Content created by Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
The Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is currently seeking applications an Attorney Advisor position in its Region VII, Kansas City Office.
Who May Apply: This vacancy announcement is open to all US Citizens and may be used to fill multiple positions.
Duty Station: Kansas City, MO (Flexible telework is available)
Grade: GS-0905-11/12/13/14
Salary Range: $73,690-161,349
Open Period: October 4, 2024 – October 11, 2024
Job Summary:
Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. It is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is the legal team for HHS, providing quality representation and legal advice on a wide range of highly visible national issues. OGC supports developing and implementing the Department's programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the organization's various agencies and divisions.
OGC is comprised of three principal subcomponents: the Immediate Office, Headquarters Divisions, and Regional Offices. Each Headquarters Division is led by an Associate General Counsel, and each of the ten Regional Offices is led by a Chief Counsel. This position is located in Region VII (Kansas City, Missouri). Region VII provides litigation services, programmatic advice, and training on a wide range of legal issues involving Medicare, Medicaid, employment and personnel, civil rights, bankruptcy, HIPAA, Head Start, and requests for information. While attorneys in Region VII may provide legal services to any agency within HHS; most work involves the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Office for Civil Rights. OGC-Region VII covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
OGC is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. At OGC, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are. We’re always growing our network of people, programs, and tools to allow our staff to do their best work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. OGC is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.
For additional information about OGC’s mission, please visit our website at: https://www.hhs.gov/ogc/index.html
Duties:
This is a General Attorney Advisor position in the Region VII, Kansas City Office. The attorney will be expected to provide a variety of legal services to one or more Department components in the region, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Office for Civil Rights, and Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Administration for Children and Families, on matters which often require coordination with other components of the Department, other OGC offices, or the U.S. Department of Justice.
Attorneys may represent the agency in litigation against hospitals, nursing homes, health plans, clinical laboratories, and other health care providers to enforce compliance with federal requirements; aid in the recovery of misspent Medicare, Medicaid, and federal grant funds; advise the Office for Civil Rights in the investigation and resolution of unauthorized uses and/or disclosures of personal health information by health care entities; and represent the agency in hearings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and the National Labor Relations Board. There are also opportunities to manage, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, federal court litigation involving medical malpractice, employment, bankruptcy, Federal Tort Claims Act cases, and other HHS matters that are resolved in federal district court. Attorneys must be able to work independently and as a team with the 400+ OGC colleagues across the nation.
We are seeking to fill the position at the GS-11 to GS-14 level ($73,690-$161,349) depending on experience and qualifications. The position will be Kansas City, MO. Reimbursement for relocation expenses is not available.
Preferred Qualifications: Demonstrated experience or familiarity in health law, employment law, federal court or administrative litigation or negotiations and/or a government law background would be helpful. Experience in bankruptcy law is preferred but not required. Attorneys may litigate before the HHS Departmental Appeals Board, EEOC, MSPB, and Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
Qualifications Required:
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed on this announcement. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
At the GS-11: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school and possess active bar status in good standing.
At the GS-12: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and one year of professional legal experience post bar admission equivalent to the GS-11 level.
At the GS-13: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and two years of professional legal experience post bar admission, with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 level.
At the GS-14: You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or LL.B from an accredited ABA law school, active bar status in good standing, and three years of professional legal experience post bar admission with one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 level.
The following are required qualifications:
Conditions Of Employment:
- You must possess a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited ABA law school.
- Have at least one year (for GS-12); two years (for GS-13) three years (for GS-14) of experience after law school as a practicing attorney.
- Proof that bar status is active, in good standing and eligible to practice in the highest court of a State, U. S. commonwealth, U. S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
- Candidates must also have exemplary legal writing, oral advocacy abilities, possess excellent interpersonal skills, and displays a capacity to work with diverse individuals and groups.
- A demonstrated experience or familiarity in health law, employment law, federal court or administrative litigation or negotiations and/or a government law background would be helpful. Experience in bankruptcy law is preferred but not required. Attorneys may litigate before the HHS Departmental Appeals Board, EEOC, MSPB, and Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
- Must maintain active bar membership in good standing and the eligibility to practice law in the highest court of a state, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia throughout employment in the Office of the General Counsel.
- Upon final job offer from HHS OHR, the successful candidate must submit official law school transcripts.
- Security and Background Requirements: If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.
- E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.
- Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
- Financial disclosure statement may be required.
- Two-year trial period may be required.
- Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid.
- This position may be in a bargaining unit.
- Telework Eligible: Yes - as determined by agency policy.
- Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.
In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Federal government, as the largest employer in the Nation, can and should show the way towards achieving drug-free workplaces through programs designed to offer drug users a helping hand, and at the same time demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the Federal workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public. Applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. If required to submit to urinalysis, the appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative applicant drug test result. In order to demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Instructions To Apply:
Please submit the following documents to KCOGCAttorney@hhs.gov or to
Charles Anderson
Operations Specialist US DHHS
Office of the General Counsel
601 East 12thStreet,
Room N1800, Kansas City, MO, 64106.
To receive full consideration, please submit all materials by 11:59 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement. We will continue to accept applications for consideration for positions as they are available and until they are filled.
- Resume (must include education, including name of undergraduate and law school, degree received, and date graduated; date admitted to bar and jurisdiction; a general description of all past employment relevant to the practice of law, including dates of employment and supervisor name(s)and telephone number(s))
- A copy of unofficial law school transcripts (official transcripts due before final offer)
- A cover letter. Provide a cover letter of no more than 2-pages covering each of the following competencies:
- General Legal – Writing ability, analytical and problem-solving skills, and experience preparing legal briefs and/or memoranda.
- Bankruptcy– Experience representing clients in bankruptcy matters preferred.
- Litigation – Litigation experience before Federal trial and appellate courts or administrative bodies.
- Laws and Regulations – Experience in applying statutes, regulations, and policies.
- Client Advice and Relationships– Experience providing oral and written advice and ability to relate effectively with clients.
- A writing sample (10 pages or less).
- Proof of active bar status in good standing and eligibility to practice law in a state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- If you are a current Federal employee, please provide a copy of your last performance appraisal and a copy of your latest SF-50.
- Names and contact information for at least three professional references.