Attorney Adviser (General)

This position is located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Hearings and Appeals in Washington, DC. This position plays a key role by providing expert legal assistance to the Administrator and Agency personnel and is responsible for advising on questions of law or administrative policy involving ethics.

Qualifications:

Applicants must possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree and be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction). Must provide a certificate of good standing or Bar card/license.

GS-13: Must three (3) or more years of professional legal experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector in all of the following:

• Providing authoritative legal advice concerning SBA procurement and contracting law, involving complex and difficult legal problems arising from government contracts;
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with both professionals and nonprofessionals;
• Interpreting the law and applying it to legally complex and factually complex situation and the exercise of legal judgment;
• Advise senior leadership, counsel and other agency officials on sensitive legal issues. Proficiency in legal research and familiarity with legal databases and other resources used to perform government contracting legal research.

GS-14: Must have four (4) or more years of professional legal experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector in all of the following:

• Rendering authoritative written and legal opinions and products involving extremely complex and difficult legal problems arising from SBA contracts;
• Reviewing all legal documents (e.g. agency contractual instruments, pleadings, discovery, and other non-litigation related legal documents) for legal sufficiency and protection of the government's interest;
• Knowledge of applicable federal procurement statutes related to SBA contracting requirements, regulations, case law, and Executive Orders and agency policy guidance applicable to government contracting, privatization, ethics, and acquisition;
• Proficiency in legal research methods, including familiarity with on-line legal databases and other agency resources. Interpreting the law and applying it to specific situations and exercise of legal judgment;
• Communicate authoritative oral legal advice concerning the various stages of contracting, acquisition and procurement appeals.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications web site:

General Attorney Series - 0905

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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 04/23/2026.

Responsibilities:

• Provides advice and assistance to the AA/HA, the Administrative Law Judge, and OHA's Administrative Judges on questions of law in accordance with relevant statutes, regulations, policy guidance, and legal precedent.
• Performs independent legal analysis and research and prepares memoranda for presentation to the AA/HA or an individual Judge as the case requires.
• Attends formal hearings held by the OHA Judges on the appeal, claim or complaint in the issue; participates in conference calls including the lawyers and parties, with participation by the Judge;
• Analyzes pleadings, testimony, exhibits, hearing records and briefs of counsel in connection with determinations on the merits of cases; makes recommendations to the Judges concerning the allegations, legal arguments, contested and u n con tested the appraisal of evidence and the inferences to be drawn from the evidence;
• Renders written analyses for proposed orders and decisions addressing factual and legal issues involved in the case;
• Answers/Coordinates inquires and correspondence from parties and counsel involved in pending cases and replies to general requests for information from practitioners and others; assists in docket management and compiles digests of OHA decisions on an annual basis, or more frequently as assigned.

Salary : $121,785