Applications will be accepted from current Department of Defense (DoD) Federal Civilian Employees. This position is in the excepted service. It is filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Position is located in: DFAS Office of General Counsel, Garnishment Law - Cleveland, OH.
Duties
- Serves as an Attorney-Advisor in the Directorate of DFAS OGC, as well as a second-line supervisor over one of Garnishment Law Directorate's Paralegal Teams.
- Provides legal advice to support taking proper actions on legal process served upon DFAS.
- Legal interpretations of court orders seeking to divide a military member’s retired pay under the Uniformed Service Former Spouse Protection Act, Survivor Benefits Program deemed elections.
- Advises on debt collection/stays upon the filing of Bankruptcy and other questions arising from DFAS mission of paying the military and various civilian agencies.
- Provides leadership to a team of paralegal specialists with processing commercial and support garnishments, bankruptcies, involuntary allotments, divisions of retired pay, and associated court actions for DoD military and civilian personnel.
- Serves as one of three Office of General Counsel attorneys responsible for representing DFAS legal positions to various Assistant U.S. Attorneys in federal litigation arising from personal bankruptcy matters.
- Prepares and/or presents agency's case which may result in a significant change in legal precedent and conducts necessary research in preparation of these cases. Prepares pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery requests and replies and other materials.
- Researches precedent decisions of Federal and State courts, COMPGEN decisions, opinions of the Attorney General of the United States, and/or Opinions of the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces.
- Analyzes pending legislation and regulations and evaluates pending legislation and proposals for foreseeable effect on DoD/DFAS fiscal programs, policies, procedures, regulations, methods of operation and existing legislation.
- Prepares recommendations outlining facts and applicable law on a variety of questions.
Salary
Qualifications
GS-13 Qualifications: Assignments require the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) and active membership in the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. In addition, the attorney shall have professional legal experience in excess of 2 years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Education
Education requirements are listed in the Qualifications section above.
Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Resume: You are encouraged to choose only ONE method of submitting your resume. (HR will review the resume that the system date stamps as the latest one received and this may not be the resume, which best reflects your qualifications for the job and may result in an ineligible rating.) You may submit your resume by: attaching in your USAJOBS account. For assistance in preparing your resume, take a look at the DFAS Resume Tools. 2. Complete Assessment Questionnaire: Your resume must describe the quality of work in regards to responses to the occupational self-assessment questionnaire as they generate your numerical rating. 3. Transcripts or Proof of Education: You must submit documentation to verify that you possess a law degree (L.L.B. or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Transcripts and Certifications. 4. Proof of Bar membership: Documentation that reflects active membership in the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia and that you are a member in good standing. 5. SF-50: With the exception of current permanent DFAS employees, current federal employees must submit a Notification of Personnel Action reflecting their current position and agency. 6. Cover Letter: Although not required, you may submit a cover letter which will be forwarded to the selecting official with your resume. Your cover letter will not be used to verify your qualifications or eligibility. 7. Military Spouses: Spousal Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, marriage certificate/license and the Self-Certification form are required to claim Military Spouse Preference. NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, VA letter or any documentation that verifies "Character of Service", dates served, campaign badges, or disability of the Veteran) to their submissions. For additional information regarding Veterans' eligibilities and required documentation please click here. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit all supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. Please refer to Standard Form 15, Application for 10 point preference which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents. This form is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at: http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf. WARNING: Failure to submit a complete application package including any required documentation by 11:59 PM (EST) 07/09/2025, or at the time of application for announcements with an extended closing date, may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and More Information. The Details page will display the status of your application. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, or faxed is received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below. Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. 1. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. 2. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application. 3. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
