General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel)

Internal Revenue Service

Multiple locations

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JOB DETAILS

SALARY

$147,945–$197,200 Per Day

JOB TYPE

Full-time

SKILLS

Attorney, Background Investigation, Career Counseling, Domestic Tax, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Laws and Regulations, Federal Tax, Financial Disclosure, Financial Reporting, Financial Systems, Government, IRS (Internal Revenue Service), Income Tax, Legal, Litigation, Onboarding, Options Analysis, Peace Corps, Program Evaluation, Project/Program Management, Regulations, Resource Management, Tax Accounting, Tax Regulations, Treasury, Trend Analysis, United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Volunteer Experience

LOCATION

Birmingham, AL; Phoenix, AZ; Laguna Niguel, CA; Los Angeles, CA; + more

POSTED

6 days ago

Overview

Open & closing dates: 06/30/2026 to 07/14/2026
Salary: $147,945.00 to $197,200.00 PA
Pay scale & grade: GS 15
Work schedule: -

Locations

Multiple Locations

Duties

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has a distinguished history dating back to the founding of our nation. As the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, Treasury is a major and influential leader in today's global economy. We have over 100,000 employees across the country and around the world. Come Join the Department of the Treasury and Invest in Tomorrow.

With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us. Click to learn more: IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site Meet Our People Learn about our Legal Divisions

The Strategic Litigation (SL) Division Counsel is a national organization with approximately 65 attorneys and 30 paralegals located in 30 cities nationwide. The SL Division, through its Special Trial Attorneys and paralegals, is responsible for handling the Office of Chief Counsel's most complex, high-profile, and significant cases in the United States Tax Court, which cases often establish national precedent or are otherwise important to tax administration. The SL attorneys and paralegals provide a full range of legal services on all issues, including advising the Internal Revenue Service on its most significant non-docketed cases, handling significant case litigation in the United States Tax Court, and assisting the Department of Justice in the handling of significant cases in both Federal and State Courts. As a General Attorney (Tax) (Special Counsel), you will: Serve as a subject-matter expert for the SL Division on Tax Court matters, coordinating and disseminating changes in procedure and protocol, including such matters as the Electronic Courtroom and Virtual Courtroom. Serve as a liaison for the SL Division with DOJ with respect to the allocation of resources to refund and appellate litigation, coordinating litigation strategy when needed. Assist the SL Division Counsel and Deputy Division Counsels in ensuring uniformity and consistency of IRS positions on litigation issues. On behalf of the SL Division Counsel, interact with key technical advisors in other Division Counsel and Associate offices to ensure uniformity and consistency of sensitive legal positions and quick development of positions. Manage sensitive projects on SL matters for the Division Counsel and Deputy Division Counsels. Assist the SL Division Counsel in coordinating the entire Division's resource assignments to litigation efforts in Tax Court, and refund cases with DOJ. Serve as a resource to the Division Counsel, Deputy Division Counsels, Senior Level Counsels, and Strategic Litigation Counsels in coordinating the impact of events occurring on litigation in process with policy makers in Procedure and Administration (P&A) on difficult, important, and complex matters arising in tax litigation and in the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. Participate with stakeholders in other Division offices, the Associate offices, and the IRS to integrate the litigation program with other Enforcement and Guidance programs to achieve the Service's long-term strategy in tax administration. Participate with the Division Counsel/Deputy Division Counsels in the identification, planning and evaluation of Division Counsel programs, services, and resources. Recognize trends in SL issues and responds to trends identified, including recommending the need for new or additional legislation. Monitor and evaluate the impact of new or potential impact of proposed legislation and regulations on SL issues. This is not an all-inclusive list.

Requirements

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. 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: 1) Thorough and comprehensive professional knowledge of and understanding of Federal tax statutes and regulations pertaining to Subchapter C corporations, and subchapter S corporations and partnerships; (2) Thorough and comprehensive knowledge of litigation strategies and procedures, including technology used in case work; and 3) The ability to apply sound judgment in developing and assessing settlement options/interests. 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) 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. Time in Grade Requirement for GS-15: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Relocation expenses are not authorized. This is a non-bargaining unit position. We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules. The salary range indicated in this announcement covers multiple locality areas. Your salary will be adjusted based on the post of duty for which you are selected. This vacancy may be filled in any Office of Chief Counsel office nationwide. Conditions of Employment Continued: May be subject to a 1-year trial period. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on. Undergo an income tax verification. The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns. This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"

Applicants will be considered based on their overall background as it relates to the position to be filled. Interviews may be held at the option of the office. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process. Referral: All candidates will be listed in alphabetical order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, you may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview, such as travel to and from the interview site.

Required Documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). 1. RESUME - All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.Resumes MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position (ex. MM/YY - MM/YY), whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to detail the position series and grade level. The resume should detail relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. Please view resume tips. Note: Resume must be presented in a font size and font style that is legible, no less than 10-point size with no less than half an inch margin all around. 2. SF-50 NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable: An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected) Transcripts must detail degree awarded/conferred including date. Proof of Active Bar Admission A copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application A memorandum of interest summarizing your interest in the position A Supervisory Report regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current supervisor. You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement. Education Documentation: 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. See "Education" for more details. Certificate of Good Standing: A certified original copy of your certificate of good standing from your State Bar will be required if you are selected.

Benefits

How to Apply

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 07/14/2026 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:30am-5:00pm. ET, Monday - Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12980502 If you require a reasonable accommodation for a disability or medical condition during any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Kimberly Johnson, Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator, HR Labor & Employee Relations Division, by phone at 503-265-3841 or by email at Kimberly.Johnson@treasury.gov. The IRS - Office of Chief Counsel provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. You must contact us by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the announcement's closing date to request accommodation. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

About the Company

Internal Revenue Service

Department of the Treasury

https://home.treasury.gov/

The Department of the Treasury is organized into two major components - the Departmental Offices and the operating bureaus. Treasury Bureaus make up 98% of the Treasury work force and are responsible for carrying out specific operations assigned to the Department. The Department of the Treasury includes:

*Departmental Offices (DO)
The Departmental Offices (DO)are primarily responsible for the formulation of policy and management of the Department as a whole, while the operating bureaus carry out the specific operations assigned to the Department.

*Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP)
The Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP) designs and manufactures U.S. currency, securities, and other official certificates and awards.

*Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the largest of Treasury's bureaus. It is responsible for determining, assessing, and collecting internal revenue in the United States.

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is responsible for enforcing and administering laws covering the production, use, and distribution of alcohol and tobacco products. TTB also collects excise taxes for firearms and ammunition.


Bureau of the Fiscal Service
The Bureau of the Fiscal Service was formed from the consolidation of the Financial Management Service and the Bureau of the Public Debt. Its mission is to promote the financial integrity and operational efficiency of the U.S. government through exceptional accounting, financing, collections, payments, and shared services.


The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)                                                                                                                                                      The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) supports law enforcement investigative efforts and fosters interagency and global cooperation against domestic and international financial crimes. It also provides U.S. policy makers with strategic analyses of domestic and worldwide trends and patterns.

Inspector General
The Inspector General conducts independent audits, investigations and reviews to help the Treasury Department accomplish its mission; improve its programs and operations; promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness; and prevent and detect fraud and abuse.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) charters, regulates, and supervises national banks to ensure a safe, sound, and competitive banking system that supports the citizens, communities, and economy of the United States.

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA)
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) provides leadership and coordination and recommends policy for activities designed to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of the internal revenue laws. TIGTA also recommends policies to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in the programs and operations of the IRS and related entities.

U.S. Mint
The U.S. Mint designs and manufactures domestic, bullion and foreign coins as well as commemorative medals and other numismatic items. The Mint also distributes U.S. coins to the Federal Reserve banks as well as maintains physical custody and protection of our nation's silver and gold assets.

COMPANY SIZE

10,000 employees or more

INDUSTRY

Government and Military

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Paid Sick Days, Professional Development, Flexible Spending Accounts, Retirement / Pension Plans, Life Insurance

WEBSITE

https://www.usajobs.gov/Search?d=TR