Summary

Attorneys carry out the Comptroller General's statutory responsibility to provide legal decisions to Members and Committees of Congress and to agency officials on matters of appropriations law, provide technical assistance to federal agencies on issues involving federal funds, and carry out the Comptroller General's statutory responsibility to report violations of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act's time limitations.

This job is open to

• The public
  
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens

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Duties

As a Senior Staff Attorney/Senior Attorney (Appropriations Law Group - Appropriations Law Assistance to Federal Agencies and Federal Vacancies Reform Act Compliance), your major responsibilities will include:

• Drafting legal decisions and reports on complex matters of appropriations law and providing briefings to congressional staff and agency officials on the conclusions.
• Providing technical assistance to federal agencies on specific questions involving federal funds by identifying relevant fiscal statutes, legal decisions, and other resources.
• Teaching multi-day appropriations law courses, as well as shorter seminars, for officials and staff throughout all three branches of the federal government.
• Speaking about appropriations law matters at the request of federal agencies or educational institutions.
• Planning and contributing to GAO's annual Appropriations Law Forum by speaking about legal decisions and other topics of interest to the federal appropriations community.
• Drafting and revising portions of GAO's multivolume publication, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law, also known as the Red Book, and GAO's Glossary of Terms Used in the Federal Budget Process.

• Producing compilations of summaries of agency Antideficiency Act reports submitted to GAO.
• Monitoring executive branch compliance with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act by tracking vacancies and performing outreach to agencies regarding their compliance.
• Drafting letters reporting violations of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act's limitations on the time an acting official may serve.
• Drafting legal decisions on agency compliance with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and providing briefings to congressional staff and agency officials on the conclusions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation
• Completion of a two-year probationary period unless you previously completed a trial period at GAO after October 1, 1980.
• Completion of a financial disclosure statement is required.

Qualifications

You must meet the minimum qualification requirements by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement

1. Must have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

2. Must be an active member in good standing of a bar of a state, a territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

3. Band II Senior Staff Attorney candidates must have a minimum of two years (104 weeks) of legal experience working with and applying the laws, policies, and regulations related to the duties of the position.

4. Band III Senior Attorney candidates must have a minimum of four years (208 weeks) of legal experience working with and applying the laws, policies, and regulations related to the duties of the position.

Education

See Qualification section.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Most foreign education is not accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of 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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

This position is not in a bargaining unit.

Salary Range:

PA-II: $137,015 - $191,760/yr

PA-III: $170,757 - $191,900/yr

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)Based on the staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, GAO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15 which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s)). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more.

TRAVEL & RELOCATION EXPENSES: Travel and relocation expenses related to this hiring process will not be paid.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodations@gao.gov.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

• 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.
  
  Review our 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.

If your submission demonstrates that you meet the criteria listed in the Qualifications section and includes the documents as listed under the Required Documents section, your application will be further evaluated based on:

- Your years and level of experience researching and analyzing complex legal issues and working with applying the law, regulations, and policies relevant to the issues and responsibilities described above under "Summary" and "Duties."

- Experience and expertise that demonstrates superior legal research, analytical skills, and the ability to write about complex legal issues.

- Experience that demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, and sound judgement.

We may invite you to an interview. If we invite you to interview, we may ask you to provide references and a writing sample, which we will consider in the selection process. We may invite you to more than one round of interviews.

• 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.
  
  Review our 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.
  
  To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
  
  
  1. Cover letter
  2. Resume.
  3. A statement that you are U.S. citizen.
  4. Information sufficient to establish that you have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
  5. Information sufficient to establish you are an active member in good standing of one of the bars listed in the Qualifications section.
  6. Information addressing the factors on which your application will be further evaluated as set forth in the Qualifications and How You Will Be Evaluated sections.
  
  
  Your application materials will not be returned. Do not submit original documents that you may need in the future.
• How to Apply
  
  
  1. Submit your complete application package to LegalCareers@gao.gov
  2. Reference "Attorney (Appropriations Law)" in the email subject line.
  
  A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Please refer to the "Required Document" section for a list of documents to be submitted for a complete application package.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  
  
  GAO Legal Careers
  
  Email
  
  LegalCareers@gao.gov
  
  Address
  
  Government Accountability Office
  
  Human Capital Office
  
  441 G Street NW
  
  Washington, DC 20548
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  
  1. Applicants will be grouped and evaluated by prospective level (Band II or Band III). Band III attorneys (PA-3) will be expected to possess a higher degree of professional knowledge, expertise, and experience than Band II (PA-2) attorneys, and will perform their duties with greater independence.
  2. Applicants may be invited to interview for the position based on the evaluation of their application package.
  3. If you are invited to interview, you may be asked to provide references and a writing sample, which will be considered in the selection process. Applicants may be invited to more than one round of interviews.
  4. The successful applicant will be hired at the grade level commensurate with their qualifications.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Cover letter
2. Resume.
3. A statement that you are U.S. citizen.
4. Information sufficient to establish that you have a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
5. Information sufficient to establish you are an active member in good standing of one of the bars listed in the Qualifications section.
6. Information addressing the factors on which your application will be further evaluated as set forth in the Qualifications and How You Will Be Evaluated sections.

Your application materials will not be returned. Do not submit original documents that you may need in the future.

How to Apply

1. Submit your complete application package to LegalCareers@gao.gov
2. Reference "Attorney (Appropriations Law)" in the email subject line.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Please refer to the "Required Document" section for a list of documents to be submitted for a complete application package.

Agency contact information



GAO Legal Careers

Email

LegalCareers@gao.gov

Address

Government Accountability Office

Human Capital Office

441 G Street NW

Washington, DC 20548

US

Next steps

1. Applicants will be grouped and evaluated by prospective level (Band II or Band III). Band III attorneys (PA-3) will be expected to possess a higher degree of professional knowledge, expertise, and experience than Band II (PA-2) attorneys, and will perform their duties with greater independence.
2. Applicants may be invited to interview for the position based on the evaluation of their application package.
3. If you are invited to interview, you may be asked to provide references and a writing sample, which will be considered in the selection process. Applicants may be invited to more than one round of interviews.
4. The successful applicant will be hired at the grade level commensurate with their qualifications.

Fair & Transparent

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

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