Attorney-Advisor

Duties

• Serves as an Attorney-Advisor by assisting General Counsel, DoDEA in planning and providing legal assistance, advice, and representation in support of DoWEA and DoWEA's regional leadership.
• Incumbent serves as a management representative or agency advisor at collective bargaining sessions with union officials.
• In judicial litigation matters, the incumbent ensures all necessary preparations are accurate and complete.
• Conducts extensive research and develops positions and draft policies on special education and education law questions in the absence of federal and state law.
• Participates as a lecturer in various training programs and drafts preventative legal guidance for DoWEA personnel (particularly on matters of ethics, employment, and special education law).
• Provides legal advice and services with respect to questions, regulations, practices, or other matters falling within the purview of DoWEA and DoW. This this may include conducting, reviewing or advising on investigations.
• Provides expert advice in Government Ethics, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, Administrative Procedure Act, and other federal practice areas.
• Provides legal advice and assistance on DoWEA labor and civilian personnel matters, including employee relations, equal opportunity and civil rights.
• Represents DoWEA in hearings and other administrative proceedings before the EEOC, MSPB, and FLRA and represents DoWEA management in grievance proceedings.
• Provides legal advice and assistance to DoWEA regional and school-level leadership, including but not limited to:
• The Chief of the Center for Instructional Leadership (CIL); CIL Team; Forward Integrated Support Team; Superintendents; Principals, and other regional/field administrators.
• Provides legal advice in the area of special education and education law in direct support of school-level operations and the development of DoWEA-wide policies and procedures for critical areas of compliance with the Individuals
• with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; Federal education statutes; and, student rights (e.g. freedom of speech, search and seizure, student privacy, etc.) under the U.S. Constitution and associated case law.
• Develops tools and trainings for special education educators, regular education educators, DoWEA OGC field attorneys, administrators, DoWEA HQ Staff (e.g. special education and Student Support Services) to aid DoWEA
• in ensuring the provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education to students covered by the IDEA or students with disabilities requiring accommodations under
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Incumbent will advance the prevention, early resolution, and defense of special education or Rehabilitation Act litigation.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• One year trial or probationary period may be required.
• Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
• This position requires a Tier 3 (T3) investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/.
• Individuals hired from the Continental United States (CONUS) and their family members (who are US citizens) are required to obtain Official Passports prior to departure to the overseas area.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: U.S. Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE INFORMATION: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Army considers veteran's preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documents (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their submissions. Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at .). To successfully claim veteran's preference, your resume/supplemental data must clearly show your entitlement.

Experience: You must have three or more years of professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. Graduation from an ABA-Accredited Law School in the top 25% of the class or an advanced law degree such as an LLM may substitute for one year of the required professional legal experience.

Bar Membership: You must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State, Territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

Education

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. For further information, visit:

Additional information

• Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the .
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are not considered Ordinarily Resident under the applicable Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). An ordinarily resident is anyone who has lived in the host country longer than the allowed number of days without being a member of the forces assigned, civilian component or a family member of either the aforementioned or who has obtained a work permit for any duration. Ordinarily Resident restrictions apply and vary depending on the host nation.
• Applicants who have family members with special medical needs should ensure that prior to accepting a position overseas their family members' medical needs can be met. Access to care in a military treatment facility may not be available to civilian employees except on a space available basis. Consequently, host nation medical facilities may be the only care available. The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location.
• Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
• Medical and dental care may be provided by host nation providers. The availability and level of care at host nation medical and dental facilities will vary by location.
• Status candidates subject to the 5 year overseas rotation, who are currently overseas, must have enough time to meet the initial tour stated in the job announcement. Waivers may not be granted to meet the 5 year limitation requirement.
• Status applicants in their fourth year of an overseas assignment cannot be selected unless a waiver of the 5 year overseas service limitation requirement is approved.
• Selectees initially recruited from the United States may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. (Subject to approval). Overseas allowances may be authorized in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250.
• Selectees recruited outside the U.S. will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire.
• For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information before applying for or accepting this position.
• The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
• Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify David Walton a@dodea.edu
• This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
• if you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant see the information in the information sheet.

You can find more information about this vacancy in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.