Law Clerk - GS-11 - Region II - New York, NY (Telework)

The Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is currently seeking applications for one Law Clerk in its Region II –New York office.

Who May Apply: This vacancy announcement is open to all U.S citizens.

Duty Station: New York, NY

Salary Range: $85,236 - $110,803

Series & Grade: GS-0904-11

Open Period: December 6, 2024 – December 11, 2024

Job Summary:

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 the development and implementation of 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 seeking a Law Clerk to join its Region II - New York office. Region II provides comprehensive legal services to almost all components within HHS including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Administration for Children and Families, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Office for Civil Rights, and the Indian Health Service.

The Law Clerk position is entry-level and developmental in nature to acquaint the applicant with the procedures and work requirements of the office, and to evaluate the candidates’ abilities to determine career progression and level of future assignments.

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: http://www.hhs.gov/ogc/index.html

Duties:

This position offers an opportunity to work on a wide range of legal issues including but not limited to nursing home enforcement, Medicare reimbursement, bankruptcy, Medicare fraud, employment, civil rights, Head Start, and patient care and hospital operations. The Law Clerk will research statutes, decisions, and other legal authority on specific points of law or assigned legal problems, assemble, analyze, and report the results in legal opinions, or for the attorneys’ use. Where precedents are lacking, the Law Clerk will analyze pertinent legislative and case history which impact the issue or case. The Law Clerk will prepare memoranda and other communications the preparation of which require thorough consideration, synthesis, and adaptation to new situations or precedents covering analogous problems. The Law Clerk will participate in meetings and consultations with clients, the Department of Justice, and OGC attorneys. The Law Clerk will review letters, memoranda, instructional and other materials for legal accuracy.

The Law Clerk must be able to work independently on cases and issues that are relatively noncomplex and assist with matters of considerable difficulty and complexity. The ideal candidate will have excellent writing, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will also have experience or familiarity with Medicare, and other HHS programs.

The position will be located in New York, New York., and reimbursement for relocation expenses is not available.

Qualifications Required:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the position qualifications listed on this announcement. 

The following are required qualifications:

• A Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school or evidence that you will receive a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school prior to your date of employment.
• Exemplary legal writing, analytical, and communication skills.

Preference will be given to candidates with outstanding organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills, superior legal writing and research ability, and demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must obtain, within 14 months of starting the position, 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. Must maintain such status during employment.
• 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 the agency policy.

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 R2AttyApp@hhs.gov using the subject line “Region 2 Law Clerk” in the forwarding email. To receive full consideration, submit all materials by 11:59 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement:

• Cover letter addressed to the Office of the General Counsel Hiring Official detailing your interest in the position and highlighting any relevant experience.
• Resume.
• Legal writing sample (5-10 pages preferred).
• Names and contact information for three professional references.