Closing Date: 1st June, 2026
Description:
Summary:With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us.
Click to learn more:
- IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site (https://www.jobs.irs.gov/counsel)
- Meet Our People (https://www.jobs.irs.gov/resources/meet-our-attorneys)
- Learn about our Legal Divisions (https://www.jobs.irs.gov/resources/legal-divisions)
Duties:
The incumbent serves as staff official and confidential advisor to the Associate Chief Counsel (Corporate). As such, he/she assists the Associate in the formulation of policies and programs for the operation of the Office and performs special assignments of a case or project nature. The incumbent represents the Associate in the regulations and revenue ruling and letter ruling review process, and acts as a personal consultant to both the Associate and Deputy Associate Chief Counsel on a variety of legal, technical, and tax litigation matters relating to the formation of corporations, mergers and acquisitions, dividends and distributions in redemption of stock, corporate liquidations and spin-offs, corporate bankruptcies, limitations on loss carryovers, consolidated return filings and income from the cancellation of indebtedness.
As a General Attorney (Tax) - Special Counsel, you will:
This is not an all-inclusive list.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.
To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax) - Special Counsel, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:
As a General Attorney (Tax) - Special Counsel, you will:
- Consider legal cases or problems having broad ramifications and render decisions thereon without review, except at the discretion of the incumbent or as otherwise specifically directed. Act as personal legal and technical consultant to the Associate on the most difficult, important and complex professional legal matters arising in the administration of the Internal Revenue laws.
- Perform exhaustive and detailed research on complicated legal problems and prepare recommendations as to the position to be taken by the Associate Chief Counsel's Office. Sign such recommendations for the Associate within his/her delegated scope of authority. Review and advise on the impact of proposed legislation and participate in the development and coordination of legislative proposals.
- Represent the Associate at top level Service and Treasury conferences where policy is developed and determined, as well as in meetings with Congressional staff or the staff of other Federal agencies or instrumentalities. Such representations are for the purposes of furthering, setting forth, and explaining the position of the Chief Counsel's Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Treasury Department.
- Act in an advisory capacity to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and other top Service and Treasury officials, advising them of possible courses of action and the consequences of controversial, complex or unique problems.
- As a personal representative of the Associate Chief Counsel on professional legal matters, contribute to the policies and precedents guiding the conduct of legal activities of the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- Refer to "Additional Information"
- Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Qualifications:
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.
To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax) - Special Counsel, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:
Basic Requirements for General Attorney (Tax) - Special Counsel:
GS-15 Experience Requirements:
Professional Legal Tax Experience is defined as:
At least one year of this experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14). Note: Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.
Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (tax, GLS-related, orP&A- FOIA/Disclosure related field) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
Education:
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home)
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) (https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/)
Additional Information:
Conditions of Employment Continued:
- Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
- Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- 1 year of general professional legal experience from any area of expertise; plus
- 3 years of professional legal tax experience
- Advising on Federal tax statutes, regulations, decisions, rulings, and precedents pertaining to one or more of the following specializations: corporate formations, reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions, liquidations and spin-offs, dividends and distributions, redemptions of stock, limitations on loss carryovers, consolidated return filings, Tax Court practice and procedure, and/or refund litigation.
- Researching legal matters to analyze and forecast the ramifications of alternate resolutions or courses of action.
- Preparing/writing legal tax documents/issuances for legal practitioners or general use.
Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (tax, GLS-related, orP&A- FOIA/Disclosure related field) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
Education:
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home)
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) (https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/)
Additional Information:
- We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
- Relocation expenses are not authorized.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
- Subject to a 1-year trial period.
- All newly appointed employees to the excepted service are subject to a trial period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the trial period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the trial period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
- Subject to a Tenure Commitment of up to 3 years.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf) to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System (https://www.sss.gov/verify/) or are exempt from having
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