Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, is looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team and gain valuable experience in a legal environment. Our mission is to serve America's taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS. It is a great place to work with an excellent benefits package and family-friendly atmosphere.
Summary
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, is looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team and gain valuable experience in a legal environment. Our mission is to serve America's taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS. It is a great place to work with an excellent benefits package and family-friendly atmosphere.
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 14 months - Temporary Law Clerk appointment will be converted to a permanent Attorney appointment after admittance to a state bar association if within 14 months
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14 - Law Clerk (GS-12) may be converted to Attorney (GS-12/13 target GS-14) after admittance to a state bar association
Law Students & Recent Graduates who are eligible for participation in the IRS Chief Counsel Honors Program
For more information, see "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.
The IRS Office of Chief Counsel's Honors Program is a highly competitive program available to primarily third-year law students, graduating Tax LL.M. students and judicial clerks. The program offers entry level positions that provide the opportunity to acquire significant training and experience in tax law. The positions are open to individuals each year who have superior academic qualifications or relevant experience to the work of the Office of Chief Counsel.
Appointments will be made to a Law Clerk at the GS-12 (with LL.M.) for 14-months, pending bar association admission.
Participants may be converted to an entry-level attorney position after admittance to a State Bar and demonstration of satisfactory employment during the interim period.
If admitted to a State Bar before the Final Job Offer, appointments will be made to a General Attorney (Tax) GS-12/13/14.
As an attorney with the Office of Chief Counsel you will work for one of several major Counsel organizations, based on your particular interest, qualifications, and the staffing needs of the Office. Whether you are in a field office or National Office position, you will receive substantial training and responsibility. The following link describes our legal divisions Legal Divisions | IRS Careers
We are recruiting for both our National Office and our Field Office Divisions throughout the country.
National Office
We are recruiting for our National Office Divisions located in Washington, D.C.
Field Office Divisions
We are recruiting for various divisions in the following locations: Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Manhattan, Jacksonville, and Houston.
Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Qualifications
Who May Apply:
Law Students & Recent Graduates who are eligible for participation in the IRS Chief Counsel Honors Program
Third-year law students who will graduate from an ABA accredited law school Graduation Requirement Date: these students are not eligible at this timeOR
Students pursuing a Tax LL.M. who will graduate from an ABA accredited law school by the Graduation Requirement Date: between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022 OR
Recent Graduates from an ABA accredited law school graduate (Tax LL.M.) who within 9 months of graduating law school began participating in eligibility preserving activities.
The following are eligibility preserving activities: Judicial clerkships, tax or accounting related graduate programs (including Tax LL.M. program, or qualifying legal fellowships. See "Additional Information" section for specific requirements.
To qualify for this position of Law Clerk you must meet the qualification requirements listed below;
Basic Requirement:
Must attend an ABA accredited law school
GS-12 Requirement:
For Tax LLMs (including joint JD/Tax LLMs) who havenot completed any Tax LLM coursework at the time of application:
must have JD program class ranking in top 25% or GPA 3.35 or higher. If no JD class ranking or GPA, must have a LSAT score 160 or higher OR
For Tax LLMs (including joint JD/Tax LLMs) who have completed any Tax LLM coursework:
must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 in the Tax LLM program OR
must have JD program class ranking in top 25% or GPA 3.35 or higher. If no JD class ranking or GPA, must have a LSAT score 160 or higher
Applicants must graduate with a Tax LL.M. from an ABA-accredited law school before you begin the Honors Program position.
Attributes of an Ideal Candidate are
Special high-level recognition for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif or receipt of the American Jurisprudence Award in related courses; or top grades in tax or related course work (e.g., "A" grades in tax courses);
Evidence of background or experience in the position to be filled, such as taking relevant law school classes (e.g., tax law, bankruptcy/debtor creditor law, administrative law) or relevant legal or tax experience (e.g., tax legal experience) or relevant tax volunteer experience (e.g., VITA, Tax Clinic);
Work or achievement in the law school's law review or other recognized law journal;
Winning a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team
Conversion to General Attorney (0905) Opportunity:
Participants may be converted to an entry-level attorney position after admittance to a State Bar and demonstration of satisfactory employment during the interim period.
Admission and passing the state bar exam must be completed within 14 months of appointment to Law Clerk in order to be eligible for conversion to attorney
If admitted to a State Bar before the Final Job Offer, appointments will be made to a General Attorney (Tax) GS-12/13/14.
Education
Applicants must graduate with a Tax LL.M. from an ABA-accredited law school before you begin the Honors Program position.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Additional information
Graduation Requirement Date: between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022.
Target Start Date: Summer or Fall 2022
We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
Hiring managers take into consideration applicant preferred division and desired location. Applicants who are selected for hire, will be provided one offer based on the ultimate needs of the organization to fill open positions.
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
This is a Bargaining unit position.
We offer opportunities for telework.
We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
The salary range listed is for the GS-12 and includes locality. Exact salary will be determined at time of selection based on location.
Conditions of Employment Continued:
Subject to a 1-year trial period (unless already completed).
If converted to entry-level attorney, Subject to a Tenure Commitment of up to 3 years
Must successfully complete a background investigation.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
Undergo an income tax verification.
The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
"Eligibility preserving activities" are full-time activities starting after law school graduation that can preserve a law school graduate's eligibility for the Honors Program. The following are eligibility preserving activities: judicial clerkships, tax or accounting-related graduate programs(including Tax LL.M. programs) or qualifying legal fellowships. Qualifying legal fellowships must have a formal sponsor(e.g., a public service organization, a foundation, a bar association, a corporation, a law school, etc.), an established legal mission (e.g., purpose, type of work), and be publicly advertised as a fellowship at the time the candidate applied to the fellowship.
Breaks between consecutive eligibility preserving activities cannot exceed 120 days. Participation in the eligibility preserving activity must be active through at least December 1 of the application year (may run later).
Law school graduates who received their J.D. prior to October 1, 2018 are ineligible.
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.
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.
Applicants will be considered based on their application package as it relates to the requirements listed in the qualifications section. Interviews may be held at the option of the office. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.
Referral: Professional Order will be used to refer and select eligible candidates. Veterans' preference is assessed and applied. Qualified Preference eligibles will be listed at the top of the certificate in alphabetical order and considered before qualified non-preference eligibles. All other candidates will be listed in alphabetical order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, you may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview, such as travel to and from the interview site.
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.
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.
A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required or supporting documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips.
In addition, applicants are required to submit: 1. An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected); 2. An 8-10 page legal writing sample; and 3.Supporting documents as applicable
VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of Chief Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility as a position factor in attorney hiring. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on veterans' preference, view FedsHireVets.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 03/07/2022 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am - 4:00pm ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11366148
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.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will 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 on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS
Staffing, Classification and Benefits Branch
1111 Constitution Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20224
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required or supporting documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips.
In addition, applicants are required to submit: 1. An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected); 2. An 8-10 page legal writing sample; and 3.Supporting documents as applicable
VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of Chief Counsel considers veterans' preference eligibility as a position factor in attorney hiring. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on veterans' preference, view FedsHireVets.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 03/07/2022 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00am - 4:00pm ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11366148
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.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will 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 on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
Office of Chief Counsel, IRS
Staffing, Classification and Benefits Branch
1111 Constitution Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20224
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
