With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us.
With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us.
The General Attorney (Tax)-Senior Counsel serves as a legal expert on matters under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Corporate) (CORP), acting as consultant to the Branch Chief, the Deputy Associate Chief Counsel, the Associate Chief Counsel and CORP attorneys. CORP provides legal advice and litigation support services on tax matters primarily involving subchapter C and the consolidated return regulations. The subject matter includes corporate organizations, reorganizations, liquidations, spin-offs, transfers to controlled corporations, debt vs. equity determinations, bankruptcies, and issues affecting affiliated groups of corporations that file consolidated returns, among other issues.
As a General Attorney (Tax) -Senior Counsel, you will:
Serve as team leader on Income Tax regulation projects that may involve representatives from other Counsel divisions, IRS offices, and Treasury Office of Tax Policy. Direct and coordinate work of other team members. Oversee administrative and logistical matters related to these projects.
Review of private letter rulings, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, Chief Counsel advice memoranda, technical advice memoranda, and other forms of published non-regulatory guidance.
Review proposed and enacted legislation for potential impact on CORP programs and identify areas in which guidance may be needed to implement new or amended legislation.
As designated by management, act as a recognized legal resource specialist to other CORP attorneys for the purpose of providing substantive guidance and assistance to less senior attorneys to facilitate the development and completion of legal work assignments. When requested, assist in the identification of legal staff training needs, and in the development and delivery of such training.
Review some of the office's most complex, important, or novel case/project assignments, particularly those with broad, or potentially controversial ramifications.
Provide expert advice and litigation support services on the most complicated corporate tax matters. Provide technical guidance and review of work products of other staff members. Ensure such products are technically complete and adhere to office policy and exercise signatory authority in accordance with delegated authority.
Apply a high level of sophisticated analysis and research to make recommendations on CORP legal issues to executives and managers in CORP, other Counsel offices, IRS, Treasury, and other Federal agencies.
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Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.
To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax)-Senior Counsel you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:
Basic Requirements for General Attorney (Tax)-Senior Counsel:
Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B. or 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;
GS-15 Experience Requirements:
1 year of general professional legal experience from any area of expertise; plus
3 years of professional legal tax experience
Professional Legal Tax Experience is defined as: Transaction planning or tax controversy work, in cases involving business and corporate reorganization and corporation-shareholder issues, redemptions, liquidations, spin-offs, transfers to controlled corporations, corporate bankruptcies, and consolidated returns; OR Judicial or agency experience with cases involving business and corporate reorganization and corporation-shareholder issues, redemptions, liquidations, spin-offs, transfers to controlled corporations, corporate bankruptcies, and consolidated returns.
At least one year of this experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14). Note: Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.
Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (i.e. tax, GLS-related, or P&A- FOIA/Disclosure related field) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
Time in Grade Requirement for GS-15: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).
Education
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
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.
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
This is abargaining unit position.
We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
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.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
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: All 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.
If you are a GS-14 applying for a promotion or you are a GS-15 reassignment (non-hardship), please apply to the announcement. In regard to this announcement, the MFCL is only for hardship reassignments of employees currently occupying GS-15 Senior Counsel positions. Current GS-15 Senior Counsel employees seeking reassignment due to a hardship will be given first consideration and must be on the Master First Consideration List.
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.
A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
1. RESUME - All applicants are required to submit a resume (max of 2 pages in length) either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Resumes MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position (ex. MM/YY - MM/YY), whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to detail the position series and grade level. The resume should detail relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. Please view resume tips.
Note: Resume must be presented in a font size and font style that is legible, no less than 10-point size with no less than half an inch margin all around.
2. SF-50 NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation.
3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected) Transcripts must detail degree awarded/conferred including date.
Proof of Active Bar Admission
A copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application
A memorandum of interest summarizing your interest in the position
A Supervisory Report regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current supervisor. You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement.
Education Documentation: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.
Certificate of Good Standing: A certified original copy of your certificate of good standing from your State Bar will be required if you are selected.
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 03/23/2026 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am-4:30pm. ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12870205
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 469-801-1728 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. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. 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.
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.
A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
1. RESUME - All applicants are required to submit a resume (max of 2 pages in length) either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Resumes MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position (ex. MM/YY - MM/YY), whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to detail the position series and grade level. The resume should detail relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. Please view resume tips.
Note: Resume must be presented in a font size and font style that is legible, no less than 10-point size with no less than half an inch margin all around.
2. SF-50 NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation.
3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable:
An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected) Transcripts must detail degree awarded/conferred including date.
Proof of Active Bar Admission
A copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application
A memorandum of interest summarizing your interest in the position
A Supervisory Report regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current supervisor. You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement.
Education Documentation: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.
Certificate of Good Standing: A certified original copy of your certificate of good standing from your State Bar will be required if you are selected.
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 03/23/2026 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am-4:30pm. ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12870205
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 469-801-1728 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. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. 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.
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.
