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Counsel (Attorney-Advisor), NB-0905-VI

Department of the Treasury
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Chief Counsel's Office

Summary

As a Counsel (Attorney-Advisor), you will perform legal work which influences the operation of financial institutions or internal OCC operations. You will also serve as a full performance level attorney who will work in one of the following law units of the Chief Counsel's Office in Washington, DC:

Bank Advisory
Enforcement

Litigation

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/28/2026 to 02/17/2026
Salary
$135,550 to - $251,879 per year
Pay scale & grade
NB 6
Location
9 vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
6
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
EXT-JC-26-5468-12871499
Control number
855832100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals. No prior Federal service is required.

Duties

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As a Counsel in the Chief Counsel's Office (CCO), you will report to an Assistant Director in one of the following law units:

  • Bank Advisory: The Bank Advisory group serves as OCC's counsel on financial institution law and administrative law matters arising in the licensing, supervision and regulation of financial institutions including as to activities & structure, BSA/AML, digital assets, securities and corporate practices, and consumer law.
  • Enforcement: The Enforcement group serves as OCC's enforcement counsel. Attorneys conduct investigations, serve as counsel in administrative enforcement proceedings, advise internal stakeholders on enforcement matters, and coordinate with, and make referrals to, other government agencies.
  • Litigation: The Litigation group represents the OCC in trial and appellate courts in defense of Agency rulemakings and other final decisions, as amicus curiae in cases involving federal banking laws, and before the EEOC and MSPB in employment disputes. The group also administers the OCC's disclosure regulations, provides internal litigation risk advice, and serves as decisional counsel to the Comptroller in enforcement matters.

Depending on your assigned unit, as a Counsel (Attorney-Advisor), you will:

  • Conduct legal work potentially resulting in and/or involving legal actions against banks and institution affiliated parties, including prohibition orders, cease and desist orders, restitution orders, and civil money penalties.
  • Represent the OCC in civil litigation.
  • Conduct research and analysis, develop legal work products interpreting and implementing applicable law, and advise the Comptroller, other senior officials, and bank examiners in the field.
  • Develop new legal theories, legal precedents, and legal and supervisory policies, where appropriate.
  • Counsel OCC management, supervision, licensing and administrative personnel on routine and complex legal matters.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time.

There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:

  1. Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
  2. FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
  3. SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information).
  • Complete a one-year trial period (unless already completed).
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Travel overnight or locally on an occasional basis.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • File an OCC Financial Disclosure Form.
  • Complete a financial disclosure review and resolve any ethics issues.
  • Click here for important information about OCC ethics standards, such as the requirement that new hires divest their bank securities.
  • Successfully complete a background investigation that includes criminal history, financial history (including a credit check) and other information.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the NB-V band level or GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience for this position include:

Experience conducting legal research, analysis, or preparing legal memorandums, briefs, opinions, regulations, or other legal documents in one of the following areas: banking or financial services law, administrative law, enforcement actions, or civil litigation.

Must be an active member of the bar of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.

The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.

To receive any credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate the number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

Education

You must have graduated with a J.D. or an LL.M. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

Additional information

  • This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.
  • All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
  • Applicants may choose to respond to four short essay questions (200 words max each) to help us better understand your alignment with the agency's mission. These responses are optional and will not affect the applicant's eligibility.
  • Salary range includes 25.72% geographical pay.
  • If you are a current OCC employee who previously received a waiver determination permitting you to retain bank securities due to extenuating circumstances, please note that this determination may be rescinded if the nature of your duties changes. We strongly suggest that you discuss the potential implications of any change in duties on a prior securities determination with your ethics official.
  • The candidate selected for this position may be credited with directly-related non-Federal experience for annual leave purposes if eligible and considered appropriate.
  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more positions.
  • Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information and instructions.
  • Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  • Click "Print" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  • The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Application Package: Your application package includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, Human Resources and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications as outlined on this vacancy. All applications that are verified to meet the minimum job qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.

  • Legal Advising
  • Legal Expertise
  • Legal Research and Analysis

Do not provide a separate narrative written statement to address the above competencies. Rather, you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified above. Use specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position.

Referral: If referred, an interview may be conducted with some, none, or all candidates, depending upon the relative qualifications of the applicants. Selection(s) will be based on the review and judgment of the selecting official as to which applicant is best qualified to perform the duties of the position.

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