Associate General Counsel

Summary

Serve in a key advisory role at the Benefits Review Board (BRB) as Associate General Counsel for its Black Lung Division A in the Office of General Counsel, with responsibility for providing general and administrative directions to the Division's Staff Attorneys. The BRB reviews appeals of decisions under the Black Lung Benefits Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (and its extensions - including the Defense Base Act). This position is outside the bargaining unit.

Duties

• Major Duties Reviews cases assigned to Senior and Staff Attorneys in the proposal and final disposition phases of case development, including those: of a precedential nature; those involving new or novel issues; those with conflicting evidence; or those affected by changed legislation. Provides first level management review and approval for most personnel actions involving assigned attorney staff, including performance ratings, performance improvement plans, awards, and disciplinary actions short of removal. Ensures consistent and responsible application of Department of Labor (DOL) and BRB performance, production, and personal and professional ethics rules. Listens to and resolves staff-related individual and group problems within the scope of assigned authority and recommends action on matters beyond that authority. Recommends disposition on major matters and takes direct action on minor concerns. Coordination Coordinates on matters of like concern with other Associate General Counsels, such as adjustments in case processing to better meet BRB production goals; the content and application of performance standards and production goals; assessment of training and development; program content and training needs; interpretation of amendments to controlling legislation; and application of decisions of higher courts departing from established precedent or reasoning. Advisory Services The Associate General Counsel - through extensive experience with and study of controlling law, court decisions, and past BRB interpretations and applications - provides both practical and incisive advice to the Chief Judge and Board Members in the treatment of specific issues and in the appropriate adjudication of cases. During day-to-day contact with the Board Members, counsels on matters such as disposition of similar cases in the past, relationship to cases in process, the practical effect of specific legal options on the immediate parties involved, and a particular decision's long-range impact. Discusses various possible interpretations on new or novel issues and possible treatment of issues on which U.S. Circuit Courts have given differing decisions. May explore issues in-depth, where appropriate, by conferring on specific cases to develop a consensus or by researching and preparing a memorandum, either personally or by delegating the assignment to a staff member. Actively seeks reasonable interpretation of current issues to maintain consistency and adherence to the doctrine of stare decisis. Provides advice where substantially differing opinions exist among Board Members. May be assigned continuing responsibilities to act in the absence of the General Counsel in managing the activities of BRB staff. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. To qualify for an attorney position, applicants must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); be a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the U.S.; and have acquired the amount of experience indicated below for each grade level. GS-15 grade level: Applicants must have four (4) years of post-law school legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level. At least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying experience must be specialized experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position at a level close to the work of this job that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the job. Specialized Experience: One year (52 weeks) of post-J.D. specialized experience at or equivalent to, the GS-14, in or directly related to this position. Specialized Experience that is qualifying for this position is described as the following: Having a working knowledge of the Black Lung Benefits Act, as amended, 30 U.S.C §§901-944, or the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, 33 U.S.C. §§901-950, and its extensions, or similar experience through appellate or federal law, such as workers' compensation experience. Candidates will have demonstrated the ability to lead subordinate staff; apply analytical, research, and writing skills; evaluate and review cases; and provide advice and recommendations to Board Members or equivalent on the appropriate adjudication of cases. NOTE: An LL.M. may be substituted for a maximum of one year of experience. Transcripts: You must provide a copy of your law school transcript to be considered for this position. Verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position, you will be required to submit an official transcript for verification purposes before you are hired. However, unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application phase of the process. Writing Sample: In addition to your transcript applicants must also provide an unedited legal writing sample that is no more than ten (10) pages long with your application in order to receive further consideration. The writing sample can a portion of a brief or memorandum.

Education

An LL.B. or J.D. is a requirement for this position. If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy. Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

How to apply

Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations. Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system timeout! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center. STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents. Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete. NOTE: In alignment with the Presidential Memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, applicants may only submit a resume limited to two (2) pages. Only the resume uploaded under the 'Resume" document type in USAJOBS will be reviewed. If the resume submitted exceeds two (2) pages, the application will be deemed ineligible for further consideration. STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS). Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button. STEP 3 - Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL). On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy. Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step, Documents, is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy. STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button. STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm Eastern Time of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then Update Application. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website.