Duties

Summary

The attorney will advise & assist GAO's Natural Resources & Environment analyst team & the Congress on issues including federal management of land & water resources, protecting the environment, promoting a sound energy supply & addressing nuclear security & cleanup. The attorney will help resolve complex & far-reaching legal problems. Attorneys with experience in federal lands & water resources, chemical regulation, wildfire management & NEPA processes are particularly encouraged to apply.

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Responsibilities

Major responsibilities will include:

• Researching and applying the law in the conduct of performance audits of agency programs and activities.
• Providing legal counsel on a broad range of environmental, energy, and natural resources policy and other issues.
• Reviewing GAO products to ensure they reflect an accurate and objective understanding and application of the law as it relates to the federal program or activity under review.
• Providing legal assistance and support to clients providing congressional testimony.
• Analyzing legislative proposals to determine potential effects and implications for federal policies and GAO.
• Drafting legal memoranda, legal opinions, and sections of audit reports.
• Providing technical and legislative drafting expertise to Congress.
• Briefing congressional staff on legal matters covered by GAO reviews.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - .

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You will be required to submit a financial disclosure statement.
• You must be suitable for federal employment.
• You will be required to complete a two-year probationary period unless you previously completed a trial period at GAO after October 1, 1980.
• If you are a male born after 12/31/1959 and at least 18 years of age, you must be registered with the Selective Service System.
• You must meet the requirements by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date.
• Complete application package must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date.

Qualifications

You must meet the minimum qualification requirements by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement.

1. Must have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
2. Must be an active member in good standing of a bar of a state, a territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
3. Band II Senior Staff Attorney candidates must have a minimum of two years (104 weeks) of legal experience working with and applying the laws, policies, and regulations related to the duties of the position.
4. Band III Senior Attorney candidates must have a minimum of four years (208 weeks) of legal experience working with and applying the laws, policies, and regulations related to the duties of the position.

Education

See Qualification section.

Additional information

BARGAINING UNIT STATUS: This position is not in a bargaining unit.

OPTION FOR ADDITIONAL HIRES: We may use this announcement to hire more people.

TRAVEL & RELOCATION EXPENSES: Travel and relocation expenses related to this hiring process will not be paid.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodations@gao.gov.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, GAO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15 which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s)). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

If your submission demonstrates that you meet the criteria listed in the Qualifications section and includes the required cover letter and resume, your application will be further evaluated based on:

• Your years and level of experience researching and analyzing complex legal issues and working with applying the law, regulations, and policies relevant to the issues and responsibilities described above under "Summary" and "Duties."
• Experience and expertise that demonstrates superior legal research, analytical skills and the ability to write about complex legal issues.
• Experience that demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills and sound judgement.
We may invite you to an interview. If we invite you to interview, we will ask you to provide references and may also ask you to provide a writing sample, which we will consider in the selection process. We may invite you to more than one round of interviews.

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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Cover letter.

Resume.

A statement that you are U.S. citizen.

Information sufficient to establish that you have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

Information sufficient to establish you are an active member in good standing of one of the bars listed in the Qualifications section.

Information addressing the factors on which your application will be further evaluated as set forth in the Qualifications and How You Will Be Evaluated sections.

Your application materials will not be returned. Do not submit original documents that you may need in the future.

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.