Summary

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Inspector General (OIG), is seeking a highly-qualified Attorney-Advisor to provide expert legal counsel on complex and sensitive matters. The incumbent will support OIG programs by delivering timely advice, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and advancing the OIG's mission to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

Duties

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As an Attorney-Advisor, you will be responsible for:

• Providing legal advice and services relating to audits, evaluations, investigations, and other products created by SBA-OIG components.
• Providing legal advice and guidance on complex cases or legal issues in one or more fields, including civil, criminal, and administrative law and procedure; ethics law; appropriations law; procurement law; legislative affairs; information disclosure law (FOIA/Privacy Act); and employment and labor law.
• Providing legal advice on a full range of SBA-OIG issues, applications, and interpretations.
• Providing legal advice to high-level agency officials and is responsible for effectively presenting the agency position before administrative or judicial bodies.
• Resolving complex factual and legal questions in the course of providing legal advice to the SBA-OIG, including quickly analyzing legal issues in question, developing the strategies to deal with these issues, and preparing the content of the completed analysis of issues.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must successfully complete a background investigation.
• You may be required to serve on a one-year trial period.
• You must possess a J.D., LL.B., and/or LL.M professional law degree.
• You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must demonstrate sufficient specialized experience to perform the duties of this position. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities, as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.

Applicants must possess a J.D., LL.B., and/or LL.M professional law degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and possess at least 2 years of post-professional law degree experience.

Specialized Experience Statement:

GS-13: One year of professional legal experience after admission to the bar, one year of which provided specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-12 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. This experience may have been gained in a non-federal service position. In addition, this Specialized Experience must demonstrate the following:

• Researching, analyzing, and explaining complex statutory, regulatory, and administrative law issues;
• Developing strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases in administrative proceedings;
• Writing clear, concise, persuasive legal documents for various audiences;
• Making effective oral presentations/arguments before administrative third parties; AND
• Apply statutes and regulations to recommend guidance and/or course of action regarding legal matters.

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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 08/14/2026.

Education

GS-13: Applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD). Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

There is no further education requirement for the GS-13 level.

Additional information

Career and InterAgency Career Transition Assistance Programs: Are programs that applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job in their current agency (intra-agency, i.e. SBA employees only).

Inter-Agency Career Transition Assistance (ICTAP) is a program that helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job at another agency (inter-agency; i.e. not applying to their current or former agency).

You are eligible for CTAP/ICTAP if:

1. You are a current federal employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee meaning you have received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF).

2. Your agency, or the agency to which you are applying, is accepting applications from within or outside of the permanent workforce.

3. The position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced.

4. You meet the qualifications and other requirements of the job for which you are applying. This includes being rated as well-qualified for the position (score of 85 or better based on your responses to the competencies and associated questions listed within the assessment).

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.