Summary About the Position: This position is located at U.S. Army Legal Support Activity, Europe Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Grafenwoehr-Hohenfels Law Center, Hohenfels, Germany. If you are currently serving in a permanent, competitive service appointment in the Federal service, and are selected for this position, the appointment will remove you from the competitive service while you occupy this position. Responsibilities Serves as General Attorney at one of the various Legal Centers throughout Grafenwoehr, GM. Serves as primary advisor and supervisor of Legal Assistance/Claims, providing primary personal attorney services to active-duty service members, retirees and their dependents. Specific analysis and detailed advice on the legal and practical meaning and effects of divorce, legal separations, annulment, custody but represents only one party to the case. Provides legal advice, counseling, drafting and execution wills and codicils. Advice and counsel on effect and procedures, to include garnishment rules, repossession procedures, default Judgments, adverse personnel actions. Provides general advice and tax return preparation assistance for federal and state tax forms in Legal Assistance office. Advice and counsel on tenant's rights, eviction procedures, the legal effect and meaning of leases, offers to purchase, sales contracts and consumer's rights in dealing with merchants and lenders, credit reporting agencies, etc. Prepares complex powers of attorney and other instruments, advises on immigration/naturalization procedures, insurance matters, general contracts, personal property law. Provides professional legal advice: opinions and assistance in interpretation of laws, regulations, statutes and directives concerning claims against the United States. Supervises a small group of employees assigned to the Legal Center. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application shows possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position. KSA's: Skill in identifying and researching highly technical and complex legal issues. Skill in providing legal, technical, and policy guidance. Ability to effectively, professionally, and ethically manage a heavy caseload of clients with complex legal needs. Ability to recognize and analyze problems, conduct research, summarize results, and make appropriate recommendations. Knowledge in family law. Knowledge in Estate Planning. Knowledge in Consumer Protection. Ability to learn and apply new areas of the law. Qualification Requirements: The following minimum qualification requirements must be met before applicants are eligible for further consideration: Education Requirements: Education Requirements for Attorney-Adviser GS-0905-12/13: Position requires the possession of the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.). Applicants for initial appointment into attorney positions within the Department of Army must be graduates of law schools accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of the applicant's graduation. As indicated below, a law school transcript must be submitted with your application materials. Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be a member in good standing (as defined by the pertinent bar) of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As noted below, proof of such membership and good standing must be submitted with your application materials. Experience for Attorney-Adviser GS-0905-12: In addition to the requirements above, applicants for the GS-12 or equivalent Attorney positions must also possess 1 year 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. Experience for Attorney-Adviser GS-0905-13: In addition to the requirements above, applicants for the GS-13 or equivalent Attorney positions must also possess 3 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. Time in Grade: The Qualifying Authorities (QA's) will make a determination as to the applicability of time in grade based on the requirements of the position. If you are currently employed as an attorney by the Federal government, you must have completed one year at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement or previously served at the same or higher grade level as the position being filled. NOTICE OF VETERAN'S PREFERENCE: There is no formal rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (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. The SF 15 will identify the supporting documentation required along with the list of the types of 10-point preference. The SF 15 is available from the OPM at https://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/sf/. Education Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications and http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. Additional Information PLEASE NOTE THAT REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATION, TIME IN GRADE, AND EXPERIENCE MAY BE WAIVED BY THE APPLICABLE AUTHORITY AND THE REQUIREMENTS SHOULD NOT DETER ANY INDIVIDUAL FROM APPLYING FOR THE POSITION. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This is a Professional Services Career Field position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information. Recruitment and relocation incentives may be authorized. Student loan repayment may be authorized. Salary negotiations, including an advanced in hire, for candidates new to Federal service or who would otherwise qualified, may be authorized. Credit for prior non-Federal experience and certain military service for leave accrual rates may be authorized. This position has oversight supervisory duties 10% or less of the time. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in DoD Instruction 1315.19. U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement. Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area. On this overseas accompanied tour, medical and DoDDS special education services may not be available in the immediate location of this position. In the overseas areas, access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only. Medical care may be provided by host nation providers. The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location. Movement overseas may require you to initiate a change in your health benefits plan to ensure coverage. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions. Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250. http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/1400.25-V1250.pdf 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. Defense National Relocation Program will not be authorized.