Summary
The incumbent serves as Supervisory Attorney for eDiscovery and supervises and manages the USDA eDiscovery team housed in the Office of the General Counsel. Works under the direct supervision of the Director of the Office of Information Affairs. Provides legal services to USDA agencies administering programs.
Duties
Manages and supervises all program and supervisory responsibilities for eDiscovery programs and litigation support services. Assigns projects, adjusts workloads, and provides feedback on staff performance and work products.
Exercises strong interpersonal skills through advising, coordinating, and training both OGC and USDA non-OGC staffs on the legal and technical requirements of applicable eDiscovery and investigatory practices.
Works with other stakeholders to implement and promote an improved, integrated approach to eDiscovery programs that encompasses best practices and technology-based tools to handle the processing of electronic evidence.
Conduct sand/or supervises legal research and writing; draft and/or review legislation, regulations, and other documents of legal significance; as a reviewer, provides clear and accurate feedback to drafters.
Performs all supervisory requirements with consideration to the principles of equal employment opportunity and merit promotion. Maintains high standards of professional ethics and behavior.
Furnishes legal guidance and technical support on eDiscovery issues to attorneys and staff throughout litigation, and makes recommendations concerning the scope, feasibility, and costs associated with proposed discovery and litigation plans.
Education
Education: Successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the America Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (J.D. or equivalent degree) (law school transcript required). Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above requirements (education and bar membership). Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You MUST submit a copy of your transcript if you want to substitute your education for experience. If you claim qualifications based on education, and do not submit a transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified". Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Bar Membership: Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Written Narrative: In order for your application to be considered, you must submit a written narrative not to exceed 1200 words, showing you possess the knowledges, skills, and competencies listed in this announcement. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How you will be evaluated
Attorney positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying Veterans' Preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service.However, if you are eligible for Veterans' Preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with the supporting documentation, e.g., SF-15, DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Proof of Bar Membership or other supporting documentation.You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the education, experience, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below: Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence Written Communication Oral Communication Knowledgeable about Technology including eDiscovery Tools Organized and Analytical Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13023031 Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened). Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process . Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current Federal employees would therefore, be given new appointments to the civil service and new trial period required. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal service.