General Attorney (Open Continuous)

Summary

Join the team! This position is located in the Headquarters Office of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Division of General Law (GCGL), in the office of General Counsel. GCGL is responsible for providing legal advice and recommendations regarding many areas of law including labor & employment law, ethics (Standards of Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch), fiscal law, procurement, intellectual property and numerous other areas.

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT that will remain open until March 5, 2027. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and positions will be filled when the need arises or as vacancies occur to meet immediate and future hiring needs. This announcement may be amended to extend the deadline or close early without prior notice at the discretion of the agency, based on administrative or operational needs. Candidates are encouraged to submit their materials promptly. The duty location is Washington, DC. This is not a remote position. While required to work effectively in all areas as listed above, it is desirable for the incumbent of this position to have substantive experience with labor and employment law, including litigation before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Experience in government ethics law is also highly desirable. The primary responsibilities of this position include: Prepares legal opinions, interpretations, and recommendations with respect to statutes, regulations, and executive orders. Provides legal advice and recommendations to the Commission and other organizational components of the Commission on ethics, fiscal law, privacy, intellectual property, and other general law areas. Reviews documents prepared by operating staff for legal sufficiency, e.g. contracts, procurement solicitations, interagency agreements, and directives, etc. Drafts and prepares certain Commission regulations and policies (e.g., government ethics). Represents the Commission before administrative law judges and administrative boards. Participates in discussions, meetings, and conferences with Commission staff and officials in proposing policy and implementation of regulations and statutes. Coordinates and consults with the Department of Justice, Office of Government Ethics, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, and other federal agencies.

Qualifications

In addition to the mandatory education requirement, all applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-12: 1) Completing research and analysis relating to legal questions, AND 2) drafting legal documents (which may include, but are not limited to, memoranda, briefs, pleadings, agreements/contracts, motions, and opinions). GS-13: Independently 1) completing research and analysis relating to complex legal questions, 2) drafting legal documents (which may include, but are not limited to, memoranda, briefs, pleadings, agreements/contracts, motions, and opinions), AND 3) providing legal advice orally (such as providing legal recommendations to supervisors or clients), and/or presenting legal arguments at hearings or trials. GS-14: Independently 1) completing research and analysis relating to complex legal questions; 2) drafting legal documents (which may include, but are not limited to, memoranda, briefs, pleadings, agreements/contracts, motions, and opinions) involving at least one of the following legal areas of expertise: a) administrative law, b) ethics, c) procurement and fiscal law, d) privacy law, and/or e) labor and employment law (including human resources matters); AND 3) providing legal advice through oral presentations (such as providing legal recommendations to supervisors or clients), and/or presenting legal arguments at hearings or trials. Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Basic Requirement: All applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree and be an active member of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All applicants are required to provide proof of current, active bar membership/good standing. GS-12: In addition to the basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have either: (1) two years of experience as a practicing attorney); OR (2) one year of experience as a practicing attorney and a second professional law degree (LL.M). GS-13: In addition to basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have three years of experience as a practicing attorney. GS-14: In addition to basic requirement and qualifying specialized experience, applicants must have four years of experience as a practicing attorney. ALL applicants must also submit proof of successful completion of education requirements. This proof may consist of a law school transcript or other documentation which provides clear and specific proof of education, such as a diploma. A copy of an SF-50 only is not adequate proof of meeting the education requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You MUST provide transcripts with your application to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. All education claimed by applicants will be verified.