General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel)

Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, seeks enthusiastic individuals to serve taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS. Please click "Learn more about this agency" to find out more about Chief Counsel's various offices, to view some of the workplace attributes that Chief Counsel's workforce rates most favorably, and to hear from employees themselves. For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. The Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration) provides legal advice and litigation support services on tax matters involving Federal Tax Procedure and the procedural aspects of filing returns and paying taxes; information reporting; assessment and collection of taxes (including interest and penalties); abating, crediting or refunding over-assessments or overpayments of tax; whistleblower matters; disclosure, Privacy and the Freedom of Information Act; bankruptcy practice and procedure; summonses and the gathering of information; legal ethics; the Administrative Procedure Act; Foreign Bank Account Reporting; user fees; and judicial practice and procedures.

As a General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel), you will:

• Consider legal, technical, legislative or litigation matters having broad ramifications or particular importance and renders decisions thereon, generally without review.
• Act as a personal legal and technical advisor to the executive on the most difficult, important and complex legal matters arising in areas of procedure and administration of the Internal Revenue laws that are under the executive's jurisdiction.
• Perform exhaustive and detailed research on complicated legal problems and prepare recommendations as to the position to be taken by the executive's office. Signs such recommendations for the executive without review except for cases that the Special Counsel feels the executive should review or as otherwise specifically directed.
• Act as the personal representative of the executive at top levels of the Service and Treasury and attend meetings and conferences where policy is developed and determined. Represent the executive in meetings with Congressional staff or the staff of other Federal agencies. Such representations are for the purpose of furthering, setting forth, and explaining the position of the Chief Counsel's Office, Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department.
• Act in an advisory capacity to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and other top Service and Treasury officials, advising them of possible courses of action and the consequences of controversial, complex or unique problems.
• Act as a personal representative of the executive on professional legal matters, contribute to the policies and precedents guiding the conduct of legal activities of the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department.
• Aid in the successful management and operation of administrative functions assigned, or reporting to, the executive.

This is not an all-inclusive list.

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

To qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel), you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:

Basic Requirements for General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel):

• Possess at least the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
• Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

GS-15 Experience Requirements:

• 1 year of general professional legal experience from any area of expertise; plus
• 3 year(s) of professional legal tax experience

Professional Legal Tax Experience is defined as one or more of the following: Experience with Tax Practice and Procedure issues at the state or federal level; tax controversy (administrative practice); preparing responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and/or handling litigation related to FOIA requests; research and analysis of legal issues relating to complex areas of law (e.g., corporate law, business structuring/planning, securities law, international law, intellectual property); litigation of cases involving tax issues or other complex areas of law (e.g., corporate law, business structuring/planning, securities law, international law, intellectual property). At least one year of this experience must be equivalent to the work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14). Note: Only experience gained after Bar Admission may be credited as Professional Legal Experience.

Education Substitution: An LL.M. degree in the field of the position (Tax, Public Law / Administrative Law / Regulation, or Bankruptcy Law / Insolvency Law) may be substituted for the one year of the general legal experience listed above.

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. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.