This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/555077600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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Summary
The Tax Division is hiring a trial attorney for its Civil Trial Section, Southwestern Region, located in Dallas, Texas. Our attorneys have a passion for litigation; a deep interest in public service; and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Familiarity with tax law and the use of technology in organizing, developing, and presenting a case at trial is helpful, but not required.
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Overview
- Hiring complete
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Open & closing dates
12/20/2019 to 01/30/2020
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Salary
$80,103 - $166,500 per year
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Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 15
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Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
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Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
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Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel will be required. The location and frequency of travel varies, depending on the attorney's litigation schedule.
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Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
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Appointment type
Permanent
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Work schedule
Full-Time
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Service
Excepted
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Promotion potential
15
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Job family (Series)
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Supervisory status
No
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Security clearance
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Drug test
Yes
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Position sensitivity and risk
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Trust determination process
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Announcement number
TAX-ATTSW-20-PW
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Control number
555077600
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This job is open to
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Duties
Trial Attorneys in the Civil Trial Sections are the front-line litigators for the United States for tax disputes in federal district and bankruptcy courts and the Court of Federal Claims. The cases arise all over the United States. The Southwestern Region handles cases primarily in Texas and New Mexico. Significant travel is required of our attorneys for depositions, hearings, and trials.
Most Trial Attorneys carry a docket that includes cases they are assigned to handle alone and others where they work as a member of a litigation team. In either case, our attorneys have front-line responsibility for taking and defending depositions, writing and arguing motions, working with fact and expert witnesses, and trying cases.
Because federal taxes are ubiquitous, our attorneys handle cases that touch all aspects of the American economy and involve litigants ranging from individuals and small businesses up to and including the largest corporations. Trial Attorneys defend the United States in tax refund actions and bring affirmative suits to collect tax - cases that can involve complex commercial transactions or require proof that the taxpayer made a fraudulent transfer of property. Our attorneys defend suits testing the constitutional validity of aspects of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. They obtain injunctions against those who try to bilk the Treasury out of money by selling fraudulent tax shelter schemes or by preparing fraudulent tax returns for customers in order to fulfill a promise of a large refund. Our attorneys represent the United States in bankruptcy, receivership, and probate proceedings. And they handle many other miscellaneous matters touching on tax, like enforcing civil penalties for failure to timely report foreign financial accounts; defending IRS employees in Bivens suits; enforcing IRS' administrative summonses; or protecting the United States' immunity from local taxes.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- This is an attorney position. You must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
- You must meet all minimum qualifications to be considered eligible.
- Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
- This position requires a favorably adjudicated background investigation. You will need to successfully complete a pre-employment background security process pending completion and adjudication of the background investigation before you can be appointed into an attorney position.
- You may need to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result before you can be appointed into this position.
- Attorneys selected for a position in the Tax Division must commit to working for the Tax Division for three years.
- Although applicants who are not citizens of the United States but who meet certain criteria may be considered for employment, Department security requirements generally require that most employees be U.S. citizens, with limited exceptions. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens will need to be approved by the Department before they can be authorized to enter on duty.
- We must receive your resume by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date.
Qualifications
Our civil trial attorneys must be able to work independently to develop their cases factually and legally. They must be willing to work collaboratively with the Internal Revenue Service, internal supervisors and peers to present those cases in the most effective manner. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, are essential.
Applicants must have:
Applicants must have at least 1 year of full-time post-J.D. legal experience by the closing date of this announcement.
Applicants must have:
- A strong interest in litigating civil cases in federal court;
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple matters concurrently;
- A strong interest in developing their litigation skills, in learning about and applying new technologies, and in remaining current on developments in the law;
- An academic background that demonstrates a commitment to producing professional work of a consistently outstanding caliber; and
- An ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
Applicants must have at least 1 year of full-time post-J.D. legal experience by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
This is an attorney position. Applicants must have a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (of any jurisdiction) is required.
Additional information
Years and quality of experience will be considered in determining the appropriate salary level. The position will generally be filled at the GS 12-14 levels. It is possible that the position could be filled at the GS-15 level.
Travel will be required. The location and frequency of travel varies, depending on the attorney's litigation schedule.
DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/
The attorney selected for this position will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form within thirty (30) days of entering into the position. This information must be reported annually.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement if additional positions become available.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: http://www.sss.gov
DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. Additional information about hiring under this Schedule A authority, as well as the documents required to demonstrate eligibility, can be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/getting-a-job/#url=Schedule-A-Hiring-Authority.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their application materials.
Applicants are encouraged to ensure their materials clearly demonstrate their knowledge of subject matter pertinent to the position and the technical skills necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Benefits
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Applications must include:
- a cover letter;
- resume;
- law school and any advanced degree transcripts;
- a list of three professional references; and
- a completed assessment questionnaire.
Applicants selected for further consideration will be required to submit a writing sample prior to an interview. Applicants may be asked to submit a short writing sample in response to a standardized prompt.
Applicants who previously applied to the Tax Division must reapply in order to be considered under this job announcement.
Department of Justice attorneys eligible for priority consideration under the Department's Reemployment Priority List Program must include notice to the Division of their eligibility in their application package.
How to Apply
We place a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspective and encourage applications from all interested eligible candidates, including attorneys of all ages from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, all sexual orientations and gender identities, political affiliations, marital or parental status, religious backgrounds, with or without disabilities, and with or without military service.
The Tax Division is also advertising for trial attorneys for the Civil Trial Sections, Criminal Enforcement Sections and Appellate Section, located in Washington D.C. Individuals interested in applying for these program areas in Washington D.C. must submit an application to the applicable announcement for that program area (the other Civil Trial Sections located in Washington D.C., the Criminal Enforcement Sections and/or the Appellate Section).
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this announcement. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. 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 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. Please follow the prompts to select your résumé 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. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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/
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Phyllis Wolfteich at Phyllis.Wolfteich@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
You must ensure your application is received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit a complete application package (a cover letter, resume, applicable transcripts, references and completed assessment questionnaire) by the deadline may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your application with the appropriate documentation is received on or prior to the closing date.
If you submit more than one application, the last application to be received will be the one considered.
Agency contact information
Phyllis Wolfteich
- Address
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Tax Division, Civil Trial Section, Southwestern Region
c/o Tax Division, 150 M Street, NE, Room 1.1625
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Highly qualified candidates will be considered for interviews. You will receive written notification that your application was received and you will be notified of the outcome of the selection.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Help
Department of Justice attorneys eligible for priority consideration under the Department's Reemployment Priority List Program must include notice to the Division of their eligibility in their application package.
Required Documents
Applications must include:
- a cover letter;
- resume;
- law school and any advanced degree transcripts;
- a list of three professional references; and
- a completed assessment questionnaire.
Applicants selected for further consideration will be required to submit a writing sample prior to an interview. Applicants may be asked to submit a short writing sample in response to a standardized prompt.
Applicants who previously applied to the Tax Division must reapply in order to be considered under this job announcement.
Department of Justice attorneys eligible for priority consideration under the Department's Reemployment Priority List Program must include notice to the Division of their eligibility in their application package.
Help
Learn more about this agency
How to Apply
We place a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspective and encourage applications from all interested eligible candidates, including attorneys of all ages from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, all sexual orientations and gender identities, political affiliations, marital or parental status, religious backgrounds, with or without disabilities, and with or without military service.
The Tax Division is also advertising for trial attorneys for the Civil Trial Sections, Criminal Enforcement Sections and Appellate Section, located in Washington D.C. Individuals interested in applying for these program areas in Washington D.C. must submit an application to the applicable announcement for that program area (the other Civil Trial Sections located in Washington D.C., the Criminal Enforcement Sections and/or the Appellate Section).
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this announcement. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. 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 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. Please follow the prompts to select your résumé 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. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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/
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Phyllis Wolfteich at Phyllis.Wolfteich@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
You must ensure your application is received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit a complete application package (a cover letter, resume, applicable transcripts, references and completed assessment questionnaire) by the deadline may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully as missing information will not be requested. It is your responsibility to ensure your application with the appropriate documentation is received on or prior to the closing date.
If you submit more than one application, the last application to be received will be the one considered.
Agency contact information
Phyllis Wolfteich
- Address
-
Tax Division, Civil Trial Section, Southwestern Region
c/o Tax Division, 150 M Street, NE, Room 1.1625
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Highly qualified candidates will be considered for interviews. You will receive written notification that your application was received and you will be notified of the outcome of the selection.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Beginning of a dialog window for the agency announcing this job. It begins with a heading 2 called "Learn more about Field Operating Offices of the Office of the Secretary of the Army". Escape will cancel and close the window.
Learn more about
Offices, Boards and Divisions
Are you interested in a rewarding and challenging career? Join one of the best places to work in the federal government - the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice! The Department of Justice ranked 12th among large size agencies, and the Tax Division ranked as the #1 litigating division in the Department of Justice, in the Partnership for Public Service's 2019 "Best Places to Work".
The mission of the Tax Division is to enforce the nation's internal revenue laws fully, fairly, and consistently, through both criminal and civil litigation, in order to promote voluntary compliance with the tax laws, maintain public confidence in the integrity of the tax system, and promote the sound development of the law. The Tax Division employs more than 350 Attorneys in fourteen civil, criminal, and appellate sections.
We seek to create a work environment and organizational culture that reflect the diversity of American society, and to foster the success of every employee by valuing and building upon the unique skills and experiences that each individual brings to the workplace.
Agency contact information
Phyllis Wolfteich
- Address
-
Tax Division, Civil Trial Section, Southwestern Region
c/o Tax Division, 150 M Street, NE, Room 1.1625
Washington, DC 20530
US