This position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Office of General Counsel. The incumbent will be responsible for providing professional legal services for the Railroad Retirement Boad (RRB).
This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
Summary
This position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Office of General Counsel. The incumbent will be responsible for providing professional legal services for the Railroad Retirement Boad (RRB).
This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
May be required to successfully complete a trial period
J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required
Qualifications
Applicants must possess the following:
Education: Applicants must possess a LL.B., or a J.D. degree
-AND-
Bar Membership: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of a U.S. state, territory, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia (include the month and year of your admission to the bar).
-AND-
Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate that you possess the experience required for the grade level to which you apply.
GS-12 grade level: Specialized experience is defined as one (1) or more years of professional law experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Qualifying specialized experience involves one (1) year of general professional legal experience, from any area of expertise.
GS-13 grade level: Specialized experience is defined as at least two (2) or more years of professional experience legal experience, at least one (1) of two (2) years equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in federal service; acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Examples of this experience include:
1. Responding to information requests that require special attention to sensitive information regarding the FOIA or the Privacy Act.
2. Reviewing and/or drafting responses regarding information requests and issuing final release determinations.
3. Developing case strategies and conducting discovery to provide legal advice and representation in formal and informal settings.
4. Providing legal assistance on various other legal matters, to include the FOIA, the Privacy Act, the Sunshine Act and/or other statutory or regulatory procedures.
GS-14 grade level: Specialized experience is defined as at least three (3) or more years of professional experience legal experience, at least one (1) of three (3) years equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in federal service; acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of this position. Examples of this experience include:
1. Independently, with little supervisory oversight, responding to highly complex information requests under the FOIA or the Privacy Act.
2. Issuing final release determinations independently, without preliminary instructions.
3. Providing legal advice to top level officials, executives, or other senior levels of management.
4. Utilizing expert legal knowledge to resolve issues to avoid litigation.
5. Conducting trial proceeding with complete responsibility for trial strategy, drafting court documents, and pursuing settlements.
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.
Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Education
Applicants must be a graduate of a school of law school accredited by the American Bar Association and an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.
Additional information
If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act; the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding anAlternate Application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Railroad Retirement Board considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at http://www.opm.gov/.)You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Qualified candidates will be rated by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the skills and experience pertinent to the position to be filled. Experience, education, training, awards, and performance will be considered. The following factors are of particular importance to the position to be filled, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas as part of their application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
Transcripts: Copies of your LL.B or J.D. transcripts must be submitted. Original transcripts will be required if selected.
Must provide documentation that you are a member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory or District of Columbia.
Veterans' Documentation: If you are a veteran, you must provide a copy of your Record of Military Service (DD-214), and proof of your veterans' preference, if applicable. Veterans with a service connected disability must submit a completed claim form SF-15 (click here for form) along with the required proofs. Go to FedsHireVets-Veterans Preference for more information.
Cover Letter: A cover letter is not required, but desirable to supplement and/or add to the experience described in your Resume.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and possible referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
Transcripts: Copies of your LL.B or J.D. transcripts must be submitted. Original transcripts will be required if selected.
Must provide documentation that you are a member in good standing in the Bar of a State, Territory or District of Columbia.
Veterans' Documentation: If you are a veteran, you must provide a copy of your Record of Military Service (DD-214), and proof of your veterans' preference, if applicable. Veterans with a service connected disability must submit a completed claim form SF-15 (click here for form) along with the required proofs. Go to FedsHireVets-Veterans Preference for more information.
Cover Letter: A cover letter is not required, but desirable to supplement and/or add to the experience described in your Resume.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Railroad Retirement Board
844 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and possible referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
