Summary The Assistant General Counsel position is in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), Office of the General Counsel (OGC). OGC provides legal advice and services to the Director and AO staff, judges, senior court officials, and the Judicial Conference and its committees. OGC renders legal opinions and provides advice on a wide range of issues in federal judicial administration. Responsibilities The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking an experienced Assistant General Counsel to provide analysis and legal advice primarily on federal procurement law issues with an emphasis on information technology, as well as other OGC practice areas, including appropriations law, Economy Act and non-Economy Act agreements, and memoranda of understanding and agreement. The incumbent must have excellent legal research and analytical skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly. The incumbent must effectively identify and resolve problems; plan, organize, and work under demanding circumstances and time constraints; and the ability to communicate effectively with judiciary officials and personnel members of the executive and legislative branches, and outside entities. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Performing legal research and providing advice on federal procurement law with a focus on federal procurement policies and regulations, information technology procurements and policies (e.g., software services and subscriptions, network telecommunications, end-user licensing agreements, and other commercial agreements). Drafting and analyzing proposed legislation, judiciary policy, and regulations on procurement and information technology and similar material. Responding to inquiries from judges, court executives, procurement personnel, and other judiciary officials. Evaluating contracts to ensure compliance with funding, legal, and program requirements. Representing the judiciary in defense of bid protests filed with the Government Accountability Office and coordinating with the Department of Justice in defending contract disputes and other litigation in federal court. Assisting in the provision of counsel (e.g., expert and consultant contracts) and staff support to Judicial Conference committees. Performing legal research and providing advice in the subject areas handled by the OGC. Requirements Conditions of Employment CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed. Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship for competitive status positions or conversion to a competitive status position with the AO. If non-citizens are considered for hire into a temporary or any other position with non-competitive status or when it is confirmed by the AO Human Resources Office there are no qualified U.S. citizens for a competitive status position (unless prohibited by a law or statue), non-citizens must provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at USAJOBS Help Center | Employment of non-citizens/. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. All new AO employees will be required to complete an FBI fingerprint-based national criminal database and records check and pass a public trust suitability check. New employees to the AO will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights/responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. All new AO employees are required to identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment. You will be required to serve a trial period if selected for a first-time appointment to the Federal government, transferring from another Federal agency, or serving as a first-time supervisor. Failure to successfully complete the trial period may result in termination of employment. If appointed to a temporary position, management may have the discretion of converting the position to permanent depending upon funding and staffing allocation. Qualifications Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which include interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions. Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a federal court of general jurisdiction. Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will constitute an incomplete application. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Post J.D. Experience: Applicants must also possess at least 3 years of post J.D. experience. Specialized Experience: Subsequent to graduation from law school, applicants must have at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position. Specialized experience must demonstrate experience in ONE of the areas defined below: Applying knowledge of federal procurement laws and regulations to government operations; OR Providing legal advice under a federated organizational structure similar to the federal judiciary, particularly in information technology acquisitions. Highly Desired: Experience in the federal judiciary. Experience related to subject areas handled by the Office of General Counsel. Education Applicants must possess a law degree (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/. Additional Information The AO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
