal laws related to arson and explosives.

Demonstrated ability to provide legal guidance and advice on matters of general criminal law (e.g., laws governing search and seizure, electronic surveillance, custodial interrogations, undercover operations, use of force).

Superior analytical, written and communication skills.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the silver or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp .

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the silver or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp .

Veterans' Preference: If you are entitled to veteran preference, you should indicate the type of veteran preference you are claiming on your résumé.
http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp - In order to verify your veteran preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.

In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the natural mother of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim. If the SF-15 is not submitted, the documentation required by the form verifying the service connected disability (e.g. letter from the VA confirming the disability) must be submitted in order to receive 10-point preference consideration.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school and hold an active bar membership.

Additional information

Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations from ATF's Human Resources Operations Division. Please click on the following link to read important information. DOJ Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Periodic Reinvestigation: Subject to a 5-year periodic investigation

Travel and relocation expenses: are not authorized and will not be paid.

EEO Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, (including pregnancy, gender identify and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability (physical and mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, retaliation, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.

"Federal Regulations state no ATF employee, his/her spouse, or his/her minor child shall have, directly or indirectly, any financial interest, including compensated employment, stock, or proprietary interest in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries. You should be aware that you may be asked to relinquish any ownership of or interests in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries before a determination can be made whether access to ATF information, information technology systems, and/or facilities can be authorized."

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will be rated on the extent and quality of their experience, education and training relative to the duties of the position.

Paid or unpaid experience will be considered.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

Required Documents:

• Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
• Veterans' preference documentation (Member Copy 4 of DD-214, Revised October 2013 SF-15 https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf and VA letter, if applicable. NOTE: The revised October 2013 SF-15 is the latest copy and all others are not usable.
• Writing sample (no more than 15 pages)
• CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable.
• An official college transcript (Note: If you're selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.) (Use if education is being credited for the purpose of meeting minimum qualification requirements or if grade point average is being used to determine superior academic achievement.)

It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.

Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. The candidate may also be required to provide official college and law school transcripts. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement.

Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.