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Legislative Attorney (Tax Law)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Jan 19, 2021
Duties

Summary

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), American Law Division (ALD), seeks a Legislative Attorney to analyze legal questions that emerge from the work of Congress related to tax law in particular and American public law generally. This is a non-litigating position emphasizing qualifications and interest in legal research and writing in a public service legislative context.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Legislative Attorney prepares objective, non-partisan analytical studies and descriptive and background memoranda and reports on legal issues of national significance; provides personal consultation and assistance to congressional committees, Members, and staff on legal issues throughout the legislative process; and participates in or leads team research projects and seminars. The incumbent is expected to develop over time the skills necessary to provide legal analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members, and staff at increasingly sophisticated levels.

Candidates with research experience in and broad general knowledge of legal issues regarding tax law in particular and American public law in general; who demonstrate strong research, writing, and oral communication skills; and who possess a portfolio of high quality legal analytical writing are encouraged to apply. Experience as a judicial clerk will be beneficial.

The position's primary focus is the broad area of tax law. However, given ALD's relatively small staff and the breadth of issues ALD covers for Congress, candidates must also be capable of working in a number of different areas of the law and have the intellectual curiosity to seek out and maintain a broad portfolio of legal issues. Thus, applicants should also have knowledge of administrative law, constitutional law, and statutory interpretation.

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for more than a century.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on legal and public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

Legislative Attorney duties include:

Prepares probing and innovative written legal analyses, arguments, briefs, or other analytical documents that relate complex variables within the attorney's specialized field of law to the development, interpretation, or implementation of important public policies.

Provides congressional staff with consultations and oral briefings that clarify legal questions, identify and discuss legal options, and inform congressional staff of CRS informational and analytical capabilities within the scope of the attorney's subject areas.

Prepares authoritative descriptive and background reports, memoranda, bill digests, surveys of laws, comparisons of laws and bills, and other types of written responses for congressional committees, Members, and staff that are characterized by substantial breadth and depth and that cover all pertinent factors and relationships.

Advises and assists other legislative attorneys, analysts, and specialists through provision of legal analysis and information in support of their service to Congress.

Prepares and delivers oral presentations at CRS seminars and other outreach programs.

In response to congressional inquiries, locates, organizes, summarizes, and interprets legal information and other pre-existing legal materials, on difficult or misunderstood policy issues through research, including search of the reference collections and databases of CRS, the Library, other institutions or through contacts and networking with Executive Branch officials or other professionals in the field.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment


No additional requirements to those listed above.

Qualifications

You must meet the BASIC REQUIREMENT listed under EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.

In addition, applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
  • Knowledge of tax law in particular and American public law generally**
  • Ability to analyze legal issues**
  • Ability to write in a legal context**
  • Ability to work effectively in a high pressure environment
  • Ability to convey legal analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations and other presentations
  • Ability to work collaboratively with others
  • Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of analysis and consultation
  • Ability to exercise judgment and discretion
  • Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing
  • Ability to build and maintain a professional network


Education

Applicants must possess an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Appointees must maintain active membership in good standing of the bar throughout their employment.

The following documents MUST be attached to your online application:
  • Legible copies of transcripts demonstrating that applicant is a graduate from an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree program in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law must be attached to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of the application. Official documents will be required if selected.
  • Proof of bar membership demonstrating that applicant is an active (or equivalent) member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

  • You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

    Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

    Additional information

    The Congressional Research Service, within the Library of Congress, is part of the Legislative Branch of the federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

    The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustment for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. While it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

    This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

    The tour of duty for this position is full-time.

    The position description number for this position is 004712.

    The incumbent of this position may elect to work a flexitime work schedule.

    RELOCATION EXPENSES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THE PERSON(S) SELECTED UNDER THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

    The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

    Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

    Applicants who are referred for interview will be required to submit a completed OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment .

    Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

    This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify this agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

    Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The certificate of disability may be issued by a State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of an applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The date of certification must be within one year of the vacancy closing date and must be submitted with your application. For more information view the directive on the Library's Selective Placement Program and/or contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 (voice or TTY) or email spp@loc.gov . FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

    Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of Veterans' Preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference , and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library's Merit Selection Plan , Section X.D. IF REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ATTACHED, VETERANS' PREFERENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

    How You Will Be Evaluated

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

    The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview. The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.

    For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/msp010909.pdf .

    To preview questions please click here .

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Not Required

    Drug test required
    No

    Required Documents

    Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).

    You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

    Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

    Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

    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.

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