Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, seeks enthusiastic individuals to serve taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS.
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, seeks enthusiastic individuals to serve taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS.
The IRS Office of Chief Counsel's Honors Program is a highly competitive program available to graduating or recently graduated law students who have been admitted to a State Bar. The program offers entry level positions that provide the opportunity to acquire significant training and experience in tax law. The positions are open to individuals each year who have superior academic qualifications or relevant experience to the work of the Office of Chief Counsel.
Appointments will be made to a General Attorney (Tax) at the GS-12/13 with promotion potential to the GS-14.
Participants must be admitted and in Good Standing with a State Bar.
As an Attorney with the Office of Chief Counsel, you will work for one of several major Counsel organizations, based on your particular interest, qualifications, and the staffing needs of the Office. Whether you are in a field office or National Office position, you will receive substantial training and responsibility. The following link describes our legal divisions Legal Divisions | IRS Careers
We are recruiting for both our National Office and our Field Office Divisions throughout the country. Current Openings are detailed below:
National Office:
National Office Divisions located only in Washington, D.C. include Corporate (CORP), Employee Benefits, Exempt Orgs, Employment Taxes (EEE), Energy, Credits, and Excise Tax (ECE), Financial Institutions & Products (FIP), Income Tax & Accounting (ITA), International (INTL), Passthroughs, Trusts, and Estates (PTE), and Procedure & Administration (P&A).
We are currently recruiting for our Division Counsel (Litigation & Advisory) in the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; East Hartford, CT; Farmers Branch (Dallas), TX; Greensboro, NC; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Lake Forest (Laguna Niguel), CA; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Nashville, TN; Newark, NJ; New Orleans, LA; New York (Manhattan), NY; Oklahoma City, OK; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Plantation, FL; Portland, OR; Richmond, VA; Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; St. Louis, MO; St. Paul, MN; St. Petersburg, FL; Washington, DC; Westbury (Long Island), NY.
We are currently recruiting for our Office of the Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel (Criminal Tax) in the following cities: Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA; Nashville, TN; Newark, NJ; New Orleans, LA; Portland, OR; Richmond, VA; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; St, Louis, MO; St. Paul, MN; Washington, DC; Westbury (Long Island), NY.
We are currently recruiting for our Office of the Division Counsel (Tax Exempt & Government Entities Division Counsel) in the following cities: Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Farmers Branch (Dallas), TX; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA; New York (Manhattan), NY; Seattle, WA; Washington, DC; Westbury (Long Island), NY.
Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Qualifications
Who May Apply:
Law School Students or Recent Law School Graduates who are eligible for participation in the IRS Chief Counsel Honors Program AND who have been admitted to a State Bar:
Students pursuing a Tax LL.M. who will graduate from an ABA accredited law school by the Graduation Requirement Date: September 30, 2026 OR
Recent Law School Graduates from an ABA accredited law school who within 9 months of graduating law school began participating in eligibility preserving activities.
Law school graduates who received their J.D. prior to October 1, 2022, are ineligible.
Eligibility Preserving Activities are defined as:
Full-time activities starting after law school graduation that can preserve a law school graduate's eligibility for the Honors Program. The following are eligibility preserving activities: judicial clerkships, tax or accounting-related graduate programs (including Tax LL.M. programs) or qualifying legal fellowships. Qualifying legal fellowships must have a formal sponsor (e.g., a public service organization, a foundation, a bar association, a corporation, a law school, etc.), an established legal mission (e.g., purpose, type of work), and be publicly advertised as a fellowship at the time the candidate applied to the fellowship.
Breaks between consecutive eligibility preserving activities cannot exceed 120 days.
Participation in the eligibility preserving activity must be active through at least December 1 of the program year (may run later).
To qualify for this position of Honors General Attorney (Tax), you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:
Basic Requirements for Honors General Attorney (Tax):
Possess at least the first professional law degree (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
To qualify for the Honors General Attorney (Tax) at the GS-12 grade level, you must be a LL.M. candidate/graduate AND meet one of the following by the closing date of the announcement:
A class ranking in the top 25% of J.D. program AND/OR a J.D. cumulative GPA of 3.35 or higher.
A class ranking in the top 25% of your class in the LL.M. program AND/OR a LL.M. cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
If neither J.D. nor LL.M. program has class rank or GPA, a minimum LSAT of 160 is required.
To qualify for the Honors General Attorney (Tax) at the GS-13 grade level, you must be a LL.M. candidate/graduate, possess one year of professional legal tax experience, AND meet one of the following by the closing date of the announcement:
A class ranking in the top 25% of J.D. program AND/OR a J.D. cumulative GPA of 3.35 or higher.
A class ranking in the top 25% of your class in the LL.M. program AND/OR a LL.M. cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
If neither J.D. nor LL.M. program has class rank or GPA, a minimum LSAT of 160 is required.
One year of professional legal tax experience is defined as performing legal research and/or providing legal guidance in federal tax controversy, federal tax litigation, or federal tax consulting. One year of professional legal tax experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade level/position in the federal service (GS-12). Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.
Attributes of an Ideal Candidate are:
Special high-level recognition for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif or receipt of the American Jurisprudence Award in related courses; or top grades in tax or related course work (e.g., "A" grades in tax courses);
Evidence of background or experience in the position to be filled, such as taking relevant law school classes (e.g., tax law, bankruptcy/debtor creditor law, administrative law) or relevant legal or tax experience (e.g., tax legal experience) or relevant tax volunteer experience (e.g., VITA, Tax Clinic);
Work or achievement in the law school's law review or other recognized law journal;
Winning a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team.
Applicants Not Admitted to a State Bar:
Applicants who have not been accepted into a State Bar are not eligible to apply to the Honors General Attorney (Tax) Program and may apply to the following Honors Program (Law Clerk) announcement for consideration: GS-11 Law Clerk - CCCM-26-12870084-HON-SR; GS-12 Law Clerk - CCCM-26-12870095-HON-SR.
Education
All applicants must be attending or graduated from an ABA-accredited law school.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
Additional information
We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
Hiring managers take into consideration applicant preferred division and desired location. Applicants who are selected for hire, will be provided one offer based on the ultimate needs of the organization to fill open positions.
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
This is abargaining unit position.
We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
The salary range listed includes locality. Exact salary will be determined at time of selection based on location.
Conditions of Employment Continued:
All newly appointed employees to the excepted service are subject to a one-year 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 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 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.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
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.
Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
Undergo an income tax verification.
The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
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:
FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information).
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.
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.
Applicants will be considered based on their overall background as it relates to the position to be filled. Interviews may be held at the option of the office. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.
Referral: Professional Order will be used to refer and select eligible candidates. Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference eligibles will be listed at the top of the certificate in alphabetical order and considered before non-preference eligibles. All other candidates will be listed in alphabetical order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, you may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview, such as travel to and from the interview site.
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.
An official or unofficial transcript from your law school (an official copy will be required if you are selected)
Certificate of Good Standing from the Bar (an official copy from the state will be required if you are selected)
An unedited writing sample (5-10 pages in length)
Supporting documentation as applicable
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to two-pages.Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: If you are using your GPA, class ranking or LSAT Scores to qualify, you must include supporting documentation that confirms your GPA & Class Rank (for example, a transcript, test scores, etc.).
VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing actual or expected dates of service dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form.
For more information on veterans' preference view FedsHireVets.
Please ensure your application includes supporting qualification documentation for this position, failure to do so may result in an "incomplete application" determination.
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.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 02/17/2026 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am-4:00pm. ET, Monday - Friday) ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12873897
If you require a reasonable accommodation for a disability or medical condition during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Kimberly Johnson, Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator, HR Labor & Employee Relations Division, by phone at 503-265-3841 or by email at Kimberly.F.Johnson@irscounsel.treas.gov. The IRS - Office of Chief Counsel provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Please limit your resume to two-pages.Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS
Staffing and Classification Branch
1111 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20224
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. 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/.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
An official or unofficial transcript from your law school (an official copy will be required if you are selected)
Certificate of Good Standing from the Bar (an official copy from the state will be required if you are selected)
An unedited writing sample (5-10 pages in length)
Supporting documentation as applicable
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to two-pages.Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: If you are using your GPA, class ranking or LSAT Scores to qualify, you must include supporting documentation that confirms your GPA & Class Rank (for example, a transcript, test scores, etc.).
VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing actual or expected dates of service dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form.
For more information on veterans' preference view FedsHireVets.
Please ensure your application includes supporting qualification documentation for this position, failure to do so may result in an "incomplete application" determination.
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.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 02/17/2026 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am-4:00pm. ET, Monday - Friday) ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12873897
If you require a reasonable accommodation for a disability or medical condition during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Kimberly Johnson, Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator, HR Labor & Employee Relations Division, by phone at 503-265-3841 or by email at Kimberly.F.Johnson@irscounsel.treas.gov. The IRS - Office of Chief Counsel provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Please limit your resume to two-pages.Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS
Staffing and Classification Branch
1111 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20224
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. 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/.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
