Clerk of the Appellate Boards (Supervisory Attorney-Adviser)

Clerk of the Appellate Boards (Supervisory Attorney-Adviser)

Department: Department of Labor

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $169279 - $197200 Per Year

Job Summary: Make a difference as the Clerk of the Appellate Boards serving as the public-facing officer for the three Boards at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), ensuring timely, efficient, fair and impartial adjudication of appeals of workers' claims. The position supports DOL's three Appellate Adjudicatory Boards: the Benefits Review Board (BRB), the Administrative Review Board (ARB), and the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB). This position reports to the BRB's Chair/Chief Judge.

Major Duties:

• This position is outside the bargaining unit. Appellate Reviews Oversees all activities and procedures involving appeals and associated legal filings submitted to the Boards. Ensures case records meet legal and procedural requirements before submission to the legal staff for further review and consideration. Liaises with other DOL agencies to settle questions of jurisdiction and acquire additional legal documents essential for processing and deciding appeals. Oversees the drafting of orders in response to motions, petitions, and drafting legal memoranda summarizing motions and petitions, and recommending suitable actions. Exercises signatory authority to certify the Boards' official documents and records. Boards' Docket and Case Management Oversees and manages the Boards' docket, ensuring all case filings, orders, motions, and proceedings are accurately processed, updated, recorded, and accessible for adjudication. Provides leadership and direction for case coordination with appropriate Judges, staff, and other legal professionals that facilitates the smooth progression of cases in accordance with legal procedural timelines and court orders. Ensures all docket entries and case management activities comply with applicable federal rules, court procedures, and statutory and regulatory requirements. Maintains the integrity of the Boards' dockets through regular audits and quality assurance. Generates and analyzes specialized reports on docket activities and case status for management and judicial review, supporting strategic decision-making and efficient appellate operations. Collaborates with the Boards' external stakeholders, which includes parties and their attorneys, IT Manager, and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, along with other relevant agencies, manages the Boards' electronic case management and electronic filing/service systems. Develops new or revised methods and procedures to protect, control, maintain, and retrieve case records and related legal documents the Boards receive. Ensures the continuity of OCAB operations during a government shutdown or other emergency situation. Strategic Planning/Policy Development Participates with the Boards' Chief Judges, Judges, and leadership teams and staff to develop short- and long-term vision, mission, and strategic goals to achieve organizational efficiencies. Conducts legal research and assesses emerging legal trends to inform strategic decisions and policy development. Collaborates with the Boards' leadership, members of the Bar, the public, and other key stakeholders to gather input, build consensus, and ensure that the strategic plan reflects the Boards' priorities and enables OCAB to efficiently deliver its services. Establishes or amends quality standards and production goals for the Boards. Reviews amendments to controlling law and regulations, consolidates cases with identical issues, and applies higher courts' decisions that depart from past practice or reasoning. Leads the communication of strategic initiatives and policy changes to senior leadership and relevant staff. Supervisory/Managerial Directs and coordinates a major legal organization with significant resources and impact at the multimillion-dollar level. Supervises professional and legal administrative staff performing legal work related to processing appeals, case reviews, legal research, and disposition. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: manages and monitors day-to-day operations and work to ensure that OCAB's objectives are being met; plans the work, schedules projects and activities, establishes priorities, and discusses goals and objectives with the Boards' leadership and staff; assigns work to OCAB staff; interviews and participates in the selection of personnel within the Office and the BRB; assesses OCAB staff's quality of work; conducts performance evaluations and maintains a record of performance of individual staff; makes recommendations for promotions; resolves employee grievances within the office environment or formally filed with the local union; inspires, motivates, and guides staff towards goal accomplishments; addresses staff development needs and training program requirements. Customer-Facing Responsibilities The Clerk of the Appellate Boards serves as the public-facing officer for the Boards and is the primary point of contact between the Boards and external stakeholders, which includes parties and their attorneys. The incumbent responds, in writing, by phone or email, to inquiries on case status, procedural requirements, and case schedules. Ensures compliance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts and other applicable laws and regulations.

Qualifications: To qualify for an attorney position, applicants must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); be a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the U.S.; and have acquired the amount of experience indicated for the grade level below. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. POSITION TITLES ALONE CANNOT BE USED TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED. PLEASE LIST DATES IN MM/DD/YYYY FORMAT. THIS IS IMPERATIVE IN DETERMINING WHETHER YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF CREDITABLE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE. DATES WILL NOT BE ASSUMED. GS-15: Applicants must have four (4) years of post-law school legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level. At least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying experience must be specialized experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position at a level close to the work of this job that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the job. Specialized experience is described as the ability to lead subordinate staff; to provide strategic leadership and effectively manage both operational challenges and personnel issues to maintain organizational excellence; and to foster impactful inter-organizational relationships and guide and mentor others. Specialized experience also includes demonstrated knowledge of court procedures and operations; experience utilizing current and emerging case process management technologies like those used by the federal courts and similar federal agencies; proficiency in applying analytical, research, and writing skills; familiarity in evaluating and reviewing case records, filings, and motions; and experience in advising and making recommendations to judges, attorneys, or the equivalent. NOTE: An LL.M. may be substituted for a maximum of one year of experience. Applicants also must supply the following documents below. Bar Certificate: You must submit documentation verifying that you are a member of the Bar in good standing of any State, territory, or possession of the U.S. Transcripts: You must provide a copy of your law school transcript to be considered for this position. Verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position; therefore, you will be required to submit an official transcript before you are hired. However, you may submit unofficial transcripts during the application phase of the process. Please note that your J.D. or LL.B degree must be conferred before you can begin working. Writing Sample: You must also provide a legal writing sample that is no more than ten (10) pages in length. This work must be your own, not edited by someone else.

How to Apply: Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations. Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system timeout! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center. STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents. Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week) otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete. NOTE: In alignment with the Presidential Memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, applicants may only submit a resume limited to two (2) pages. Only the résumé uploaded under the 'Resume" document type in USAJOBS will be reviewed. If the resume submitted exceeds two (2) pages, the application will be deemed ineligible for further consideration. STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS). Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button. STEP 3 - Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL). On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy. Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy. STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button. STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm Eastern Time of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then Update Application. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-17