Attorney Adviser (General)

These positions are located throughout the Chicago Region in the locations listed. Please select the offices you are interested in during the application process.
Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.
This is a career-ladder position leading to the GS-12 grade level.Qualifications: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:
Basic Requirements: First Professional Law Degree (J.D.) AND proof of current active bar membership.
GS-11 Level - The Basic Requirements and one of the following:
1. Fifty-two weeks of professional legal experience or experience as a practicing Attorney in which assignments involved complex and difficult legal questions requiring extensive research, analysis, and evaluation of information in controversial areas. Such experience would include: a) preparation of legal documents for filing by drafting complaints, orders to show cause (judge issues this document), indictments, preliminary motions (requests) and supporting affidavits and briefs; b) drafting of pleading and motions for cases in litigation, conducting investigations to obtain facts, study of legal precedents and preparation of recommendations; and c) assisting attorneys in charge of court cases by cross-examining witnesses and drafting findings of facts, conclusions of law and orders based on the record (you must provide the dates including month, day and year of employment and the hours worked per week); OR
2. A second professional law degree (LL.M.) which requires one full year of graduate study; OR
3. The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD) with a record that shows superior law student work or activities as demonstrated by one of the following :

• Academic standing in the upper third of the law school graduating class;
• Work or achievement of significance on the law school's official law review (explain duties and hours devoted per week);
• Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif;
• Winning of a Moot Court (Appellate) Competition or membership on the Moot Court team, which represents the law school in competition with other law schools;
• Full time or continuous participation in a legal aid (Paralegal or Legal Assistant) program equivalent to 6 months of full time work (dates including month, day and year of employment and hours worked per week are required)(this position works for the Attorney). Not to include one-time, intermittent or casual participation;
• Significant summer law office clerk experience while attending law school equivalent to 6 months of full time work (dates including month, day and year of employment and hours worked per week are required)(this position works for the Judge); OR Legal Intern experience under the supervision of an Attorney is creditable if it involves the following kinds of work: preparation of answers or briefs; review of affidavits; legal research on questions arising from statutes; preparing drafts of proposed opinions on individual cases; claims or other matters with or without established formats and precedents; preparation of documents following guidelines and instructions; review of State and Federal legislative proposals identifying impact; investigation and preparation of cases, etc.
• Law Clerk experience is by its very nature Attorney experience and therefore is qualifying for Attorney positions.
• Other equivalent evidence of superior achievement while in law school.

GS-12 Level - The GS-11 requirement plus one additional year (i.e., 52 weeks, full time) of professional legal experience or experience as a practicing Attorney (including the examples of experience described in the GS-11 grade level requirement). OR

In unusual circumstances education is qualifying provided the applicant has advanced educational attainments substantially beyond those indicated as required for work at the GS-11 grade level and his/her education clearly indicates ability to perform work of the type to be assigned, for example, education beyond the first professional degree which include courses directly pertinent to work of the agency. The essential point in these circumstances is to assure that the person's education has enabled him/her to step into complex legal work characteristic of the GS-12 level and to operate with the degree of independence and responsibility typical to that level.

Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (example: If you worked 20 hours per week for a 12 month period, you will be credited with six months of experience.)

Employment Type: FULL_TIME