Job Description

Summary

About the Position: This position is located at U.S. Army Legal Services Agency, HQ Office of the Soldiers\' Counsel (OSC), Fort Drum, New York.

If you are currently serving in a permanent, competitive service appointment in the Federal service, and are selected for this position, the appointment will remove you from the competitive service while you occupy this position.

Overview

• Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

07/25/2023 to 08/08/2023

Salary

$98,496 - $128,043 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 13

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

Yes\xe2\x80\x94In accordance with agency policy.

Travel Required

25% or less - his position has a travel requirement of 25% or less.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes-You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

Appointment type

Term - 2 Years

Work schedule

Full-time -

Service

Excepted

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Drug test

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Trust determination process

Announcement number

SWATHT234571130660

Control number

739032100

This job is open to

Duties

• Provide legal advice, legal briefings, and counsel to those Soldiers in the MEB process in the legal office area of responsibility. This counsel may require travel.
• Consult with and work closely with their servicing Office of Soldier Counsel at National Capital Region, Joint Base Lewis-McChord or Fort Sam Houston Joint Base, San Antonio to ensure consistent development of and presentation of the case.
• Counsel will review the case file and Soldier\'s medical records to evaluate potential and likely outcomes; assist in structuring the case to accomplish the client\'s desired, realistic end state; advise client on potential results of the boards.
• Advise client on other known medical testing or medical records which he should work with his medical team to be conducted or documented; and work with the client to ensure necessary documentation is present for the case.
• Conduct examination of witnesses and will prepare legal memoranda in connection with medical treatment, board proceedings, and medical documents, and work closely with Soldier.
• Conduct research in connection with pending cases and analyze factual and legal issues. Ensures that proper medical records are created, and medical issues are documented in the Soldier\'s military medical records.
• Current on changes to military physical disability law and updates to federal law, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD); Physical Disability Agency (USAPDA) Policy; Army Regulations; and Army plans, procedures, and operations orders.
• Attorney must be familiar with VA benefits, medical terminology, treatment, and conditions.
• Develop training plans and materials to be presented via live briefings, video teleconferencing, video tapings to instruct Soldiers, attorneys, paralegals, Judge Advocates, medical personnel, command, staff and other personnel involved with the PDES.
• Liaison for the Staff Judge Advocate with the National Capitol Region, JB Lewis-McChord, or Fort Sam Houston Joint Base, San Antonio Office of Soldier?s Counsel, the servicing Physical Evaluation Board, and the Army Physical Disability Agency.
• Incumbent will provide a smooth and seamless transition for the Soldier from the MEB to the Physical Evaluation Board phase of the Army PDES.
• Work with PEB Soldier Counsel, ensured Soldier is prepared for his informal/formal board hearings and the case is fully developed and complete both factually and strategically, presenting the strongest case to the PEB and to subsequent rating boards.
• MEB Counsel will provide assistance to the PEB Soldier Counsel as needed, including, but not limited to, case preparation, client preparation, witness identification and preparation, document collection, and legal research and writing.
• Provide the full range of legal assistance to the Soldier post-MEB and/or post-PEB through the point of return to his unit or discharge from active duty, including appeals, reconsiderations, and reviews.
• If the Soldier is retired from the military, the MEB Counsel will either provide directly or through appropriate referrals, legal assistance IAW AR 27-3.
• Incumbent will provide legal assistance IAW AR 27-3. This assistance may require that the incumbent be on call for assistance.
• Provides assistance but is not limited to medical disability issues; acceptance of donations and gifts and other remuneration; domestic relations including divorce, child custody and support, adoption, etc. and other legal assistance matters.
• Performs in-court representation authorized IAW AR 27-3. Properly screen and refer clients eligible to file claims UP AR 27-20 (e.g., personal items lost, damaged, or destroyed while deployed, or claims pursuant to a move of HHG) to Claims Office.
• Supervises at least one paralegal specialist (GS-9 or equivalent). Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, difficulty of assignments, and the capabilities of employees.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• A two year trial/probationary period may be required.
• This position requires the incumbent to maintain active bar membership, in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar) of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Position requires all employees assigned to a MTF are required to be screened for applicable immunizations regardless of series, based on occupational risk, and are subject to missing/required immunizations.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position.

KSA\'s:

• Skill in identifying legal issues and conducting relevant legal research within Legal Assistance, Administrative Law, or Health Law.
• Skill in administrative hearings practice.
• Skill in oral and written advocacy.
• Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs.

Qualification Requirements: The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration:

Education Requirements: Position requires the possession of the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) AND a member in good standing with the highest court of a State, U.S. commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicants for initial appointment into attorney positions within the Department of Army must be graduates of law schools accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of the applicant\'s graduation. As indicated below, a law school transcript must be submitted with your application materials.

Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be a member in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar) of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As noted below, proof of such membership and good standing must be submitted with your application materials.

Experience: In addition to the requirements above, applicants for the GS-13 or equivalent Attorney positions must also possess 2 years of professional legal experience , acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Graduation from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class or an advanced law degree such as an LLM may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience.

Time in Grade: The Qualifying Authorities (QA\'s) will make a determination as to the applicability of time in grade based on the requirements of the position. If you are currently employed as an attorney by the Federal government you must have completed one year at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade level as the position being filled.

NOTICE OF VETERAN\'S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran\'s preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Defense considers veterans\' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans\' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions.

Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference", and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. The SF 15 will identify the supporting documentation required along with the list of the types of 10-point preference. The SF 15 is available from the OPM at .

Education

Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at and .

Additional information

• PLEASE NOTE THAT REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATION, TIME IN GRADE, AND EXPERIENCE MAY BE WAIVED BY THE APPLICABLE AUTHORITY AND THE REQUIREMENTS SHOULD NOT DETER ANY INDIVIDUAL FROM APPLYING FOR THE POSITION.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the

information sheet. * This is a Professional Services Career Field position to the Army Legal Functional Community.

• When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit

for more information. * Advanced In-Hire may be authorized.

• Relocation incentive may be authorized
• Recruitment incentive may be authorized.
• Advanced Accrual Leave may be authorized.
• Position may be made permanent.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.

• 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. .

Federal government of the United States