Legal Assistant (OA)

Summary

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 are seeking administrative professionals to support our legal work.

Click to learn more: IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site Meet Our People Learn about our Legal Divisions

Duties

As a Legal Assistant (OA), you will:

• perform a variety of clerical, technical, and administrative tasks while providing legal support to attorneys and paralegals.
• Practice areas may include general litigation, tax litigation, criminal tax, and advisory services performing the following duties: Utilize basic office software such as Outlook (including eFax), Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Desktop Publishing, Access, SharePoint, and Adobe Acrobat to prepare legal documents and correspondence.
• Prepare and assemble documents, including necessary transmittal forms and envelopes, in accepted office format pursuant to court rules for timely mailing, submission to courts and service of others as appropriate.
• File Chief Counsel court pleadings and follows steps to document that they have been filed or logged with the appropriate recipient.
• Review outgoing correspondence and documents to ensure proper signature and conformance to style and format requirements and procedural instructions, and necessary attachments and enclosures.
• Review mail related to the assigned functional area and input the appropriate tracking data into case management information system.
• Receive visitors and phone calls.
• Ascertain nature of requests and directs callers to appropriate staff, or personally provides the information desired when routine or procedural matters of the office are involved.
• This is not an all-inclusive list.
• If selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform the duties of the position, and will receive training to help you grow in the position.
• Additional Information: Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

Education

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Attention to Detail, Clerical, Computer Skills, Customer Service, Customer Service (Clerical/Technical), Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Oral and Written Communication, Reading Comprehension, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Technical Documentation.

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, Category A, Category B or Category C depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position.

The highest scoring candidates based on the results of the USA Hire assessment may be invited to complete the structured interview assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12933303 Veterans’ preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category.

Structured Interview: Eligible and qualified applicants may be evaluated through a structured interview. The structured interview is conducted by subject matter expert(s) on the position as a formal assessment and results will be used to rate and rank candidates.

Your application and structured interview results will be evaluated against the following job-related competencies: Attention to Detail, Clerical, Computer Skills, Customer Service, Customer Service (Clerical/Technical), Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Oral and Written Communication, Reading Comprehension, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Technical Documentation Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration.

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.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)), you must be assigned to Category B or better to be rated as “well qualified” to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

• A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2.
• Vacancy question responses, and 3.
• Submission of any required documents.
• 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).
• All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing.
• (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to two-pages.
• Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.
• To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume.
• We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view
• Resume Tips. Veterans’ Preference Documentation
• If you are claiming veterans’ preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing actual or expected dates of service dates of service and type of discharge.
• Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form.
• For more information on veterans’ preference view FedsHireVets.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION
• If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents.
• 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.