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National Labor Relations Board

General Attorney (Labor) (Litigation Attorney)

National Labor Relations Board See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $102,415 - $133,142/year
  • Washington, DC
May 14, 2026 Attorney Employment Law

Job Description

This General Attorney (Labor) (Litigation Attorney) position is in the Contempt, Compliance and Special Litigation Branch of the Division of Legal Counsel. This Branch conducts civil contempt litigation in the U.S. Courts of Appeals to coerce compliance with judgments enforcing orders of the Board and assists the Regions in their compliance work. The Branch also defends the Agency when programs, statutes, or outside proceedings threaten the Agency's ability to carry out its mission.

Duties

As a General Attorney (Labor) (Litigation Attorney), GS-0905-12, your typical work assignments may include:

  • Representing the Agency as counsel in litigation before federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts in moderately complex matters with increasing independence.
  • Investigating and recommending whether contempt proceedings are warranted for securing compliance with judgments enforcing Board orders and assists in initiating contempt actions.
  • Developing and implementing legal strategies to secure remedies for unfair labor practice cases through active litigation or by providing legal advice to Agency stakeholders on moderately complex issues.
  • Defending the Agency against litigation that seeks to enjoin Board proceedings by analyzing potential impact and assisting in developing and implementing appropriate legal strategies.
  • Preparing legal documents necessary for federal court litigation, including pleadings, petitions, motions, briefs, affidavits, proposed orders, replies, and responses, with limited supervisory review.
  • Performing other duties as assigned.

Salary
  • $102,415 - $133,142/year
Conditions of Employment
  • U. S. Citizenship Required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • This is not a remote position.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • This position is in the Excepted Service.
  • This position is part of the Bargaining Unit.
  • Applicants are subject to complete a two-year trial period.
  • Subject to a background investigation prior to appointment.
  • Active Bar license is required for verification. Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. A Self-Certification Form is not acceptable verification.
  • This is a positive education position. Transcripts are required to be considered for this position.
  • Submit complete application package online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
Qualifications

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The Ideal Candidate for the General Attorney (Labor) (Litigation Attorney) position will preferably have some experience providing advice and assistance regarding National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) matters, as well as other statutes. Excellent communication, interpersonal skills to interact with colleagues and senior level management are desired. Outstanding legal research, writing, and analytical skills are also preferred.

BASIC REQUIREMENT
Education: Must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). Law school transcripts must be submitted at the time of application.

Bar Membership and Certification: Must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Your active Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. Agency Internal Self-Certification Forms are not acceptable for verification.

In addition to the BASIC REQUIREMENT, applicants must also meet the following:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, which has provided them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the General Attorney (Labor) (Litigation Attorney) GS-12 grade level.

Specialized experience includes:

  • Experience conducting legal research such as reviewing case files, records, and witness testimony to assist in case preparation; and
  • Experience making recommendations based on case law, statutes, and regulations to determine the effects and probable outcome of assigned cases; and
  • Experience producing written work products such as draft decisions or legal briefs that effectively communicate facts and issues relevant to case matters.
This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

NOTE: 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.

Education This position has a basic education requirement listed under the Qualifications section of this announcement. You must meet all qualification requirements. All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. Special Instructions for Foreign Education If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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 accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. Other Information SUPPLEMENTARY VACANCIES Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/REASONABLE ACCOMODATION The National Labor Relations Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Agency's Selective Placement Coordinator by email here. NLRB offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities. (Note: For additional information for job seekers with disabilities, please click on the following website here.) PLACEMENT POLICY The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by Appointment and Reassignment. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. TRIAL PERIOD As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-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; and The needs and interests of the agency; and 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. ALTERNATE APPLICATION INFORMATION Applicants may contact the Office of Human Resources. The National Labor Relations Board offers career opportunities that feature competitive starting salaries and the potential for performance-based increases, flexible hours, and the ability to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle. You will enjoy a range of comprehensive and competitive employment benefits that include Work/Life Balance Programs (Alternative Work Schedules, Telework, Employee Assistance Program, and the Child Care Subsidy Program), the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, and the Transit Benefit Program. Required Documents

Please submit the supporting documents outlined below for your claimed eligibility status.

RESUME
In compliance with Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service resumes must not be longer than two pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement. If the two-page resume criteria and/or the resume formatting requirement is not met, candidates will be rated as ineligible and will not be referred for hiring consideration.

Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below:

Contact Information: Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number.

Relevant Work Experience

  • Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions)
  • Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 -08/2022 or present)
  • The number of hours you worked per week
Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement.

PROOF of BAR CERTIFICATION
A copy of your Bar License that certifies you are an active member of the Bar in good standing of any state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. Your active Bar license must reference Bar number and indicate the status of good standing. An Agency's Internal or a Self-Certification Form is not acceptable for verification.

TRANSCRIPT
An unofficial copy of your transcripts is sufficient for this application package. The unofficial transcripts must be verifiable; contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses (with grades), semester hours, and GPA. If the position has a positive education requirement (i.e., LL. B. or J.D.), as indicated under the "Education" section, the unofficial transcripts must show type of degree and degree date received (conferred). If selected, an official copy of the transcripts is required and must be received before employment.

(NOTE: Current NLRB Attorneys may not be required to submit a copy of their transcripts. However, NLRB employees within 3 years from receiving their Juris Doctorate degree, must provide a transcript with their application package.)

WRITING SAMPLE
Applicants are required to submit a legal document of their choice (not edited by anyone other than the applicant and preferably no more than five pages).

OTHER DOCUMENTS (IF applicable) (Click links for more information)

Cover Letter

Applicants are requested to submit a Cover Letter, but it is not a required document.

Most Recent Performance Appraisal (Current/Former Federal Employees)
If performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months or if you are unable to provide a copy, an explanation of why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available.

Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) (Current/Previous Federal Employees)
Most recent SF-50 showing current grade and tenure or an SF-50 showing highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade. Performance Award, Reassignment, Name Change and Detail SF-50s will not be accepted as proof of grade and tenure. If you are applying for a higher grade, provide an SF-50 or SF-50s that shows the length of time in the current/highest grade (i.e., Promotions, With-in Grade Increase) to support meeting time-in-grade requirements. As an employee in the Excepted Service, determine your status by checking block 24 on your SF-50. The block must reflect "1" or "2". Also, block 34 must reflect "2". A copy of your SF-50 must be provided for verification.

Individuals with Disabilities: Disability Letter
Veterans: DD-214 (member copy-4)
Disabled Veterans: DD-214, SF-15 and VA letter dated 1991 or later (indicating % disability)
Certain Military Spouses: Copy of service member's PCS order authorizing the spouse to accompany the service member AND Proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof the service member was released or discharged from active duty due to a service-connected disability AND documentation of the service member's 100% disability AND proof of marriage to the service member; OR Proof of the service member's death while on active duty AND proof of marriage to the service member.
Family Member Preference (Derived Preference)

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJOBS does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

  • Resume; and
  • Any other documents needed to verify your qualifications or eligibility (see the Required Documents section).
Please follow the instructions listed below for submitting your complete application package. Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all instructions before you begin.

To begin the process, click the APPLY ONLINE button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the SUBMIT MY ANSWERS button at the end of the process.

If you have never applied through USAJOBS for a position with the Federal Civil Service, you will need to create a USAJOBS account.

To change or update your application, simply reapply through USAJOBS, before the closing date. New or updated resumes are considered "incomplete" applications until the required virus scan is cleared.

To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.



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