Closing Date: 8th September, 2026
Description:
Summary:This position is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the Office For Civil Rights (OCR), located in Washington, D.C. The Senior Counsel aides the Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretaries in providing expert legal advice related to Federal Law that OCR is responsible for enforcing.
Duties:
This is an Excepted Service position. The job will be filled by alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position are subject to a one-year trial period. Join our Team! The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is looking for the best and brightest to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation.
As an Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-15, you will be responsible for:
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Condition of Employment:
Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Key Requirement (trial period) - As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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 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 trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Key Requirements:
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications Requirements for GS-15:
As an Attorney Advisor, GS-0905-15, you will be responsible for:
- Serving as OCR's primary liaison with the Office for Communications and Outreach on press matters and assisting the Assistant Secretary in communicating OCR's legal work (pursuant to civil rights laws under OCR's jurisdiction) and non-legal work succinctly and effectively in response to numerous media requests reaching a dozen or more per day.
- Training and advising attorneys and other staff who have multiple levels of experience (up to GS-15 level) on communications and legal matters related to OCR work.
- Coordinating, reviewing and making recommendations on briefing materials for the Assistant Secretary on policy matters or Office activities to be used in speeches, presentations to the Department, or Congressional committees.
- Assisting in the development of speeches and Congressional testimony.
- Preparing policy options based on the direction of the Assistant Secretary, secures support for the issues as necessary, and assists in the implementation of those policies (e.g., explaining such to Office for Civil Rights and Department personnel, other agencies, or other parties).
- Providing guidance and coordination of staff and project management in the Office of the Assistant Secretary on a variety of assignments and with respect to day-to-day personnel matters and strategic operations.
- Developing policy recommendations for the Assistant Secretary on a variety of management and policy issues. Projects generally involve sensitive, highly-visible issues, or matters of a precedent-setting nature.
- Providing legal advice on FOIA inquiries and appeals pending before the office, including reviewing the initial disclosures (as necessary), appeal requests and draft appeal determinations for legal sufficiency; researches applicable law; and making recommendations on FOIA policy and procedures.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Condition of Employment:
- As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or 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 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 probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Key Requirement (trial period) - As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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 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 trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Key Requirements:
- Must be a US Citizen.
- Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
- Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
- Relocation expenses will not be paid.
- You may be subject to serve a one-year trial period.
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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications Requirements for GS-15:
Has obtained the first professional law degree or training which is permitted in some states in lieu of attendance at the law school
And
Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
And
Has four years professional legal experience, at least one of the four years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled,
And
Is an active member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
And
Has four years professional legal experience, at least one of the four years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled,
Or
Has three years professional legal experience, at least one of the three years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study
Or
Has Three Years Professional Legal Experience, at Least One of The Three Years Must Be at The Level of Difficulty and Responsibility Equivalent to That of An Attorney at The Grade Immediately Below the One Being Filled, Plus Record Shows Superior Law Schoolwork or Activities as Demonstrated by One of The Following:
Note: For Purposes of Counting the Number of Years of Legal Experience After Graduating from Law School, Equivalent Writing and Legal Analysis Performed as A Judicial Law Clerk Will Be Considered Even if The Applicant Was Not Admitted to The Bar at The Time.
And
Specialized Experience for The Gs-15
One Year of Experience in Either Federal or Non-Federal Service that Is Equivalent to At Least a Gs-14 Performing Two (2) out Of Three (3) of The Following Duties or Work Assignments:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (ks As) the Quality of Your Experience Will Be Measured by The Extent to Which You Possess the Following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (ks As). You Do Not Need to Provide Separate Narrative Responses to These Ks As, as They Will Be Measured by Your Responses to The Occupational Questionnaire (you May Preview the Occupational Questionnaire by Clicking the Link at The End of The Evaluations Section of This Vacancy Announcement).
Has three years professional legal experience, at least one of the three years MUST be at the level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at the grade immediately below the one being filled, PLUS a second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study
Or
Has Three Years Professional Legal Experience, at Least One of The Three Years Must Be at The Level of Difficulty and Responsibility Equivalent to That of An Attorney at The Grade Immediately Below the One Being Filled, Plus Record Shows Superior Law Schoolwork or Activities as Demonstrated by One of The Following:
- Academic Standing in The Upper Third of The Law School Graduating Class.
- Work or Achievement of Significance on His/her Law School's Official Law Review.
- Special High-Level Honors for Academic Excellence in Law School, Such as Election to The Order of The Coif.
- Winning of A Moot Court Competition or Membership on The Moot Court Team that Represents the Law School in Competition with Other Law Schools. Full-Time or Continuous Participation, for One Year or Two Semesters of Law School, in A Legal Aid Program (as Opposed to One-Time, Intermittent, or Casual Participation).
- Significant Summer Law Office Clerk Experience After Beginning Law School.
- Other Equivalent Evidence of Clearly Superior Achievement.
Note: For Purposes of Counting the Number of Years of Legal Experience After Graduating from Law School, Equivalent Writing and Legal Analysis Performed as A Judicial Law Clerk Will Be Considered Even if The Applicant Was Not Admitted to The Bar at The Time.
And
Specialized Experience for The Gs-15
One Year of Experience in Either Federal or Non-Federal Service that Is Equivalent to At Least a Gs-14 Performing Two (2) out Of Three (3) of The Following Duties or Work Assignments:
- Experience Addressing Complex Media and Communications Issues Pertaining to Civil Rights Enforcement and Policy Matters.
- Experience with Oral and Written Expression Sufficient to Develop Highly Sophisticated Legal Analyses and Communications Strategies or Responses Related to Civil Rights Enforcement or Policy Matters.
- Experience in Controlling Statues, Regulations, Federal Enforcement of Policy Related Activities and Procedures to Develop Legal Opinions and Communication Strategies or Responses.
- Knowledge of The Controlling Statutes, Regulations, and Federal Enforcement and Policy-Related Activities and Procedures Pertaining to The Subject Matter of The Particular Issue Sufficient to Develop Legal Opinions and Communications Strategies or Responses.
- Experience Addressing Complex Media and Communications Issues Pertaining to Civil Rights Enforcement and Policy Matters.
- Skill in Oral and Written Expression Sufficient to Develop Highly Sophisticated Legal Analyses and Communications Strategies or Responses Related to Civil Rights Enforcement or P
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