Duties

Summary

The Tax Division is looking for Trial Attorneys to join the Civil Trial Sections. Our attorneys have a passion for litigation; a deep interest in public service; and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Familiarity with tax law and the use of technology in organizing, developing, and presenting a case at trial is helpful, but not required. Attorneys in the Civil Trial Sections represent the United States in litigation in federal and state courts across the country.
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Responsibilities

Trial Attorneys in the Civil Trial Sections are the front-line litigators for the United States for tax disputes in federal district and bankruptcy courts and the Court of Federal Claims. These cases arise all over the United States, and, under normal conditions, significant travel is required of our attorneys for depositions, hearings, and trials. Most Trial Attorneys are responsible for a range of cases, including matters they handle alone and others where they work as a member of a litigation team. In either situation, our attorneys have front-line responsibility for taking and defending depositions, writing and arguing motions, working with fact and expert witnesses, and trying cases.

Because we handle most litigation outside of the Tax Court involving the Internal Revenue Service, our attorneys handle cases that touch all aspects of the American economy and involve litigants ranging from individuals and small businesses up to and including the largest corporations. Trial Attorneys defend the United States in tax refund actions and bring affirmative suits to collect tax cases that can involve complex commercial transactions or require proof that the taxpayer made a fraudulent transfer of property. Our attorneys defend suits testing the constitutional validity of aspects of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. They obtain injunctions against those who try to bilk the Treasury out of money by selling fraudulent tax shelter schemes or by preparing fraudulent tax returns for customers in order to fulfill a promise of a large refund. Our attorneys represent the United States in bankruptcy, receivership, and probate proceedings. And they handle many other miscellaneous matters touching on tax, like enforcing civil penalties for failure to timely report foreign financial accounts; defending IRS employees in Bivens suits; enforcing IRS administrative summonses; or protecting the United States' immunity from local taxes.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - When the Division is not operating under maximum telework conditions due to the pandemic, travel will be required. The location and frequency of travel varies, depending on the attorney's litigation schedule.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• This is an attorney position. You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
• You must meet all minimum qualifications to be considered eligible.
• Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
• This position requires a favorably adjudicated background investigation. You will need to successfully complete a pre-employment background security process pending completion and adjudication of the background investigation before you can be appointed into an attorney position.
• You may need to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result before you can be appointed into this position.
• Attorneys selected for a position in the Tax Division must commit to working for the Tax Division for three years.
• Although applicants who are not citizens of the United States but who meet certain criteria may be considered for employment, Department security requirements generally require that most employees be U.S. citizens, with limited exceptions. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens will need to be approved by the Department before they can be authorized to enter on duty.
• We must receive your resume by 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date.

Qualifications

Our civil trial attorneys must be able to work independently to develop their cases factually and legally. They must be willing to work collaboratively with the Internal Revenue Service, internal supervisors and peers to present those cases in the most effective manner. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, are essential.

Applicants must have:

• A desire to litigate civil cases in federal court;
• Substantial organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple matters concurrently;
• A strong interest in developing their litigation skills, in learning about and applying new technologies, and in remaining current on developments in the law;
• An academic background that demonstrates a commitment to producing professional work of a consistently outstanding caliber; and
• An ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

We value persuasiveness, judgment, initiative and teamwork. Familiarity with tax law and the use of technology in organizing, developing, and presenting a case at trial is helpful, but not required.

The Tax Division anticipates hiring Trial Attorneys with varying levels of experience. Applicants must have at least one (1) year of full-time post-J.D. legal experience by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This is an attorney position. Applicants must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (of any jurisdiction) is required.

Additional information

Years and quality of experience will be considered in determining the appropriate salary level. Positions may be filled at the GS 12-14 levels. Positions may occasionally be filled at the GS-15 level.

Travel is limited under current conditions. However, when the Division is not operating under maximum telework conditions due to the pandemic, travel will be required. The location and frequency of travel varies, depending on the attorney's litigation schedule.

DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/

Attorneys selected for these positions will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form within thirty (30) days of entering into the position. This information must be reported annually.

DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. Additional information about hiring under this Schedule A authority, as well as the documents required to demonstrate eligibility, can be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/getting-a-job/#url=Schedule-A-Hiring-Authority . DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: http://www.benderconsult.com .

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice 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 Veteran 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.

Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their application materials.

Applicants are encouraged to ensure their materials clearly demonstrate their knowledge of subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

Applications must include:

• a cover letter;
• separate narrative statement re learning experience (see requirements below);
• resume;
• law school and any advanced degree transcripts;
• a list of three professional references; and
• a completed assessment questionnaire.

All documents should be provided in either PDF or MS Word format. The cover letter, which should not exceed two single-spaced pages, should describe how your background and qualifications make you well suited for the position as a Trial Attorney, taking into account the Responsibilities and Qualifications described in this advertisement. You should specifically provide a description of prior litigation experience, your interest in public service, and your interest in the Tax Division in particular.

In addition, attorneys at the Tax Division are expected to learn many new skills. In a separate attachment to your application, and in a narrative not to exceed 500 words in length, please tell us about a time in your recent professional experience that you learned something new. The attachment should include your name in the upper right-hand corner.

If you don't include all of the documents we require, we may not be able to fully consider your application.

Applicants selected for further consideration will be required to submit a writing sample prior to an interview.

Applicants who previously applied to the Tax Division must reapply in order to be considered under this job announcement.

Applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference or consideration under a special hiring authority (such as programs for individuals with disabilities) must submit appropriate documentation demonstrating eligibility. In order to verify Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit 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 signed and dated 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.

Department of Justice attorneys eligible for priority consideration under the Department's Reemployment Priority List Program must include notice to the Division of their eligibility in their application package.