Honors Attorney

Summary The DOT Honors Attorney Program is a highly competitive program, primarily available to new or recent JD graduates completing judicial clerkships or judicial fellowships, offering a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the Department's diverse legal practice. To be eligible for our next program starting in August 2026, you must be a U.S. citizen graduating from law school in Spring 2026 or completing a judicial clerkship or judicial fellowship in Summer 2026. Learn more about this agency Duties As a Honors Attorney, you will: Provide legal advice and policy counsel to DOT leadership on complex areas of law affecting DOT’s duties and responsibilities, both in writing and orally. Conduct legal research and analyses on sensitive matters. Provide training on a variety of laws and policies affecting DOT personnel. Engage with other Federal agencies, congressional committees, the courts, and other transportation stakeholders. Honors Attorneys work under the close supervision of experienced attorneys. Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is a highly motivated, self-reliant and skilled individual willing to work in a challenging and fast-paced environment with experienced professionals committed to delivering the world’s leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy through the safe, efficient, and sustainable movement of people and goods. The ideal candidate exercises initiative and must be creative in coping with exceptionally difficult and novel legal matters. Requirements Conditions of employment This is an Excepted Service position. Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date. Required documents must be submitted by the closing date. You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period. TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your 2 year trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify, you must have experience and education equal or equivalent to the following:GRADE 11 (series 904) - You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a LL.B., J.D., or equivalent. A law school GPA of at least 3.0 for schools on a 4.0 scale. GRADE 11 (series 905)- You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a LL.B., J.D., or equivalent. Be an active member in good standing of the bar in a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A law school GPA of at least 3.0 for schools on a 4.0 scale. GRADE 12 (series 905) – You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a LL.B., J.D., or equivalent AND possess at least one (1) year of professional legal work experience OR a second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study. Be an active member in good standing of the bar in a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A law school GPA of at least 3.0 for schools on a 4.0 scale. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Technical – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the job experience to perform one’s job: works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues. Communication – expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical sensitive controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. 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. Appointments: Appointments may be made to Attorney-Advisor GS-0905-11 or 12 for applicants who meet the requirements outlined above for qualifications. OR Appointments may be made to Law Clerk, GS-0904-11 for applicants who do not meet the requirements outlined above for qualifications for appointment as a GS-11, Attorney-Advisor.  Applicants appointed as Law Clerks may convert to an entry-level Attorney-Advisor (GS-0905) position after admittance to a State Bar and demonstration of satisfactory employment during the interim period of 14 months from the original appointment. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification- qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 Education MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree, and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. To be eligible for our next program cycle starting in August 2026, you must be a U.S. citizen graduating from law school in Spring 2026 or completing a judicial clerkship or judicial fellowship in Summer 2026. NOTE: If you are not yet admitted to the bar of a State, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to qualify on Education, you must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). An applicant who has not been admitted to a state bar may be selected for a Law Clerk, GS-0904-11 position. Appointment as a Law Clerk is limited to 14 months, during which time appointee must be admitted in good standing to the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the United States. Upon admission to the bar, the position will be converted to a permanent appointment as an Attorney Advisor. Additional information The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.