General Attorney; Tax; Senior Counsel

Overview

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.

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In order to qualify for this position of General Attorney (Tax) (Senior Counsel), 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.

Basic Requirements for General Attorney (Tax) (Senior 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) A thorough and comprehensive professional knowledge and understanding of Federal tax statutes and regulations pertaining tax matters, legal issues, regulations, and needs relevant to individuals filing Schedules C, E, F, and Form 2106, subchapter C corporations, subchapter S corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts; and (2) a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of litigation strategies and procedures, including the ability to apply sound judgment in developing and accessing 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 (Taxation/Tax Law) 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, Ameri Corps) 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).