Attorney-Advisor

Summary

About the Position:

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Office of the General Counsel facilitates DoDEA's global educational mission by providing high quality and timely legal advice and counsel, effective advocacy, and creative problem-solving, this position is located in Peachtree City, Georgia.

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Duties

• Provides legal assistance, advice, and representation in support of DoDEA and its regional leadership
• Conduct consultations, draft legal memoranda, and interpret and apply statutes, executive orders, directives, regulations, administrative rulings, and court decisions
• Advise on standards of conduct, conflicts of interest, and other ethical matters
• Handle mediation, grievance proceedings, and arbitration, addressing novel and precedential legal issues with potential significant impact on DoDEA and government-wide policies
• Provide legal advice on the development and review of DoDEA policies, regulations, and procedures to ensure compliance with federal law and DoD directives.
• Advise on investigations, government ethics, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act
• Draft and distribute preventative legal guidance to ensure DoDEA compliance and reduce the risk of legal disputes.
• Participate as a lecturer in various training programs to educate DoDEA personnel on legal and regulatory matters

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Trial or probationary period may be required.
• Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
• This position requires a Tier 3 (T3) investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: U.S. Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE INFORMATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Army considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documents (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 http://www.opm.gov/.). To successfully claim veteran's preference, your resume/supplemental data must clearly show your entitlement.

Experience: You must have three or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Graduation from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class or an advanced law degree such as an LLM may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience.

Bar Membership: You must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State, Territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Specialized experience includes working in labor and employment law or special education law. Applicants must have five or more years of relevant post-JD experience, which includes representing an organization in federal personnel litigation, such as administrative proceedings and judicial forums, including the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), or in federal district and appellate courts.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-…

Additional information

• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Be advised that effective Jan. 1 2018, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, most civilian employee relocation allowances became taxable. The Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) reimburses eligible employees for the additional Federal, State, and local income taxes incurred as a result of receiving taxable travel income. RITA does not apply to new government employees or employees returning from an overseas assignment for the purpose of separation from Government service. For more information, visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses….
• If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
• Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify David Walton David.walton@dodea.edu
• This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.

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• Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.