Law Clerk

Closing Date: 23rd July, 2026

Description:

Summary:
This position is in the Office of the Administrator (AO), Office of Civil Rights and Adjudication, Environmental Appeals Board Division. About AO.

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

If you have already been admitted to the bar, please see announcement EPA-OAE-AO-26-12992421 for an Attorney Advisor vacancy.

Duties:
You Will:

• Conduct legal research and analysis, including interpreting and applying statutes, rules, and regulations, for one or more Environmental Appeals Judges and Senior Attorney-Advisers.
• Prepare legal documents, outlining factual and legal issues for evaluation and considerations by one or more Environmental Appeals Judges and/or Senior Attorney-Advisers.
• Apply legal reasoning to obtain additional facts and/or legal references pertinent to the case.
• Review legal documents for accuracy of information and legal citations and prepare and provide support for oral argument and analysis of the hearing records as directed by the Environmental Appeals Judges and/or Senior Attorney Advisers.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
#LI-Onsite

You must be a U.S. citizen.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a trial period (two years if you are not a preference eligible; one year if you are a preference eligible).

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dhs.gov%2Freal-id&data=05%7C02%7CCurtis.Susan%40epa.gov%7C2c7d5b62d9a74c452c4c08dd0a320462%7C88b378b367484867acf976aacbeca6a7%7C0%7C0%7C638677932622165029%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jC78w3UVEoV4boT8JTVG3%2Fnv6chNlhHQgh78MSJKG0o%3D&reserved=0) and REAL ID FAQs. (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dhs.gov%2Freal-id%2Freal-id-faqs&data=05%7C02%7CCurtis.Susan%40epa.gov%7C2c7d5b62d9a74c452c4c08dd0a320462%7C88b378b367484867acf976aacbeca6a7%7C0%7C0%7C638677932622177920%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oCMXJqnb4dsF7f77zTQUdGO8bpIZQksw7T5SoC1%2BgHE%3D&reserved=0)

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

Qualifications:
Note: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, you must meet the minimum grade-specific qualifications as described below:
To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have either:
an LL.M. degree

OR
at least one year of post J.D. legal experience with specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as reviewing legal documents to provide recommendations to senior managers; and preparing legal documents for thorough review of accuracy and completeness;

Or
Completed Superior Law Student Activities While Earning a J.D. Degree. Superior Law Student Activities Include:

• Academic Standing in Upper Third of Law School Graduating Class;
• Work or Achievement of Significance on Law School's Law Review;
• Special High-Level Honors for Academic Excellence, Such as Election to Order of The Coif;
• Winning of A Moot Court Competition or Membership on The Moot Court Team Representing the Law School in Competition with Other Law Schools;
• Full-Time or Continuous Participation in A Legal Aid Program or Significant Summer Law Office Clerk Experience; Or
• Other Equivalent Evidence of Clearly Superior Achievement, as Determined by The Hiring Office and Documented in Writing for The Case File.

Experience Refers to Paid and Unpaid Experience, Including Volunteer Work Done Through National Service Programs (e.G., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) 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.
If You Have Part-Time Work Experience, Read This: Part-Time Experience. https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#parttime)

Education:
You Must Possess a J.D. or Ll.M. Degree from An Accredited or Pre-Accredited College or University or Equivalent Apprentice Experience as Allowed per State Law.

For Information About Accreditation Requirements, Visit Accreditation. (https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#parttime)

Additional Information:
This Position Is Excluded from Provisions of The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ictap).

Selection Under This Appointment Authority Does Not Confer Civil Service Competitive Status.

Except in Special Circumstances, Those New to The Federal Government Will Be Hired at The Starting Salary (step 1) of The Applicable Grade Range Listed in The Overview Section.

This Appointment Is Not-To-Exceed 14 Months Pending Admission to The Bar and May Not Be Extended Beyond 14 Months. upon Passing the Bar Exam, You Will Be Eligible for A New Appointment to An Attorney Position Not-To-Exceed 2 Years with The Possibility of Extension up To a Maximum of Four Years.

You Must Meet Time-In-Grade Requirements (52 Weeks) to Be Eligible for Promotion to The Next Higher Grade Level; I.E., to Be Appointed to An Attorney Position at The Next Higher Grade Level or To Be Promoted to The Next Higher Grade Level After Appointment to An Attorney Position (time-In-Grade in Both the Law Clerk and Attorney Positions May Be Credited).

Epa Participates in E-Verify. E-Verify Is an Internet Based System Operated by The Department of Homeland Security (dhs) in Partnership with The Social Security Administration (ssa) that Enables Participating Employers to Electronically Verify the Employment Eligibility of Their Newly Hired Employees. for Additional Information: E-Verify. (https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures#everify)

If You Are Selected, Travel, Transportation, and Relocation Expenses Will Not Be Paid by Epa. Any Travel, Transportation, and Relocation Expenses Associated with Reporting to Work in This Position Will Be Your Responsibility.

This Position Is Not in The Bargaining Unit.

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: