Attorney Advisor

• Work on matters that can have an important impact on equity and the U.S. economy.
• Ensure that MBDA complies with applicable legal requirements imposed on its programs by statute, regulation, case law, Executive Order, OMB guidance, or controlling policy.
• Ensure the legal sufficiency of MBDA grant or cooperative agreements, including advising on legal matters regarding program design, competition and application review procedures, and post-award engagement and performance monitoring.
• Support MBDA in working with other U.S. Government agencies on coordinating federal programs and dismantling systemic barriers for MBEs.
• Coordinate with legal offices in other parts of DOC and in other U.S. Government agencies.
• Perform duties on a range of legal issues that will vary in legal and factual complexity, often of a novel nature, and with limited if any applicable precedents.
• Conduct research, develop legal strategies, and develop and present recommendations to policy officials.
• Thoroughly and thoughtfully research and develop legal options in a fast-paced environment with short deadlines.

Basic Requirement for all grade levels:
1. You must be a graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school; AND
2. You must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico or the US. Virgin Islands.

Minimum Requirements:
The career ladder for attorney positions in OGC is generally GS-11 to GS-15. The minimum qualifications for hiring at each grade level (or equivalent) are as follows:

• GS-12: Applicants at the GS-12 level should have one year of professional legal experience or additional relevant experience. This may include: relevant non-legal professional experience, a superior academic record, specific course work or an internship in relevant legal areas, or another graduate or doctoral degree.
• GS-13: Applicants at the GS-13 level should have at least two years of professional legal experience in a government agency, private sector entity, or non-profit organization.
• GS-14: Applicants at the GS-14 level should have at least three years of professional legal experience in one of the fields listed above in this section. Experience in federal financial assistance law or experience advising businesses on accessing capital or other commercial matters will be viewed most competitively. Applicants at the GS-14 level should also demonstrate the ability to work independently with lower levels of supervision.
• GS-15: Applicants at the GS-15 level must have at least four years of professional legal experience and a demonstrated expertise in federal financial assistance law or access to capital or other substantive issues facing businesses. Applicants at the GS-15 level must also have a demonstrated ability to work independently with minimum levels of supervision.

Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in federal financial assistance (grants) law; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); contracts law; administrative law; constitutional law; entrepreneurship or business development; or mergers, acquisitions, raising venture capital, tax, or other related issues facing small businesses.
We are seeking candidates with the following additional skills:

• customer-service-oriented approach to legal problems and solutions;
• strong research, editing, and writing skills;
• effective analytical and reasoning skills with respect to identification and recommended minimization of legal risk;
• professional communication skills needed to successfully engage with peers, colleagues, supervisors, and clients;
• ability to handle and be responsible for a variety of assignments with short, time-critical deadlines; and
• interpersonal communication skills suitable for successfully working on a team on projects that require legal analysis.