Attorney-Adviser (Information Law Unit)

Summary

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is looking for an experienced attorney to serve in the new Information Law Unit (ILU). This attorney has the opportunity to assist in the development of the programs they will be implementing, including FOIA, the Privacy Act, and records management.

Duties

• Why Join OSC? OSC is a mission-driven agency with incredibly dedicated employees. Unit Overview The Information Law Unit (ILU) is a new unit that is responsible for running OSC's information-law programs and providing agency-wide expertise and training on information law topics, including FOIA, the Privacy Act, and records management. The ILU is part of OSC's Office of General Counsel. Duties Under the supervision or mentorship of experienced attorneys, you may be responsible for: Providing legal review, analysis, and advice regarding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA); Processing FOIA and PA requests (includes developing searches, review of documents, assessment of exclusions and exemptions, and applicability of relevant laws); Independently analyzing data about withholdings and releases and preparing accurate and timely reporting; Providing legal advice and guidance on issues pertaining to privacy, FOIA, records management, and other relevant areas of law; Preparing draft correspondence and documentation, including justifications for denials and exemptions and expedited processing determinations; Other related information-law duties. Ideal Candidate We are looking for candidates who bring enthusiasm to information law and dedication to the privilege of public service, think big picture and pay attention to detail, and work well within a team setting. The ideal candidate will have experience in FOIA, Privacy Act, or records (such as retention, CUI practices, or NARA regulations or systems). Flexibility and a strong commitment to OSC's statutory mission are essential. Positions may be filled at any GS grade level (11 through 14) depending on applicant experience.

Qualifications

Education Qualifications for all positions: A professional law degree (L.L.B., J.D., L.L.M.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. In addition to Education, applicants must meet the minimum Experience Requirements outlined below: Position Title Bar Membership Legal Experience Requirements GS-11, Attorney-Adviser Required ** None GS-11, Law Clerk N/A Law school graduates who have not yet been admitted to the bar and who have not served in a judicial clerkship may be temporarily employed at the GS-11 level, not to exceed 14 months as law clerk trainees GS-12, Attorney-Adviser Required ** 1 year of professional legal experience post bar admission. GS-12, Law Clerk N/A Law school graduates who have not yet been admitted to the bar and who have served one year in a judicial clerkship may be temporarily employed at the GS-12 level, not to exceed 14 months as law clerk trainees GS-13, Attorney-Adviser Required ** 2 years of professional legal experience post bar admission, with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 level GS-14, Attorney-Adviser Required ** 3 years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 level Your resume must explicitly outline your qualifications. We will not make assumptions about your experience. NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-0905 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined above. Annual Leave Accrual Credit Selectees for their first Federal position may be eligible to earn a higher annual leave accrual rate based on prior non-Federal or uniformed service work experience. The amount of service credited will be based on specialized experience or qualifying experience that is provided on the applicant resume and documentation submitted.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application and supporting documents must be submitted and received through the online application process by 11:59 pm EST on the closing date of this announcement. 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 if you do not have one. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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.