Staff Attorney

The United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is seeking multiple Staff Attorney positions in Washington D.C..

Qualifications:

The selectee must have:

• A professional law degree (juris doctor (J.D.)) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member of the bar of the highest court of any state, the District of Columbia, or a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States within the meaning of 48 U.S.C. § 1904(e)(5).
• Progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience received after graduation from law school. Applicants must have two years of post-J.D. legal work experience to qualify for grade 12, three years of post-J.D. legal work experience to qualify for grade 13, or four years of post-J.D. legal work experience to qualify for grade 14. One year must be at, or equivalent to, the next lower grade in the federal service.
• Experience in veterans' benefits law is required.

Note: Mediation experience, a judicial clerkship, and experience in court operations or administration is beneficial but not required.

Educational Substitutions: A masters of law (LL.M.) degree is equivalent to one year of legal work experience.

Promotion Potential: This position will be filled at CS-12, 13, or 14, dependent on the successful applicant's level of experience. The position may have promotion potential up to CS-14 without further competition, subject to satisfactory performance and compliance with applicable Court policies.

Note: Selectee will be subject to a two-year probationary period.

Responsibilities:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The staff attorney position is in the Court's Central Legal Staff, which is located in the Office of the Clerk of the Court. The duties and responsibilities of the position are performed under the general supervision of the Chief Staff Attorney and include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conducting conferences with the litigating parties, using mediation techniques, to explore the possibility of settlement or to narrow the issues to be briefed; to settle applications for attorney fees and expenses; and to resolve disputes over the content of the record on appeal;
• Analyzing case materials and drafting procedural orders for Judges and the Clerk of the Court;
• Responding to inquiries from Judges and others about Court cases, including screening appeals and petitions and researching and preparing memoranda of law;
• Performing other legal duties, as required.

Salary : $102,415