Closing Date: 17th May, 2024
Description:
Summary:With an emphasis on high ethical standards, excellence in public service and the delivery of superlative advice and counsel, DOI Solicitor's Office performs the legal work for the United States A Government Entity, and manages the Departmental Ethics Office and Departmental FOIA Office. With more than five hundred employees, more than four hundred of which are attorneys, the Office strives to provide sound legal services to fulfill the Department's diverse and wide-ranging mission.
Duties:
As an Attorney-Adviser with the A Government Entity, Office of the Solicitor, Southwest Regional Office, located in Albuquerque, NM your specific duties will include:
Providing legal research, analysis, advice and representation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Southwest Region (BIA Southwest) and other officials of the A Government Entity. The primary focus of this position will be on Federal Indian law and other issues for BIA Southwest, including land and environmental law issues, National Environmental Policy Act and permitting matters, contracting issues (primarily under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), leasing and right-of-way issues, and trespass issues.
Responsibilities of the position may include representing BIA Southwest in administrative hearings or appeals, including possible appearances before the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, and state agencies in New Mexico. Responsibilities will also include assisting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in representing BIA Southwest in federal, state or tribal judicial proceedings.
Requires cooperative and productive interactions with officials and staff of BIA Southwest, officials and staff of other bureaus of DOI; other attorneys within the Solicitor's Office; attorneys in DOJ, including attorneys in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys; officials and attorneys in other Federal agencies; and State, local, or tribal officials and attorneys. There will also be interactions with attorneys and others representing non-governmental interests.
This position will require detailed familiarity with Indian law. The position also requires possession or development of detailed familiarity with such laws as: the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
This position will involve providing written and oral opinions on Federal Administrative Law topics, including Fiscal/Appropriations Law, federal contracting, and acquisition laws, agency delegations and authority, partnerships with non-public entities, and similar topics.
The position will also include assisting the Solicitor's Office and BIA Southwest with compliance with other statutes, such as the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act.
Salary Range:
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
Qualifications:
Basic Qualification Requirements:
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.
Applicants must also meet one of the following:--possess at least 1-year of professional legal experience following law school graduation; OR--have a second professional law degree; OR--meet any of the criteria indicated below:(a) academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;(b) graduation with academic honors;(c) significant participation on the law school's law review;(d) significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;(e) significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;(f) significant summer law office clerk experience; or(g) other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
GS-12/13/14: In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements described above, applicants must also have the following additional years of professional legal experience for the grade level indicated:
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.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
Responsibilities of the position may include representing BIA Southwest in administrative hearings or appeals, including possible appearances before the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, and state agencies in New Mexico. Responsibilities will also include assisting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in representing BIA Southwest in federal, state or tribal judicial proceedings.
Requires cooperative and productive interactions with officials and staff of BIA Southwest, officials and staff of other bureaus of DOI; other attorneys within the Solicitor's Office; attorneys in DOJ, including attorneys in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys; officials and attorneys in other Federal agencies; and State, local, or tribal officials and attorneys. There will also be interactions with attorneys and others representing non-governmental interests.
This position will require detailed familiarity with Indian law. The position also requires possession or development of detailed familiarity with such laws as: the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
This position will involve providing written and oral opinions on Federal Administrative Law topics, including Fiscal/Appropriations Law, federal contracting, and acquisition laws, agency delegations and authority, partnerships with non-public entities, and similar topics.
The position will also include assisting the Solicitor's Office and BIA Southwest with compliance with other statutes, such as the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act.
Salary Range:
- GS-12: $87,878 to $114,237
- GS-13: $104,498 to $135,851
- GS-14: $123,485 to $160,533
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- Key Requirements:
- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
- Must be an active member of the bar.
- Selectee may be subject to serving a 2-year trial period.
- You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
- Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
- A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
- If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
- Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
- Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
- Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualification Requirements:
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND applicants must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.
Applicants must also meet one of the following:--possess at least 1-year of professional legal experience following law school graduation; OR--have a second professional law degree; OR--meet any of the criteria indicated below:(a) academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;(b) graduation with academic honors;(c) significant participation on the law school's law review;(d) significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;(e) significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;(f) significant summer law office clerk experience; or(g) other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
GS-12/13/14: In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements described above, applicants must also have the following additional years of professional legal experience for the grade level indicated:
- -GS-12 = 1 year
- -GS-13 = 2 years
- -GS-14 = 3 ½ years
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.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4