General Attorney

Full Time
Washington, DC 20024
Posted
Job description

Duties

As a General Attorney in the Legal Policy Division of the Office of the General Counsel you will:

GS-13:

  • Coordinate and conduct research and analyze and interpret provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and other statutes, such as the Bankruptcy Code or Internal Revenue Code, and regulations of PBGC and other agencies.
  • Monitor legislative activity and advise on legislation, the implementation of legislation, and policy concerning PBGC and retirement security.
  • Review and coordinate review of legislative technical assistance, regulatory and policy guidance, and related reports and documents.
  • Participate in working groups representing various operational units and professional disciplines, and draft legal documents, including policy statements, that incorporate the views of appropriate PBGC officials.
  • Represent PBGC in meetings and conferences with industry and practitioner groups on complex legal, regulatory, and policy issues.

GS-14:

  • Coordinate and conduct research and analyze and interpret provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and other statutes, such as the Bankruptcy Code or Internal Revenue Code, and regulations of PBGC and other agencies.
  • Monitor and advise on legislative activity and advise on legislation, the implementation of legislation, and policy concerning PBGC and retirement security.
  • Develop, review, and coordinate review of legislative technical assistance, regulatory and policy guidance, and related reports and documents.
  • Lead working groups representing various operational units and professional disciplines, and draft legal documents, including policy statements, that incorporate the views of appropriate PBGC officials.
  • Represent PBGC in meetings and conferences with industry and practitioner groups on complex legal, regulatory, and policy issues.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen
  • You may undergo a personnel security background investigation
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt
  • A 2-year trial period is required unless met during prior Federal service
  • 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.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

As a General Attorney in the Legal Policy Division (LPD), Program Law and Policy Department (PLPD) in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), you will have to demonstrate the following:

GS-13:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the private sector identifying, analyzing, interpreting, and developing legal matters and policy or guidance relevant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Examples include: experience working in General Law or Legal Policy identifying, analyzing, interpreting, and developing legal matters or policy related to ERISA. Candidates with judicial clerkship experience or law firm experience preferred.

GS-14:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the private sector working independently to identify, analyze, interpret, develop, and advise on legal matters and policy or guidance relevant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Examples include: experience working in General Law or Legal Policy identifying, analyzing, interpreting, developing, and advising on legal matters or policy related to ERISA. Candidates with judicial clerkship experience or law firm experience preferred.

WRITING SAMPLE: Each applicant must submit an original sample of their unedited written work that does not exceed ten pages in length (double spaced). The writing sample should demonstrate legal analysis.

Education

A J.D. degree from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).


Additional information

To be considered under a special hiring authority such as the Schedule A appointing authority for persons with disabilities; or another excepted service/special hire authority, you must submit documentation to support your claim for eligibility with your application package. For more details, visit Federal Hiring Flexibilities.

PBGC encourages qualified applicants with disabilities to apply. Applicants with disabilities who are interested in learning more about job opportunities under the Schedule A Hiring Authority and other available hiring flexibilities and authorities are encouraged to contact PBGC’s Selective Placement Program Coordinator, Donald Beasley, at (202) 229-3637 or Beasley.donald@pbgc.gov. TTY/TDD users should call the federal relay service at (800) 877-8339 and ask to be connected to (202) 229-3637.

All Veterans are encouraged to visit CareerOne for resume writing tips and skill conversion terms.

If you believe that you have been subjected to discrimination, you may contact the PBGC Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO):

OEEO Main Office Phone: 202-229-4363

Email: EEO@PBGC.gov

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PBGC is currently operating under maximum telework flexibilities. However, all Federal agencies will begin a phased transition to normal operations.

  • 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

    Visit Federal Employee Benefits for information on the major benefits offered.

    Review our 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.

You will be assessed against the minimum qualification requirements for this position (education, bar membership, and specialized experience).



You may preview questions for this vacancy.

  • 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

    Visit Federal Employee Benefits for information on the major benefits offered.

    Review our 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.

  • 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.

    RESUME: You must submit a resume. Your resume must include your name and contact information and should clearly show your possession of the specialized experience and KSAs so that we can determine your qualifications for this position. Your resume should be specific to the position you are applying for, relating your skills and experience to those noted in the job posting.

    PLEASE DO NOT include photographs, hypertext/hyperlinks, or other inappropriate material or content. This information will not be used to make eligibility or qualification determinations.

    COVER LETTER (OPTIONAL): Your cover letter should state your interest in this position and the strengths that you feel will make you an asset to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. We will not use your cover letter to determine your qualifications; however, your cover letter will go to the Selecting Official along with your resume if you are referred.

    LAW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT(S) (REQUIRED): You must submit transcripts to verify that you meet the educational requirement for this position. Information on the specific education requirement can be found under Education in the vacancy announcement. Your transcripts should include course titles, school name/location, date completed, grades, and number of credits earned. Applicants who obtained their qualifying education outside of the U.S. and its territories must provide proof that their degrees have been validated as equivalent to a degree conferred by a college or university in the U.S. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted with your application; however, you must bring official transcripts with your first day if you are hired. Please see the Education section of this announcement for additional information.

    FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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.

    PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP (REQUIRED): This position requires you to be an active member of the bar (of any jurisdiction) and in good standing. You must submit proof of your membership to verify that you meet this requirement. In the event that you do not have a valid certificate of bar membership or good standing available at the time of application, please submit other evidence of bar membership (e.g., proof of payment of bar dues, a printout from a website indicating active bar membership) with your application; however, you must bring an official, valid certificate with you on your first day if you are hired.

    WRITING SAMPLE (REQUIRED): Each applicant must submit an original sample of their unedited written work that does not exceed ten pages in length (double spaced). The writing sample should demonstrate legal analysis.

    Failure to submit the required documents will result in an incomplete application.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • How to Apply

    In order to be considered, submit all of the required information (including your supplemental documentation) before midnight EST on the closing date.

    If you are not able to apply online or require reasonable accommodations, contact Cecilia Mendozaon (202) 229-3717or at Mendoza.Cecilia@pbgc.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Please complete all the steps in the online application process at USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov). You may make updates to your information at any time prior to midnight EST on the closing date of this announcement.

    • Register with USAJOBS, which will store your information and resume. You will only need to complete this step once.
    • Locate and review the vacancy announcement on USAJOBS. Click the “Apply” link and then select a resume to submit with your application. If you do not have a resume to select, or you want to upload a new one, click “Add Resume” and upload your resume. You can also click “Edit” to edit an already-uploaded resume. Once you have selected a resume, click “Save and Continue.”
    • Add or remove your supporting documents.
    • Once you have attached your resume and supporting documents, review your application package to ensure that they have been attached, then check the box next to “I acknowledge that I have reviewed my resume and document(s).” Then Click “Save and Continue.”
    • Complete the “Include Personal Information” page and click “Save and Continue,”
    • On the “Continue Application with Agency” page, read the terms and certify by checking the box if you agree. Then click “Continue to Agency Site.” This will take you to the application for the position.
    • Click “Apply to this Vacancy.”
    • Complete or review the eligibility questions, which determine the types of positions you are eligible for.
    • Specify which series, grade(s), and location(s) you wish to be considered for.
    • Complete the online vacancy questions, then click "Finish". You will continue to the Vacancy Documents page.
    • Review your attached documents from USAJobs. If there are other documents that you need to attach, upload those here as well.
    • You will then see a summary of your application, including the documents that you submitted. You are strongly encouraged to save or print a copy of this page as proof of submission and receipt of your application and documents.
    • To finish, click "Submit Application."

    Agency contact information

    Cecilia Mendoza

    Phone

    202-229-3717

    Fax

    000-000-0000

    Email

    mendoza.cecilia@pbgc.gov

    Address

    PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION
    Human Resources Department
    445 12th Street SW
    Washington, District of Columbia 20024
    United States

    Next steps

    You will receive confirmation that we have received your resume. Save this and any other receipts you receive via email or fax. We will inform you of the status of your application via the email address you provided in your registration.

    You may check the status of your applications by clicking on the My USAJOBS tab at the USAJOBS website.

  • Fair and Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

RESUME: You must submit a resume. Your resume must include your name and contact information and should clearly show your possession of the specialized experience and KSAs so that we can determine your qualifications for this position. Your resume should be specific to the position you are applying for, relating your skills and experience to those noted in the job posting.

PLEASE DO NOT include photographs, hypertext/hyperlinks, or other inappropriate material or content. This information will not be used to make eligibility or qualification determinations.

COVER LETTER (OPTIONAL): Your cover letter should state your interest in this position and the strengths that you feel will make you an asset to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. We will not use your cover letter to determine your qualifications; however, your cover letter will go to the Selecting Official along with your resume if you are referred.

LAW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT(S) (REQUIRED): You must submit transcripts to verify that you meet the educational requirement for this position. Information on the specific education requirement can be found under Education in the vacancy announcement. Your transcripts should include course titles, school name/location, date completed, grades, and number of credits earned. Applicants who obtained their qualifying education outside of the U.S. and its territories must provide proof that their degrees have been validated as equivalent to a degree conferred by a college or university in the U.S. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted with your application; however, you must bring official transcripts with your first day if you are hired. Please see the Education section of this announcement for additional information.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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.

PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP (REQUIRED): This position requires you to be an active member of the bar (of any jurisdiction) and in good standing. You must submit proof of your membership to verify that you meet this requirement. In the event that you do not have a valid certificate of bar membership or good standing available at the time of application, please submit other evidence of bar membership (e.g., proof of payment of bar dues, a printout from a website indicating active bar membership) with your application; however, you must bring an official, valid certificate with you on your first day if you are hired.

WRITING SAMPLE (REQUIRED): Each applicant must submit an original sample of their unedited written work that does not exceed ten pages in length (double spaced). The writing sample should demonstrate legal analysis.

Failure to submit the required documents will result in an incomplete application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.


Help

This job is open to

  • Individuals with disabilities

  • Federal employees - Excepted service

    Current excepted service federal employees.

  • The public

    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

  • Special authorities

    Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

  • Veterans

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens, including veterans eligible under the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (VOW), and Nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)

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