General Attorney (Contract)

Summary

About the Position: Incumbent relies on own knowledge and ability to independently plan, organize and perform work on assigned cases and problems for construction claims and appeals, contract formation, environmental work, EEO and employee relations work.

Duties

Reviews, analyzes, and provides legal advice on disposition of contract claims, to include money and difficult legal problems including fraud, and factual disputes because of the absence of closely applicable precedents. Plans, organizes and conducts the factual and legal research to these claims in line with current decisions of Federal and State Courts, the various boards of Contract Appeals, Comptroller General Decisions, and statutes and regulations. Responsible for laying the complete foundation for and trying cases appealed to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. Researches, analyzes, and provides legal advice on problems involving important legal or policy questions regarding innovative high dollar, long term contracts arising during contract formation. Provides legal advice on any and all types of questions which arise on procurement matters prior to the award of a contract. Renders legal assistance and advice on various environmental law issues like reviews of environmental impact statements under NEPA, issuance of permits under sections of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act Provides legal advice and assistance to managers, the District Engineer, and the Equal Employment Office, in the broad area of Federal Employment law.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Education Requirement: An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD.). In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: Two or more years of professional legal experience. Examples of this experience are: 1) Examines contract records, interviews personnel involved in engineering, contract administration and inspection activities, and uses experts in the areas of engineering, contract administration and scheduling; 2) Performs extensive research and analysis and prepares the Contracting Officer's report in final form for transmittal directly to the Division Counsel or Chief Counsel; 3) Renders legal assistance and advice in regard to 1) water resources planning for Federal and non-Federal projects; the preparation and processing of environmental impact statements and assessments under the National Environmental Protection Act; 4) Provides legal advice and assistance in the broad area of Employment law, including but not limited to: Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 29 CFR 1614; 5 CFR 1200-1206 and 1209, et seq; 5 USC 1205; 5 USC 7701; 5 USC 7504, 7514, and 7543. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position: must possess either an advance law degree such as an LLM (masters of law) or graduated with a distinguished record from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class which may be substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience after being admitted to the bar. Examples of this experience are: 1) Examines contract records, interviews personnel involved in engineering, contract administration and inspection activities, and uses experts in the areas of engineering, contract administration and scheduling; 2) Performs extensive research and analysis and prepares the Contracting Officer's report in final form for transmittal directly to the Division Counsel or Chief Counsel; 3) Renders legal assistance and advice in regard to 1) water resources planning for Federal and non-Federal projects; the preparation and processing of environmental impact statements and assessments under the National Environmental Protection Act; 4) Provides legal advice and assistance in the broad area of Employment law, including but not limited to: Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 29 CFR 1614; 5 CFR 1200-1206 and 1209, et seq; 5 USC 1205; 5 USC 7701; 5 USC 7504, 7514, and 7543. (Experience must be documented in your resume.) Bar Membership: An applicant must currently be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (must provide a copy) Fitness to Practice Law: An applicant must currently be fit to practice law. If your fitness to practice law, or your conduct has ever been challenged you must submit a sworn statement giving the facts and circumstances, together with any explanations you consider appropriate. The sworn statement should be notarized and dated within 3 months of the date of your application. (If you are currently employed as an attorney with The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this requirement does not apply to you). Time in Grade Requirements: If currently employed as an attorney by the Federal Government you must have completed 1 year at the next lower level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled.

Education

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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Basis for Rating: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your résumé and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position: Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position: Knowledge of contract claims and appeals, particularly in the area of government contract claims and appeals. Knowledge in the formation of contracts and handling any resulting bid protests, particularly in the area of government contracts and bid protests. Knowledge in Litigation, particularly in Federal court or Federal tribunals. Knowledge in federal environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Knowledge in federal legal practice, such as environmental laws and regulation, Freedom of Information Act, torts, and ethics.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements. As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. 1. Your resume: Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume. If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy. For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume. 2. Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses In addition to the above documentation, you must also provide the following: 3. If you are a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents: Your latest non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50); A writing sample (Optional, Not Required) NOTE: Writing samples shall not exceed 10 pages 4. If you are NOT a current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attorney, you MUST submit the following documents: Copy of law school transcripts AND an official statement of relative standing in your class, or official statement demonstrating the unavailability of class standing information (official copies will be required if selected and before placement); Certificate issued by the Bar Registrar or similar official showing that you are a member in good standing with the Bar of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia, dated NO MORE THAN 90 days before the opening date of this announcement (a copy is sufficient for the application, but a certified copy may be necessary upon selection); A sworn statement, certifying that your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an attorney has never been challenged in any jurisdiction. This statement MUST be notarized, on a date NO MORE THAN 3 months before the opening date of this announcement. If your fitness to practice law or your conduct as an Attorney has been challenged in any jurisdiction, you must provide a notarized statement concerning the facts and circumstances, and any other explanation you deem appropriate. The names of three professional references who are each members of the Bar of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. A writing sample NOTE: Writing samples shall not exceed 10 pages. NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/07/2026 to receive consideration. 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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13069001). Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may 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 ...

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Education Requirement: An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD.). In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: Two or more years of professional legal experience. Examples of this experience are: 1) Examines contract records, interviews personnel involved in engineering, contract administration and inspection activities, and uses experts in the areas of engineering, contract administration and scheduling; 2) Performs extensive research and analysis and prepares the Contracting Officer's report in final form for transmittal directly to the Division Counsel or Chief Counsel; 3) Renders legal assistance and advice in regard to 1) water resources planning for Federal and non-Federal projects; the preparation and processing of environmental impact statements and assessments under the National Environmental Protection Act; 4) Provides legal advice and assistance in the broad area of Employment law, including but not limited to: Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 29 CFR 1614; 5 CFR 1200-1206 and 1209, et seq; 5 USC 1205; 5 USC 7701; 5 USC 7504, 7514, and 7543. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position: must possess either an advance law degree such as an LLM (masters of law) or graduated with a distinguished record from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class which may be substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience after being admitted to the bar. Examples of this experience are: 1) Examines contract records, interviews personnel involved in engineering, contract administration and inspection activities, and uses experts in the areas of engineering, contract administration and scheduling; 2) Performs extensive research and analysis and prepares the Contracting Officer's report in final form for transmittal directly to the Division Counsel or Chief Counsel; 3) Renders legal assistance and advice in regard to 1) water resources planning for Federal and non-Federal projects; the preparation and processing of environmental impact statements and assessments under the National Environmental Protection Act; 4) Provides legal advice and assistance in the broad area of Employment law, including but not limited to: Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 29 CFR 1614; 5 CFR 1200-1206 and 1209, et seq; 5 USC 1205; 5 USC 7701; 5 USC 7504, 7514, and 7543. (Experience must be documented in your resume.) Bar Membership: An applicant must currently be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (must provide a copy) Fitness to Practice Law: An applicant must currently be fit to practice law. If your fitness to practice law, or your conduct has ever been challenged you must submit a sworn statement giving the facts and circumstances, together with any explanations you consider appropriate. The sworn statement should be notarized and dated within 3 months of the date of your application. (If you are currently employed as an attorney with The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this requirement does not apply to you). Time in Grade Requirements: If currently employed as an attorney by the Federal Government you must have completed 1 year at the next lower level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled.