General Attorney (Tax) - Honors Attorney Program (2025)

Summary

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. Please click "Learn more about this agency" to find out more about Chief Counsel's various offices, to view some of the workplace attributes that Chief Counsel's workforce rates most favorably, and to hear from employees themselves.

This job is open to

• Students
  
  Current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Includes internships, pathways and other student programs.
• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

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-11/12 with promotion potential to the GS-14.
• In some circumstances, qualifications may be reviewed before the start date for possible appointment to a higher grade.
• 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 in Washington, D.C. include Corporate (CORP), Financial Institutions & Products (FIP), Income Tax & Accounting (ITA), International (INTL), Passthroughs & Special Industries (PSI), Procedure & Administration (P&A), Employee Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Taxes (EEE).

Field Office Divisions

We are currently recruiting for our Large Business and International Division and our Small Business/Self Employed Division in the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; East Hartford, CT; Farmers Branch (Dallas), TX; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Greensboro, NC; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Laguna Niguel, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; New York (Manhattan), NY; Newark, NJ; Oklahoma City, OK; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Richmond, VA; Sacramento, CA; Saint Louis, MO; Saint Paul, MN; Saint Petersburg (Tampa), FL; Salt Lake City, UT; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Thousand Oaks, CA; Washington, DC; Westbury (Long Island), NY.

Candidates who select Large Business and International or Small Business/Self-Employed will automatically receive consideration for both business units.

We are currently recruiting for our Criminal Tax Division in the following cities: East Hartford, CT; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; Saint Louis, MO; Saint Paul, MN; Washington, DC.

We are currently recruiting for our Tax Exempt & Government Entities Division in the following cities: Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; East Hartford, CT; Farmers Branch (Dallas), TX; Greensboro, NC; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA; New York (Manhattan), NY; Seattle, WA; Thousand Oaks, CA; Washington, DC; Westbury (Long Island), NY.

Target Start Date: August - September 2025

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Refer to "Additional Information."
• Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Qualifications

Who May Apply:

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.

• Recent law school graduates from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school who within 9 months of graduating law school began participating in eligibility preserving activities such as Judicial clerkships, tax or accounting related graduate programs (including Tax LL.M. program) or qualifying legal fellowships. Specific requirements for eligibility preserving activities are detailed at the bottom of this section.

Applicants Not Admitted to a State Bar:

Applicants who have not been admitted into a State Bar are not eligible to apply to the Honors General Attorney (Tax) Program and must apply to the following Honors Program (Law Clerk) announcement for consideration: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/799725600.

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 (ABA); AND
• 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-11 grade level, you must be a J.D. 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, OR
• A J.D. cumulative GPA of 3.35 or higher, OR
• If the school does not have class ranks or GPAs, a minimum LSAT of 160 is required.

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, OR
• 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, OR
• If neither J.D. nor LL.M. program has class ranks or GPAs, a minimum LSAT of 160 is required.

Note: See "Required Documents" section for GPA/Class Rank/LSAT supporting documents.

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.

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, 2024 (may run later).

Law school graduates who received their J.D. prior to October 1, 2021 are ineligible.

Education

All applicants must have 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:

https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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(s) and desired location(s). 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 telework.
• We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• The salary range indicated in this announcement covers multiple locality areas. Your salary will be adjusted based on the post of duty for which you are selected.

Conditions of Employment Continued:

• Subject to a 1-year trial period (unless already completed).
• Subject to a Tenure Commitment of up to 3 years.
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• 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:
• 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,
• 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).

• Benefits
  
  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.

• Benefits
  
  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.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  A complete application includes:
  
  • A resume,
  • Vacancy question responses,
  • An official or unofficial transcript from your law school (an official copy will be required if you are selected),
    
    • If applying to the Honors Attorney (Tax) position at the GS-12 level, your J.D. transcript and LL.M. transcript must be included in your application.
  • An unedited writing sample (5-10 pages in length),
  • Supporting documentation as applicable. If you are using your class rank or LSAT score to qualify, you must submit documentation within your application to prove your claim. If your school does not calculate neither GPA nor Class Rank, please include supporting documentation from the college/university.
  
  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.) 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 rank, or LSAT scores to qualify, you must include supporting documentation that confirms your claim (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:
  
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  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.
• How to Apply
  
  The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 09/03/2024 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, Monday - Friday) ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12436089
  
  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. 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.
  
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Corri Munro
  
  Phone
  
  469-801-1028
  
  Email
  
  corri.m.munro@irscounsel.treas.gov
  
  Address
  
  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.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

A complete application includes:

• A resume,
• Vacancy question responses,
• An official or unofficial transcript from your law school (an official copy will be required if you are selected),
  
  • If applying to the Honors Attorney (Tax) position at the GS-12 level, your J.D. transcript and LL.M. transcript must be included in your application.
• An unedited writing sample (5-10 pages in length),
• Supporting documentation as applicable. If you are using your class rank or LSAT score to qualify, you must submit documentation within your application to prove your claim. If your school does not calculate neither GPA nor Class Rank, please include supporting documentation from the college/university.

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.) 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 rank, or LSAT scores to qualify, you must include supporting documentation that confirms your claim (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:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

How to Apply

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 09/03/2024 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, Monday - Friday) ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12436089

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. 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.

Agency contact information

Corri Munro

Phone

469-801-1028

Email

corri.m.munro@irscounsel.treas.gov

Address

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 & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request