Attorney-Advisor (General)

Summary The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The Attorney-Advisor provides complex professional legal services to AOC managers and staff regarding a variety of legal issues including, without limitation, employment and labor law, equal employment opportunity (EEO) law, workplace safety and health law and torts.  Learn more about this agency Duties The Attorney-Advisor represents the AOC in mediation, administrative hearings and court proceedings along with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in these areas and provides expert counsel on provisions of the U.S. Code, the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA), and other laws and regulations. The Attorney is an expert in interpreting administrative orders, rules, or regulations to give effect to the provisions of judicial decrees, governing statutes or other requirements of law. Agency Liaison Serves as a principal liaison for the AOC on personnel and labor law, EEO, occupational and workplace safety and health law, torts and serves as an expert on legal and factual matters concerning these areas of law where complex and difficult legal questions or factual issues are involved.  Employment Law - Provides advice on employment and human resources matters. Counsels and advises Human Capital Management Division (HCMD) managers and staff on the impact of human resources and employee relations activities on the human resources program; and provides representation and advises AOC officials in third-party hearings, including internal disciplinary hearings.Labor Law- Provides advice on the labor-management relations program including collective bargaining agreements, grievance procedures, dispute resolution, and representation of the AOC in third party procedures. - Conducts the litigation of formal unfair labor practice (ULP) complaints and hearings and negotiability appeals by providing advice on complex legal issues, participating in the negotiation of settlements, conducting depositions of witnesses, filing necessary briefs, and representing the AOC at hearings and arbitrations. - Advises senior management staff and the Chief Human Capital Officer on matters of labor law or administrative policy related to individual actions or actions affecting entire bargaining units of the AOC.        - Serves as the agency representative in the following high-profile discussions and negotiations:                           *Equal Employment Opportunity, Occupational Health and Workplace Safety Law, Torts          Legal Advice and Guidance Serves as a principal attorney in charge of advising on extremely complex and difficult legal problems that substantially broaden or restrict the activities of an agency. Addresses confidential and sensitive civil rights law matters that cut across organizational lines and affect the administration and resources of the agency.  Advises the AOC and outside agencies on interpretations of specialized areas of law and assists in planning policies affecting the agency's position.Acts as principal attorney in charge of recommending policies and developing procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation for the employing agency.  Legal Research and Writing Addresses extremely complex and difficult law matters in the drafting, interpretation, or application of legislation, regulations, orders, decisions, opinions, or other legal instruments. Conducts legal research on highly intricate and exceedingly complex and novel questions in connection with respect to: legal questions referred by administrative officials of the agency, such as questions concerning the interpretation and application of statutes, rules, and regulations; or questions regarding the effect of provisions of proposed legislation or proposed changes in agency policies or regulations. Litigation Serves as an expert in preparing the most complex cases for litigation. Conducts litigation of the most complex cases, as an expert in employment law, labor law, and other legal issues. Provides all necessary litigation support to Assistant U.S. Attorney and DOJ staff attorneys handling agency cases in Federal court, including performing legal research and drafting motions, pleadings, and briefs, preparing litigation reports, as well as interviewing witnesses, taking affidavits, and participating in discovery and trial processes. Performs other related duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of employment Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. You must be able to pass a drug test. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. You must meet the education requirements. Active membership in good standing of the Bar of the highest court. “To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meetone of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.” Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications. Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, an applicant's one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance. In addition to meeting the basic education requirement for an Engineer or Architect, you resume must clearly demonstrate the required specialized experience as described below. To qualify at the GS-13 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-12 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis:        Resolving questions and providing accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters; Analyzing facts and legal concerns presented, determining additional facts needed, and applying appropriate legal sources; and Drafting legal documents and performing legal research. To qualify at the GS-14 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-13 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Providing guidance on complex legal issues for large organizations or firms pertaining to Employment or Labor Law; Resolving questions and providing accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters; Analyzing facts and legal concerns presented, determining additional facts needed, and applying appropriate legal sources; and Drafting legal documents and performing legal research.    To qualify at the GS-15 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-14 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Providing guidance on complex legal issues for large organizations or firms pertaining to Employment or Labor Law; Providing legal opinions on employment law legislation; Resolving questions and providing accurate legal advice to both attorneys and non-attorneys on complex legal matters; Analyzing facts and legal concerns presented, determining additional facts needed, and applying appropriate legal sources; and Drafting legal documents and performing legal research.    Education To be qualified for this position, you must meet the basic educational and work experience requirements for Attorney-Advisor positions in the federal government. Applicants must: (1) Position requires the possession of a professional law degree. Must be a graduate of an accredited law school with an LL.B. or J.D.; (from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law) (2) Be a current member in good standing of the bar with a valid license to practice law in a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and Appointees must maintain active membership in good standing of the bar throughout their employment. (3) Meet all specialized experience requirements as described in the vacancy announcement. The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Selected Applicant must provide the following: 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. Additional information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6.If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtmThe Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. 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. A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc. 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.