Attorney Advisor

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. For interest in a Law Clerk position, please see the requirements in announcement EPA-OLC-AO-26-12965975.

Duties

At the full performance level of this position, 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.

If you are hired at a grade level lower than the full performance level (i.e., highest promotion potential level), your duties will be less complex and you will have more supervisory oversight. You may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

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

Salary

• $85,447 - $133,142/year

Conditions of Employment

#LI-Onsite

You must be a U.S. citizen.

If you have not yet passed the bar exam, offer of employment will be contingent upon admission to the bar and licensure/authorization to practice as an attorney.

You must self-certify annually and in writing that you hold an active bar membership.

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 and REAL ID FAQs.

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 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:
(A) Academic standing in upper third of law school graduating class;
(B) Work or achievement of significance on law school's law review;
(C) Special high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to Order of the Coif;
(D) Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team representing the law school in competition with other law schools;
(E) Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program or significant summer law office clerk experience; or
(F) Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement, as determined by the hiring office and documented in writing for the case file.

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as conducting legal research and analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; and assisting others in the writing of legally sufficient documents.

You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully:

• Technical Knowledge (Related to Position)
• Oral Communication*
• Written Communication*
• Critical Thinking*
• Teamwork.

*You will be evaluated on these critical competencies.

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.

*If you have part-time work experience, read this: Part-Time Experience.

Education You must: (1) 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; and (2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and (3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing. NOTE: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty. For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation. Other 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. 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. 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. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job. The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA's Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process: If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you. If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official's office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA's National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at disabilityaccommodations@epa.gov. If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you. Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Required Documents

ALL APPLICANTS

• Cover letter expressing your interest in the position and explaining how your qualifications meet the requirements of the position.
• Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications and Education sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). In describing your experience, you need to be clear and specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration. See How to Apply section for more information.
• Copy of active bar membership/license (not required at the time of application, but you will be required to provide this documentation before entry on duty).
• Proof of education (see requirements in the Education section):

1. Law school transcripts - unofficial or official transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter or semester hours earned. NOTE: Official educational transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work with EPA. IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: Accreditation. - OR -
2. Documentation of apprentice experience equivalent to possession of a J.D. or LL.M. degree.

• Name, address, and telephone number of three references, including a current or former employer.

APPLICANTS QUALIFYING BASED ON SUPERIOR LAW STUDENT ACTIVITIES

• Proof of completion of superior law student activities as described in the Qualifications section

APPLICANTS CLAIMING VETERANS' PREFERENCE

To be eligible for veterans' preference, you must claim preference in your USAJOBS account; you must also submit proof of eligibility as indicated below.

Separated veterans claiming 0-point preference:

• DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service) or other official document/statement from the Armed Forces showing separation, discharge, or release from active duty; document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge) and that the release or discharge was due to sole survivorship

Separated veterans claiming 5-point preference:

• DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service) or other official document/statement from the Armed Forces showing separation, discharge, or release from active duty; document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge)

Separated veterans claiming 10-point preference based on compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more:

• DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service); document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge); and
• VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage); and
• SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form)--see page 2 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of the DD-214 and VA letter

Other separated veterans claiming 10-point preference OR spouses, widows/widowers, or mothers claiming 10-point derived preference:

• SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form); and
• Other required documentation indicated on the SF-15

Active duty service members:

• Certification from the Armed Forces (Statement of Service) documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (a certification is any written document from the Armed Forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge) within 120 days after you submit the certification)

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin your application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires and assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in this section (How to Apply) and the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the day the announcement closes to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply button at the top of the announcement.
2. Follow the prompts to sign in.
3. Answer the questions presented in the application and upload all required supporting documentation.
4. Click the Submit Application button by 11:59 PM (ET) on the day the announcement closes.

If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Agency contact listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and you must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.

Benefits Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA. If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement. EPA policy only allows telework to be approved situationally. Situational telework is for work or assignments of specific limited duration on an occasional, emergency, or ad hoc basis. NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position, subject to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.