Law Clerk

Summary

This position serves under the Deputy Chief Counsel and Chief Counsel in the Office of a Member, including the Office of the Chairman, of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (Authority). The incumbent performs legal work supporting the Authority's resolution of disputes arising under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Statute) and other applicable laws, regulations, and judicial precedent.

Duties

The incumbent is responsible for performing all functions related to the disposition of cases before the Authority, with moderate supervision when a complex issue is involved, and limited supervision when a less-complex issue is involved. For example, the incumbent: Reviews hearing records, briefs, exhibits, and related case documents; analyzes arguments and applicability of precedent cited by the parties and analyzes issues and facts presented in cases; Performs legal research; applies legal precedent to the issues presented; exercises judgment based on research and understanding of the provisions and intent of the Statute, applicable policy, precedent, government-wide regulations, and other similar material; Discusses approaches to cases with supervisors and managers in connection with application of particular precedential decisions of the Authority to the subject case with particular concern for establishing an orderly and consistent body of precedent; Processes cases and prepares decisions, as directed by the Member, Chief Counsel, and/or Deputy Chief Counsel; Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications-GS-0904-11 Law Clerk To qualify for this position, applicants must meet both of the following requirements: Education Possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from an accredited law school; and Superior Law School Achievement Demonstrate superior law school performance or achievement through at least one of the following: a. Graduation in the upper one-third of the law school class; b. Significant work or achievement on the law school's official law review or another recognized legal journal; c. Receipt of high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to the Order of the Coif; d. Winning a moot court competition or serving on a moot court team that represented the law school in competition against other law schools; e. Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program, rather than one-time, intermittent, or casual participation; f. Significant summer law clerk experience in labor relations or a related legal field; or g. Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior legal, academic, or professional achievement. Bar Membership and Appointment Limitation Admission to the bar is not required at the time of appointment. This position is intended for a law school graduate who is awaiting admission to the bar. If appointed under the Schedule A law-clerk trainee authority, the appointment may not exceed 14 months pending admission to the bar. See 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(e). Background Investigation - Must pass fingerprint and criminal background investigations. Selective Service System - Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or certify being exempt from registering with the Selective Service System. All materials must be received by the closing date of this announcement to be considered.

Education

Applicants must possess a first professional law degree, such as a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The degree must be completed and conferred by the closing date of this announcement. You must submit a copy of your law school transcript with your application. The transcript must identify the educational institution, degree awarded, and degree-conferral date. An unofficial transcript is acceptable when applying; however, an official transcript will be required before appointment. If you are claiming graduation in the upper one-third of your law school class and your class rank is not shown on your transcript, you must submit separate documentation from the law school verifying your class standing.

How You Will Be Evaluated

The information contained in your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet basic qualification requirements, and possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential for successful job performance. If you meet the minimum qualifications required by the position, your entire application package will be reviewed by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Listed below are the competencies. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Decision Making - Makes sound, well informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. Problem Solving - Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments. Self-Management - Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with some supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior. Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047727 Qualifications for Law Clerk (Labor), GS-0904-11: Applicant must possess the first professional law degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school and must complete Bar Exam within 14 months of employment. Have completed a year of acceptable performance in the same or closely related work at the GS-9 level. For entry-level hires at the Grade 11 level, superior law student work or activities as demonstrated by one of the following MAY be substituted for the one year of professional legal experience needed to qualify for the GS-11: Academic standing in the upper third of the law school graduating class; Work or achievement of significance on law school's official law review; Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as election to the Order of the Coif; Winning of a moot court competition or membership on the moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools; Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program, as opposed to one-time, intermittent, or casual participation; Significant law-office-clerk experience in labor relations or a related field; or Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.

Required Documents

All application packages must include: Resume: Two Page Resume - must includes announcement number, education and training. Work experience should include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. This documentation must be submitted with your application package. Transcript: You must submit a copy of your transcript and grade-point average or class ranking, to prove that you possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an American Bar (ABA) - accredited law school if you graduated within the past five years. If you have five years or more practicing law, your transcript is not required. Writing Sample (Optional) A writing sample must be submitted as part of your application package. It should not exceed ten (10) double-spaced pages. This documentation must be submitted with your application package.

How to Apply

You must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

What to Expect Next

If you meet the qualification requirements included in the announcement, your application will be rated based on your supporting documents. If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review.

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity Employer - FLRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, physical disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, union affiliation or non-affiliation, marital status, or any other non-merit reason. Hatch Act - The Hatch Reform Amendments of 1993 (Public Law 103-94) prohibit individuals from requesting, making, transmitting, accepting, or considering political recommendations (as defined in 5 U.S.C. § 2202) in effecting personnel actions. Reasonable Accommodation - FLRA provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the FLRA's Human Resources Division. Decisions on reasonable accommodation requests will be made on a case-by-case basis. Transportation and Relocation Expenses Are Not Authorized - FLRA will not pay any travel, transportation, or relocation expenses. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty are the responsibility of the selected candidate. Promotion Potential: None

Minimum Qualifications-GS-0904-11 Law Clerk To qualify for this position, applicants must meet both of the following requirements: Education Possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from an accredited law school; and Superior Law School Achievement Demonstrate superior law school performance or achievement through at least one of the following: a. Graduation in the upper one-third of the law school class; b. Significant work or achievement on the law school's official law review or another recognized legal journal; c. Receipt of high-level honors for academic excellence, such as election to the Order of the Coif; d. Winning a moot court competition or serving on a moot court team that represented the law school in competition against other law schools; e. Full-time or continuous participation in a legal aid program, rather than one-time, intermittent, or casual participation; f. Significant summer law clerk experience in labor relations or a related legal field; or g. Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior legal, academic, or professional achievement. Bar Membership and Appointment Limitation Admission to the bar is not required at the time of appointment. This position is intended for a law school graduate who is awaiting admission to the bar. If appointed under the Schedule A law-clerk trainee authority, the appointment may not exceed 14 months pending admission to the bar. See 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(e). Background Investigation - Must pass fingerprint and criminal background investigations. Selective Service System - Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or certify being exempt from registering with the Selective Service System. All materials must be received by the closing date of this announcement to be considered.