Supervisory Trial Attorney

Summary Summary: This position is located in the Office of the Solicitor's Division of Plan Benefits Security (PBSD), Counsel for Litigation area which plays a critical role in ensuring adequate representation of the Secretary of Labor in ERISA litigation involving complex financial transactions and novel pension and welfare plan issues and providing adequate supervision and training of PBSD trial attorneys working on those cases. We invite you to apply! Learn more about this agency Duties The Counsel for Litigation (Counsel) plays a critical role in ensuring adequate representation of the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) in ERISA litigation involving complex financial transactions and novel pension and welfare plan issues and providing adequate supervision and training of PBSD trial attorneys working on those cases. Counsel conducts and oversees complex ERISA enforcement cases at every stage of litigation, including managing the work of intra- and inter-office litigation teams to achieve favorable results, at times in areas where there is no legal precedent and where Counsel must develop novel legal theories and litigation strategies and proactively recommend and implement courses of action. Counsel may also be called upon to supervise appellate and amicus litigation in the Division. Counsel supervises attorneys in ERISA cases brought against the Secretary, both when PBSD directly defends the Secretary and when PBSD provides support to DOJ's defense of the Secretary. As needed, Counsel may be assigned to supervise the preparation of, review, and edit any written product of PBSD attorneys. Counsel supervises attorneys providing pre-referral assistance to the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in investigations. Counsel provides advice and makes recommendations to EBSA and to the Associate Solicitor, Deputy Associate Solicitor, and others throughout the Solicitor's Office on substantive and procedural legal issues and on policy and management issues that affect all work in the area of Counsel's responsibility, taking into consideration developments in the law and the enforcement objectives of the Department. Counsel supervises a staff of attorneys and paralegals under the general direction of the Associate Solicitor and Deputy Associate Solicitor. Counsel assigns work to trial attorneys and support staff as needed in litigation, reviews and edits work products, and gives regular feedback on performance. To the extent possible, Counsel identifies and considers the professional development needs of the attorneys and staff in making assignments. Counsel prepares subordinates' performance appraisals in accordance with Department and Office of the Solicitor policies. Counsel attends and participates in trials and hearings as appropriate, conducts settlement negotiations and mediation, and apprises and consults with senior EBSA officials, the Associate Solicitor, and Deputy Associate Solicitor on the status of litigation and settlement negotiations. Counsel is also responsible for assisting the Associate Solicitor and Deputy Associate Solicitor of PBSD in the management of the Division and accepting and accomplishing special projects and assignments from both. Counsel performs administrative tasks assigned by the Associate Solicitor or the Deputy Associate Solicitor as necessary for the proper functioning of PBSD and for meeting its various reporting and recordkeeping duties. Counsel also assists in the recruitment and retention of a qualified workforce and participates in DOL committees and initiatives addressing topics impacting the work of the Division and EBSA. Counsel works independently under the general supervision of the Associate Solicitor and Deputy Associate Solicitor of PBSD. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be at least 16 years old. Must be a U.S. Citizen. Requires a trial period if the requirement has not been met. Appointment to this position may require a background investigation. Relocation expenses will not be paid. This position requires financial disclosure. Requires a supervisory probationary period if the requirement has not been met. Qualifications IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. To qualify for an attorney position, applicants must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); be a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the U.S.; and have acquired the amount of experience indicated below for each grade level. Qualifying specialized experience for GS-15 includes: four (4) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level. At least one year of qualifying experience, at this level, must be specialized experience as defined below. Specialized experience is defined as senior legal experience that has equipped the applicant with the necessary skills and abilities to perform the major duties of this position. NOTE: A LL.M. may be substituted for a maximum of one year of experience. Transcripts: You must provide a copy of your law school transcript to be considered for this position. Verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position, you will be required to submit an official transcript for verification purposes before you are hired. However, unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application phase of the process. Please note that your J.D. or LL. B degree must be conferred before you can begin working. Education A LL.B or J.D. is a requirement for this position. If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy. Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information. Additional information Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements. Supervisory Financial Disclosure (if applicable) - This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually. The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Click for Telework Eligibility Information Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions. All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71. 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.