The Assistant General Counsel position is in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), Office of the General Counsel (OGC). OGC provides legal advice and services to the Director and AO staff, judges, senior court officials, and the Judicial Conference and its committees. OGC renders legal opinions and provides advice on a wide range of issues in federal judicial administration.
Duties
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking an experienced Assistant General Counsel to provide analysis and legal advice on federal fiscal operations and on laws and regulations governing Judiciary program operations, including the transactions in the courts, probation and pretrial offices, and federal public defender organizations. The incumbent must have excellent legal research and analytical skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly. The incumbent must effectively identify and resolve problems; plan, organize, and work under demanding circumstances and time constraints; and communicate with AO management, judges, senior court personnel, and executive and legislative branch employees. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Researching and providing analysis and legal advice on AO programs and court operations with a focus on fiscal law, regulations, and policies, including fiscal resource administration, complex court fiscal transactions, interagency transactions, expenditures involving travel and relocation, probation and pretrial services, defender services, and compliance issues. Responding to inquiries from judges, court executives, AO program office personnel and other judiciary officials on regulatory and fiscal issues, including proper expenditure of funds for Judiciary programs. Reviewing and authoring pertinent sections of judiciary policies, manuals, and guides. Analyzing and advising on proposed legislation, judiciary regulations, policies, and similar material related to judiciary operations and fiscal law. Advising on issues related to fraud, waste, and abuse and Government Accountability Office audits.
Salary
Qualifications
Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which include interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions. Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a federal court of general jurisdiction. Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will constitute an incomplete application. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Post J.D. Experience: Applicants must also possess at least 3 years of post J.D. experience. Specialized Experience: Subsequent to graduation from law school, applicants must have at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position. Specialized experience must demonstrate experience in ALL areas defined below: Applying knowledge of federal laws and regulations to government operations. Providing legal advice on federal fiscal operations or compliance issues. Highly Desired: Experience in the federal judiciary.
Education
Applicants must possess a law degree (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/.
Required Documents
For this job announcement the following documents and/or information are required: Resume - Any written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications. Citizenship - Include country of citizenship on resume. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - All applicants outside of the AO must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 to verify current or former Federal employment status. Veterans Preference documentation - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), if applicable Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) and an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 02/18/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12862584
