General Attorney (Labor) (General Counsel Senior Attorney)
National Labor Relations Board See More Job Openings by This EmployerThis position is located in Washington, DC and is in Division of Advice of the General Counsel (GC) and reports directly to the Senior Executive Service decision maker or designee. The GC staff in Division of Advice (Regional Advice & Injunction Litigation Branches) performs an array of functional legal responsibilities to assist the GC with making legal decisions and court orders, and administering the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the federal labor law enacted by Congress in 1935.
DutiesAs a General Attorney (Labor) (General Counsel Senior Attorney), GS-0905-15, your typical work assignments may include:
- Acting as a legal expert and technical adviser regarding the application of controlling statutes, regulations, case law, court rules, and procedures pertaining to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), as well as the Administrative Procedure Act, and other federal laws.
- Preparing and orally presenting facts and law clearly and logically and presents oral arguments in court.
- Preparing and presenting facts and law clearly and logically in writing.
- Using independent judgment to resolve key issues arising in connection with high-level decisions affecting efficient case processing and successful litigation strategy.
- Handling numerous assignments in both the Regional Advice and Injunction Litigation Branches that require close attention to complex legal or factual issues, and that have a significant impact on the Agency and its practice.
- Performing other duties as assigned.
- $169,279 - $197,200/year
- 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 is an Excepted Service position.
- This position is part of the Bargaining Unit.
- Active Bar license is required for verification and must be uploaded in USA Jobs with application package. 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. Current NLRB attorneys are not required to submit a copy of their transcripts. However, if attorneys are within 3 years from receiving their JD, a transcript must be provided with their application package.
- May be subject to a background investigation prior to appointment.
- Submit complete application package online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The ideal candidate for this position has senior-level expertise and knowledge of traditional labor law (the NLRA). The candidate has demonstrated an ability to provide expert legal analysis and advice in an efficient manner on complicated matters. The candidate has experience drafting complex decisions and appellate briefs for approval by superiors and has exemplary legal research and writing skills. The candidate exhibits excellent judgment and can work independently on all matters handled by the Division. Outstanding oral communications skills and meticulous attention to detail are also important.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Education: Applicants 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 JD).
Bar Membership/Certification: Applicants must be 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.
In addition to the BASIC REQUIREMENTS, applicants must also meet the following:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-14 grade level, which has provided them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a General Attorney (Labor) (General Counsel Senior Attorney) at the GS-15 grade level.
Specialized experience includes:
- Experience conducting legal research and making recommendations, both orally and in writing, to superiors on complex legal issues and cases involving the NLRA and other relevant statutes, procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Experience preparing memoranda and briefs that contain extensive legal analysis of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in accordance with the Board's procedures, rules, and regulations, or, in the case of Section 10(j) or (l) appeals, with court rules.
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.
All Agency employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status.
The SF-50 must include your Position, Title, Series, Grade, Step, Tenure (1 or 2), and Type of Service (Excepted).
As a current NLRB Excepted Service employee, you may 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. Education Applicants 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 JD). All education claimed by applicants will be verified. 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. 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 regarding Foreign Education, please click here. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Other Information SUPPLEMENTARY VACANCIES Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The National Labor Relations Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and sex orientation), age, disability, genetic information, political affiliations, or any other non-merit factor. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION The NLRB offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities. 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. 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 Promotion or Reassignment. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. ALTERNATE APPLICATION INFORMATION Applicants may contact the Office of Human Resources at Employment.Solutions@nlrb.gov. 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, Employee Assistance Program, and the Childcare 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
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
Resumes must be formatted as outlined above. 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.
Most Recent Performance Appraisal
If performance appraisal is not dated with the last 18 months, or if you are unable to provide a performance appraisal, 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)
You must submit a copy of your non-award SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, verifying your highest rate of pay and documenting your status in the Excepted service (Tenure 1 or 2) for which you are claiming eligibility. As an employee in the Excepted Service, you may determine your status by checking block 24 on your SF-50. The block must reflect "1" or "2". Also, block 34 must reflect "2".
If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly reflect you meet the one-year time-in-grade (TIG) requirement so you will need to submit a SF-50 which clearly shows you meet the TIG requirement (e.g. SF-50s include Promotion, Within Grade Increase, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).
NOTE: Performance Awards, Realignment/Reassignment, Name Change and Detail SF-50s will not be accepted as proof of grade and tenure.
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. Self-Certification Forms are not acceptable for verification.
Other Documents (IF applicable)
Transcripts
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 JD), as indicated under the "Education" section, the unofficial transcripts must show the type of degree and degree date received (conferred).
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. If selected, an official copy of the transcripts may be and must be received before employment.
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.
All materials must be received by 07/16/2026 to be considered for this announcement. 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).
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 My USAJOBS, before the closing date. New or updated resumes are considered "incomplete" applications until the required virus scan is cleared.